A second view of the bridge, shown below, was taken from the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, a newly-renovated area along Beaufort’s riverfront. Draped with shady oaks, it provides a beautiful place for passersby to relax on riverside swings, play a game of Frisbee, listen to a concert, watch an outdoor movie, or enjoy a meal at one of the many nearby restaurants.

Cannon Park, pictured below, is near the north end of the Woods Memorial Bridge. This small park is adorned with flowers, and visitors enjoy relaxing on benches and watching boats pass beneath the bridge. Cannon Park is only a few steps from downtown shops, and it is treasured by many locals.

These are the only moveable bridges left in our state:

Do you have a picture of one of these bridges? Please send it to us. Also, if you have more information about the Woods Memorial Bridge, please let us know. We’d love to add it!

For more information, please visit the church’s website.

SCIWAY thanks Sandy Dimke of Beaufort for sharing this photo she took in 2011.

The Beaufort Volunteer Artillery was a militia of prominent citizens who came together to protect Beaufort and its ports during times of war. The Beaufort Arsenal was built to serve as their headquarters and to store weapons. According to Major Scott Bell, a historian for the SC National Guard, the men were not officially recognized as the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery until 1776 – even though they had organized many decades earlier to fight off attacks from Indian tribes, Spaniards, and even pirates!

Major Bell also says that during the Revolutionary War, the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery fought in battles up and down the coast. It was considered one of South Carolina‘s best-outfitted and best-manned militias, and it helped drive the British off Port Royal Island in 1779.

The Beaufort Volunteer Artillery fought for the Confederate Army during the Civil War, participating in the battles of Pocotaligo, Honey Hill, and Coosawatchie. The artillery was eventually disbanded in the late 1870s and became part of South Carolina’s naval militia.

Many thanks to Esther Fogle of Easley for submitting these pictures in August 2010.

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The house was built in 1810 for Milton Maxcy, who founded a school for young men in Beaufort and later was a teacher at Beaufort College. Edmund Rhett – lawyer, state representative, and state senator – bought the house in the 1850s and remodeled it in the Greek Revival style with a two-story portico.

Rhett was outspoken in support of state rights and led the meetings held here regarding South Carolina‘s secession. There is even an inscription on the basement wall that reads, In this house the first meeting of Secession was held in South Carolina.

Many thanks to Ester Fogle of Easley for submitting these pictures.

This image is copyrighted. You may not use it without written consent.

Many thanks to Beaufort native Randy LaGrone, who took this picture in February 2010.

Cherokee and Catawba Indians lived in the area as early as 4000 BC, and even left shell ring ruins on nearby Hilton Head Island [ read more about SC Indian Shell Rings ]. Spanish explorers discovered the area in 1520, and it changed hands many times between the Spanish, French, and British. By the early 1700s, English planters and traders established Beaufort Town, in honor of Henry Somerset, Duke of Beaufort.

Beaufort played an important role during the Civil War. Two residents served on the committee which drafted the Ordinance of Secession in December 1860, and the Federal Government setup a blockade around Beaufort’s port. Even though the economy suffered greatly due to the blockade, most of its buildings escaped the devastation of war and are still standing today.

During the early 20th century, the seafood industry, farming, and tourism were a major part of Beaufort’s economy. The town also experienced significant military growth during World War II, which provided a much needed economic boost. Today, Beaufort’s tourism industry is booming. Nearby Hilton Head is a nationally celebrated golf mecca, and combined with Beaufort and beauty, Beaufort’s history has become a vacation destination.

If you visit the area, a walking tour of historic downtown Beaufort is a great way to learn about its rich history.

She writes: “While driving down the main street of Beaufort, I saw this fabulous live oak with the Spanish moss hanging so beautifully. This is so ‘Old South’ to me and it brings back some of my fantasies of being a little girl playing under this fabulous tree.”