Historic Downtown Beaufort Lifestyle and Culture

Historic Downtown Beaufort Real Estate Offers History to Lives and Culture

Beaufort Art: A Bounty of Art Galleries
Members of the Historic Downtown Beaufort community enjoy the array of artistic opportunities the Beaufort SC area has to offer. The Arts Council of Beaufort County keeps a busy calendar with exhibits and activities such as open studio watercolor classes, gallery shows and special annual events centered on the arts.

Historic Downtown Beaufort is home to more than a dozen galleries that feature original paintings, prints, ceramics, jewelry, sculptures and fiber arts.  Among them are the Charles Street Gallery and Frame Shop, the Gloria Dalvini Watercolor Studio, Indigo Gallery and the Rhett Gallery.

Beaufort SC Museums
Members of the Historic Beaufort Foundation have carefully preserved both the Beaufort Museum and the John Mark Verdier House.

The Beaufort Museum showcases Native American, European and American artifacts from 1566 through early 20th century. Items from the Beaufort SC area’s history are on display and also document the history from the Spanish settlement, antebellum period and Union occupation.

The Arsenal was completed in 1798 and served as a powder magazine and laboratory for explosives. The U.S. Army took residence in The Arsenal in 1861. An African-American militia was later housed there, as was the National Guard until 1966. A wing was designated as a museum in the 1930’s.

The John Mark Verdier House is a circa 1800 Federal design. It was the home of its namesake, an American Revolution soldier who later became a wealthy merchant. The house remained in the Verdier family for more than 100 years and The Historic Beaufort Foundation now maintains the house as a museum.

Beaufort Shopping
Historic Downtown Beaufort’s shopping options are unique to the Beaufrot area. Most of Beaufort’s shops are independently owned and offer gift items, regional items, home décor, arts and antiques.

One example is Finders Keepers, located on Bay Street. Finders Keepers offers an eclectic cache of limited edition coins and collectibles, jewelry and a Christmas shop open throughout the year.

Also on Bay is Lulu Burgess, a perfect shop for quirky gifts such as funky ball caps for men and women, “Corporate Slang Flashcards” or a book entitled ‘Famous Pick Up Lines.’ More traditional gifts include jewelry and accessories, baby wear and picture frames.

Perhaps the most enjoyable way to experience the individuality of Historic Downtown Beaufort shops is to simply park and walk along the historic streets and just see what’s new.  //