First African Baptist Church (circa 1865) The First African Baptist Church was the first church built by freed slaves in South Carolina.

John Mark Verdier House (circa 1805) 801 Bay Street, Beaufort, SC 29902, Downtown, 843-524-6335, "One of the finest architectural examples of the Federal Period", this beautiful Federal style home is filled with antiques and artifacts that depict the way of life in Beaufort during the 19th century. This house was taken over by Union soldiers as their headquarters during the Civil War. more... 

Penn Center (circa 1862) P.O. Box 126, Beaufort, SC 29920, Located on St. Helena Island, 843-838-2432, The site of one of the country's first schools for freed slaves, the Penn Center is a National Historic Landmark and is a part of the Penn School Historic District. It includes 19 buildings, including the Brick Church, Darrah Hall, one of the oldest buildings on St. Helena Island; old burial grounds, the York W. Bailey Museum, and the Gantt Cottage where Martin Luther King Jr. lodged. Several programs are held each year. more...

St. Helena's Episcopal Church (circa 1724) 505 Church Street, Beaufort, SC 29902, 843-522-1712, Once a hospital during the Civil War when its flat tombstones became operating tables, this historic 18th century church features a wooden altar that was carved by the crew of the USS New Hampshire which was stationed nearby during the Reconstruction. The church is open daily and tours are available. more... 

Tabernacle Baptist Church (circa 1724) 911 Craven Street, Beaufort, SC 29902, 843-524-0376, Colonial John "Tuscarora Jack" Barnwell, the famous Indian fighter and a founder of Beaufort Town, is buried beneath the dome vault of this brick and stucco church that was used as a Union Army Hospital during the Civil War. 

Chapel of Ease (circa 1740's) Land's End Road, Beaufort, SC, Located on Saint Helena Island, Destroyed by a forest fire in 1886, the remains of the Chapel of Ease show that the ruins were made of brick and tabby, a concrete prepared with lime, sand, oyster shells and water.

National Cemetery (circa 1863) 1601 Boundary Street, Beaufort, SC 29902, 843-524-3925, Established by President Abraham Lincoln, this cemetery is the last resting place for the soldiers who died in the Civil War. Of the 7,500 Civil War soldiers buried here, 4,019 are unknown Union soldiers and 117 are Confederate. In later years, soldiers of all wars were authorized to be buried at this cemetery.  more... 

Old Sheldon Church Ruins Old Sheldon Road off Highway 17 in Pocotaligo, Beaufort, SC, Located Less Than 30 Miles from Beaufort, Deep in the Lowcountry forest, between Gardens Corner and Yemassee; the ruins of one of the first Greek Revival-style structures built in the United States stands. Built in the mid 1700's, Sheldon Church was burned in 1779 during the Revolutionary War, rebuilt in 1826, and again burned during the Civil War by Sherman's men in 1865.

Beaufort Museum 713 Craven Street, Beaufort, SC 29902, Downtown Beaufort, 843-379-3331, Located in an arsenal that is one of the most significant historical sites in Beaufort built in 1798, this museum houses two galleries that displays stone tools, old-fashioned bathtubs, jewelry, vintage clothing, swords, photographs, and other items that trace the history of Beaufort and the Lowcountry.  more... 

Lowcountry Estuarium, The 1402 Paris Avenue; P.O. Box 608, Port Royal, SC 29935, 843-524-6600, Open Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the Lowcountry Estuarium is a coastal learning center designed to promote the conservation and preservation of the Lowcountry's marshes, creeks, rivers, and sounds by providing educational and recreational hands-on learning.

Ace Basin Tours 1 Coosaw River Drive, Beaufort, SC 29902, 843-521-3099, Climb aboard a 40-foot covered pontoon boat and take a three hour tour of the Ace Basin, where the Ashepoo, Combabee, and Edisto Rivers converge to form the largest estaurine preserve on the East Coast. Tours leave on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. from the Coosaw Marine Dock, the dock that was featured as the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company in the movie "Forrest Gump." 

Carolina Buggy Tours 901 Port Republic Street, Beaufort, SC 29902, Downtown Beaufort, 843-525-1300, Step back in time during this 50 minute guided tour of the Old Point Neighborhood and the Historic District during this carriage tour that includes professionally trained guides showing you Hollywood movie sites and telling you Beaufort's history and local folklore. The green and white carriages are reminiscent of the carriage styles of the 1800's and are pulled by Belgian Draft horses. Tours start around 10:30 a.m. 

Spirit of Old Beaufort, The 103 West Street Extension, Beaufort, SC 29902, 843-525-0459, Learn about local history, architecture, horticulture, and Lowcountry culture during this tour that takes you on a journey through the Old Town with a professional guide dressed in period costume and includes houses that are not accessible on other tours. The tours last for two hours and are available Tuesday through Saturday. Tours depart from just behind the John Market Verdier House Museum.