The Greatest and Fairest Haven

“Soon winter gales will howl over the lands of the North and West, and snow will cover the ground. It is only natural for men and women to turn their thoughts to sun kissed lands. Now is the time to invite the discriminating tourists to visit Beaufort County.” Gazette, 1937.

The County’s history is the story of this unique place - the many people who lived here, came here, or were brought here, and their efforts to live and prosper. This story is one of determination, perseverance, invention, entrepreneurship, fortune, loss, struggle, victory, oppression, jubilee, family, friends, traditions, and vision for the future.

Today, the County is proud to be a leader in historic preservation, the center of Gullah-Geechee culture, the home of the new National Park Service's Reconstruction Era National Park. We are an example of how towns and cities can preserve and protect places that reflect their past, while continuing to embrace new ideas that move communities forward into the future. 

We celebrate our heritage at annual events such as the Shrimp Festival, Water Festival, Penn Center Heritage Days, and the Gullah Celebration on Hilton Head Island. We have expanded our horizons beyond the County, through events such as the Beaufort International Film Festival. Our talented musician, artists, authors, athletes, historians, and politicians have brought us recognition throughout the world.

And our style? It is reflected in more than just our architecture. Our style is warm and welcoming, celebrating diversity as our strength, and balancing traditional ways with a vision for the future.