When Joe and I spent a few days in Hilton Head Island, S.C., I took an afternoon excursion to nearby Beaufort.
Founded in 1711 on the South Carolina coast, I happened by during this historic city's tri-centennial year. Learn more about Beaufort's history here
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I enjoyed a peaceful stroll along the water's edge. Although all was quiet this rainy afternoon, the waterfront plays host to festivals and special events throughout the year.
Many movies have been filmed in Beaufort, like the one cleverly referenced in the tour boat pictured above.
I reached Beaufort late afternoon, but a break in the rain allowed me to catch the last narrated horse-drawn buggy tour of the day. I couldn't wait to hear the stories behind some of Beaufort's beautiful antebellum homes.
I snapped a photo of the gracious home above as I drove into downtown Beaufort, but captured the images that follow during my tour.
The William Elliot House, known as The Anchorage, was the first home we passed. It was used as a hospital and mission house during the Civil War.
This quaint church building caught my eye as we passed.
Our tour guide pointed out that the porch ceilings on many of the homes are painted haint blue, which he said was thought to prevent insects from building nests on them. A friend from Charleston tells me local folklore says haint blue was to keep the bad haints, or spirits, away.
I hope to return to Beaufort one day to explore more of the city. When I do, I hope to stay at the historic Rhett House Inn, pictured above. Named "one of the best inns in the South" by Southern Living and cited by Travel and Leisure as "the perfect place to be," it looks like the perfect spot to step back in time for a walk through history.
"Three centuries in the making, Beaufort is the leading gem on South Carolina's treasured coast. With an active and engaged community, a National Landmark Historic District, a strong military presence, a vital tourism market and some of the best fishing anywhere, Beaufort has a way of reeling you in." -- The City of Beaufort
