Support History This Holiday Season

Beaufort County is blessed to have more than a dozen cultural heritage agencies, many of which hosting special events and programs during December. Why not support local history and cultural heritage organizations - and entertain your holiday guests - at the same time?  (Please be sure to check with each institution about its holiday hours.)  

Old World Christmas Gala 

Description of event:  Come support historic preservation in Bluffton with BHPS and friends. Enjoy a traditional meal and dance the night away under the stars in a live oak grove near the Oyster Factory Park on the May River. Period dress is encouraged, hoop skirts are optional.
Time and date of event:  Friday, Dec. 13th from 6-10 pm
Location of event: Colcock-Teel Property, 46 Colcock Street, Bluffton
Price:  Fee.
Contact: 843-757-6293; info@heywardhouse.org


Beaufort Model Railroaders Exhibit
Description of event: Scaled models of trains run through cities, countryside, and villages and towns courtesy of the Beaufort Model Railroaders hobby group.  For the young and young-at-heart!  A time-honored and celebrated tradition for more than 20 years at Beaufort Branch Library. 

Time and date of event:  Tuesday, Dec. 17th - Saturday, Dec. 21st during regular Beaufort Branch Library hours.

Location of event: Beaufort Branch Library, 311 Scott Street, 1st floor, Beaufort
Price:  Free.
Contact: 843-255-6456; www.beaufortcountylibrary.org

Beaufort County's Most Hated Man: William Henry Brisbane, Planter-Turned-Abolitionist
Description of event: Dr. J. Brent Morris (USC-B) discusses how Brisbane, a staunch supporter of slavery and a plantation until the 1830s had a turn of heart and became an active abolitionist.  In the 1840s he sold his land and moved to Ohio, only to return to his birthplace as a Federal Tax Commissioner during the Civil War.  On January 1, 1863, it was Brisbane who publicly read the Emancipation Proclamation in Beaufort - including to some men and women who he had owned. 

Time and date of event:  Wednesday, Dec. 18th at 3 pm

Location of event: Coastal Discovery Museum,
Price:  Fee.
Contact: Reservations and details:  843-689-6767, ext. 223 www.coastaldiscovery.org

PS: For those of you who live North of the Broad River, Dr. Morris will be speaking about Brisbane during the Beaufort County Historical Society meeting at the Beaufort Yacht Club on Jan. 16th, too.

First South Carolina Volunteers Exhibit
Description of event: As a special treat to the residents of Beaufort County, the Beaufort History Museum is offering free admission during December.  The First South Carolina Volunteers exhibit closes on December 22nd.
Time and date of event:  10 am - 4 pm, Monday through Fridays; 1 - 4 pm Sundays
Location of event: Beaufort History Museum, 1911 Boundary Street, Beaufort (In Town Hall) 

Price: Free for residents during December; Fee for everyone else.

Contact: 843-277-1443; www.beauforthistorymuseum.com

Parris Island Museum
Description of event: In addition to documenting the history of the United States Marine Corps, Parris Island Museum has exhibits about the Spanish and French settlements on the island and the Civil War history of the area.
Time and date of event:  10 am - 4:30 pm, Daily (closed Christmas Day)
Location of event: Parris Island Museum, 111 Panama Street, Marine Corps Recruit Depot

Price: Free.
Contact: 843-228-2951; http://parrisislandmuseum.com/

Civil War Exhibits at the John Mark Verdier House
Description of event: Historic Beaufort Foundation maintains the John Mark Verdier House museum.  Historic images illustrate text panels of the town during the Civil War and there is a scale-model diorama of Bay Street 1863 currently under construction.  In addition with paid admission, visitors can see "Robert Smalls: Beaufort Hero" and the "Unsurrendered Flag" featuring the history of the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery and its recently restored 1858 flag.
Time and date of event:  10 am - 4:00 pm, Monday - Saturday 
Location of event: John Mark Verdier House, 801 Bay Street, Beaufort

Price: Some free; some fee.
Contact: 379-6335; historicbeaufort.org

York W. Bailey Museum

Description of event: The Education for Freedom permanent exhibit chronicles Penn Center's most important history as a place of education, leadership and service, offering a glimpse into the stories of the Gullah Geechee people whose lives were changed by this important American institution. Rare artifacts, photographs, writings, and letters documenting Sea Island life during the 18th-20th century are on display.

Time and date of event:  9 am - 4 pm, Mondays through Saturdays 
Location of event: Cope Building, Penn Center Historic District, St. Helena Island
Price: Fee.

Contact:  843-838-2474



N.B. Please forgive the formatting issues. On the creation page, this looks just fine, all spacing, typefaces, and size of font are the same.  The posted version looks different because the free version of Blogspot (what we have to use) gets a little off kilter when one cuts-and-pastes text and images and proceeds to resize things to suit itself. Alas, it's the price one pays for free versions of software and a desire to "pretty" things up for readers.