White Christmases in Beaufort District's Recorded History

    

Last updated: 17 December 2024 - gmc 

Snowstorms do not happen very often in Beaufort County, SC. Beaufort County has experienced several “firsts” and “mosts” when it comes to inclement winter weather. The most snowfall in a 24-hour period was 5 inches on December 23, 1989. This snow stuck around in spots to give Beaufort County a White Christmas.  

Holiday travel was definitely impacted with the area airports closing. Though the weather turned sunny on Christmas Eve the temperatures remained low. The Highway Department and Sheriff’s Office were kept quite busy handling vehicle accidents and helping stranded motorists. Palmetto Electric Cooperative reported a record demand for electricity which overloaded the system.  

Island Packet, December 24, 1989, p. 5-A

However, 1989 was not Beaufort County’s first recorded White Christmas.  That distinction goes Christmas 1853, when plantation owner Thomas B. Chaplin recorded a cold and frosty holiday in his journal:  

Dec. 25th. Sunday. Christmas Day. The ground is covered with snow this morning but not thick, trees covered icicles. Clear but bitter cold. Saxby & I rode up to Farmer's. Took him up & went on to Minott's. We all returned & dined with Mother. She had a very fine dinner, too much in fact. (I hear that the snow or sleet & cold weather extended to the Island.)

While "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas," odds are that we will not get one this year. Snow or no, all units of the Beaufort County Library will be closed Monday, December 23rd through Wednesday, December 25th, 2024, and on Wednesday, January 1st, 2025.   

We trust that everyone will have a safe and enjoyable Holiday season with family and friends.

Railroad History in Beaufort District, Model Train Exhibit, and Schedule Changes

Every couple of years I try to review previous posts on particular recurring topics for continuing relevancy and currency. Thus I updated the "All Aboard" post on the BDC's WordPress blog originally put up in 2017 to include an overview of the history of railroads in Beaufort District in honor of the Beaufort Railroader's 27th annual visit to the Beaufort Branch this year.

As frequent readers of this blog are aware, having the model trains during the Christmas Season is one of Beaufort Branch's most anticipated events each year.

There are folks who otherwise never darken the Library's doors but who love to come see the model trains. And, invariably, there is someone who shows up expecting to see the model trains after they have come and gone. Though I did get something of a surprise as I was writing this post to hear a very unexpected knock on the locked up tight BDC's door to ask where the trains were! She was disappointed to know that she had come early - but isn't arriving early often much better than arriving to see the model trains after they have left the building? I do so hope that she will be able to visit at some point during the five days that the model trains will be chugging downstairs later this week.

As last week's guest post indicated, the model train exhibit will chug into Beaufort Branch on Tuesday, December 17th and will remain on site until Saturday, December 21st at 4:00 pm this year. Hours are posted on the Library system's calendar.

Kristi has updated the display cabinet to showcase some of the many railroaded materials we have in the Research Room. A fuller list is on the WordPress blog where you can also read the history of railroads. The WordPress blog list includes books you can check out or see online for free at your leisure so even if you cannot make it down to see the exhibit, you can still learn at least something about the significant role that railroads played in America's history.

Reminder about the upcoming holiday schedule changes:
1) The Beaufort District Collection closes at 5 pm on Friday, December 20th and will stay closed through Christmas Day.

2) While Sam has been out, Kristi and I have been tag-teaming coverage of the Research Room. Kristi will be on site to open the Research Room on Thursday, December 26th at 9 AM. Because of staff shortage, the Research Room will close at lunchtime on both December 26th and 27th, Noon to 1 pm.

All units of the Beaufort County Library will close at 5 pm on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2019 and will remain closed until Thursday, January 2, 2020 at which point all units will resume regular hours of operation unless otherwise indicated.

Model Trains Exhibit, December 17 - 21, 2019

Guest post by David Simpson, one of the Beloved BDC Docents: 

Romance of the rails is back at Beaufort Branch! For the 27^th year The Beaufort Railroaders are bringing trains big and small  (gauges: N, HO, G, S and O) to the Beaufort Public Library on Scott Street from Tuesday, December 15^th to  Saturday the 21^st  the  hours are from 10 AM to 5 PM.

There is a dream come true room, of just LIONEL 0 GAGE engines and rolling stock with accessories to complete the lay-out1. It is a 1950’s childhood memory come true!

In a second room you will be fascinated by trains of all types and sizes running the rails through scenic wonder lands. Motive power (engines) of steam, diesel, and electric all pulling their loads.

There is a photo display of the Beaufort Railroaders' recent project of constructing a scale model of the “old swing bridge” over Harbor River connecting St. Helena to Hunting Island which is being replaced at this time. The model will be displayed in the Visitors Center on Hunting Island.  

If the Polar Express and Thomas the Tank Engine are the only named trains you know find out about such famous named trains as: The Twentieth Century Limited, El Capitan, The Owl, The Crescent City Limited, The Sunset Limited and famous rail lines such as the great Pennsylvania, New York Central, Seaboard, C,B&Q Chicago Burlington and Quincy,  BAR Bangor/Aroostook  Railroad, Long Island Railroad (LIRR) “route of the dashing commuter”, Central of Georgia,  Burlington Northern, the Chessy System,  The mighty Santa Fe with its engines painted in the “War Bonnet” pattern, Union Pacific, Southern Pacific, Katy Line, Eriee and Lackawanna, Norfolk Southern.

BCL's "Donner Collection" https://lcdl.library.cofc.edu/lcdl/catalog/lcdl:2084

Finish off your rail visit by going upstairs to the Beaufort District Collection Research Room to see selections from their materials about the history of local railroads.

Hundreds and hundreds of children and adults make this show part of their  holiday activities. After all what is a Christmas tree with out a model train running circles around it!

Contact the Beaufort Branch Library for more details about the model train display: 843-255-6456 or bcl@bcgov.net.

Please note: The Research Room has slightly different hours on Friday, December 13, 2019. Staff will be on hand to assist customers from 9 AM to Noon and again from 1 PM to 5 PM that day.