The National Park Service (NPS) today released a comprehensive study to help guide future preservation of South Carolina’s Beaufort National Historic Landmark (NHL) District— which is recognized nationally for its antebellum history and architecture, and role in the Civil War and Reconstruction era.
The Beaufort National Historic Landmark Condition and Integrity Study documents changes that have occurred within and adjacent to the district since its NHL designation in 1973, analyzes the district’s current integrity as compared to when it was designated, and examines projects and trends that may impact ongoing preservation efforts.
“The Beaufort National Historic Landmark District remains an outstanding example of American history and culture,” said Alesha Cerny, historian with the NPS National Historic Landmarks Program. “It also faces preservation challenges. With the information collected in this study, the community can better understand and protect the district’s unique character that makes it such a special place to live in and visit. We look forward to assisting the community as it continuously works to achieve its preservation goals.”
The study found that, despite changes to some buildings and the landscape, the Beaufort NHL District’s original character remains, with many contributing resources retaining a high degree of integrity. Beaufort’s local preservation ordinance and design review standards have the potential to serve as an effective tool to guide change; however varied interpretations, understanding, and enforcement limit their effectiveness and hinders preservation efforts. Additionally, the study found that the Northwest Quadrant, which is critical to an understanding of the African American experience of the district, has experienced the largest loss of historic properties and is vulnerable to future losses.
The study also recognizes local preservation successes, including Historic Beaufort Foundation’s easement program framework and revolving fund, the adoption of a city-wide archeological ordinance, and the establishment of Reconstruction Era National Historical Park.
NPS recommends several steps in the study to improve the district’s overall health, such as updating NHL documentation to include additional information addressing Reconstruction Era associations and an inventory of contributing resources built after 1919, which are significant to the history and development of Beaufort.
NPS will continue to monitor the district and follow proposed projects that may diminish the district’s integrity.
The public may learn more about the Beaufort NHL District Study by visiting
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/beaufort. New information concerning issues identified in the study can be submitted to NPS at ser_nhl@nps.gov.
About the Beaufort National Historic Landmark District
Designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior in 1973, the Beaufort National Historic Landmark District reflects three centuries of history and is significant for its antebellum history and architecture, as well as its role in the Civil War and Reconstruction Era. Having architecture different from that of Savannah and Charleston, Beaufort has preserved a number of distinctive “lowcountry” houses from the 18th and early 19th centuries. Typical houses have two-story verandas and airy, open interiors. Several buildings, foundations and other character-defining elements of the district are built of tabby, an important regional building material composed of oyster shells, lime and sand mixed with seawater.
