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Reconstruction Era National Historical Park

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National Historic Site ( NHS ) and National Historical Park ( NHP ) are designations for officially recognized areas of nationally historic significance in the United States. They are usually owned and managed by the federal government. An NHS usually contains a single historical feature directly associated with its subject, while an NHP is an area that generally extends beyond single properties or buildings to include a mix of historic and later structures and sometimes significant natural features.

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68-639: The Reconstruction Era National Historical Park , formerly Reconstruction Era National Monument , is a United States National Historical Park in Beaufort County, South Carolina established by President Barack Obama in January 2017 to preserve and commemorate activities during the Reconstruction Era that followed the American Civil War . The monument was the first U.S. National Monument dedicated to

136-487: A Park Service official indicated that opposition to the proposed national monument from the Sons of Confederate Veterans had softened. Two U.S. Representatives from South Carolina, Democrat Jim Clyburn and Republican Mark Sanford (whose district has included Beaufort since redistricting in 2010), were major champions of the monument's designation and had sought to create the monument via an act of Congress . A proposal to create

204-659: A campaign to persuade U.S. Representative Joe Wilson (who then represented the area of the proposed park) to oppose it. After receiving letters from the group's members and meeting with the group, Wilson told the National Park Service that he would not support the park. The proposal was revived in 2015, however, after two historians commissioned by the Park Service — Gregory Downs of the University of California, Davis and Kate Masur of Northwestern University —undertook

272-591: A conceptual framework, whereby both new and existing park units would be examined more holistically for ways to study history such as "creating social movements and institutions," "developing the American economy," and "peopling places." In the 20th century, potential new park units have been recommended not so much on "an orderly, balanced, and comprehensive" preservation of "outstanding examples", as Chief Historian Ronald Lee put it, but on those mandated to be studied by Congress, most of whose requests are recommended against by

340-540: A field study of sites associated with the Reconstruction era and issued a report entitled National Historical Landmark Theme Study on the U.S. Reconstruction Era, 1861–1898 . At an April 2016 symposium entitled "The Reconstruction Era: History and Public Memory" in Columbia, South Carolina , sponsored by Historic Columbia and the University of South Carolina History Center, Downs, Masur, and others spoke. At that symposium,

408-449: A fire in 1907 brought extensive destruction and economic turmoil. Their effects slowed growth of the city for nearly half a century. In the latter half of the 20th century, the community became a destination for tourists. It also benefited by the growth of military installations in the area and related employment. Local groups have worked to preserve Beaufort's historic character and significant architecture. These efforts have contributed to

476-801: A park is not itself "historic", but can be called "historical" when it contains historic resources. It is the resources which are historic, not the park. There are 63 national historical parks. Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park was formally established by the United States and Canada in 1998, the year of the centennial of the gold rush the park commemorates. The park comprises Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Washington and Alaska (above) and Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site in British Columbia. Tens of thousands of prospectors took this trail in hopes of making their fortunes in

544-669: A renewal of development interest, with many homes being "flipped" or renovated in recent years. Higginsonville is more similar in character to the Northwest Quadrant neighborhood and has its street names come from famous abolitionists during the Civil War era. The West End and Depot neighborhoods are located west of Ribaut Road, south of Boundary Street and north of the Technical College of the Lowcountry campus. These areas have been

612-504: A unique identity to market the commercial area separately from downtown merchants clustered on Bay Street. Beaufort Town Center is a recent term given to a series of developments along Boundary Street located west of the historic district and Pigeon Point that is clustered near the Beaufort County government complex and the City of Beaufort's municipal complex construction site. Though much of

680-461: Is also a major economic sector. Nearly 2 million visitors a year come to Beaufort and the Sea Islands of northern Beaufort County, with spring and fall seasons being peak times. The primary attractions of these visitors include golf and beach vacations, history, water sports, and local arts and crafts. As a result, Beaufort is home to many accommodation options ranging from upscale bed-and-breakfasts in

748-527: Is also part of the larger Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area , which includes Beaufort and Jasper counties. As of 2012, the MSA had an estimated year-round population of 193,882. The Beaufort area has several printed publications. The daily newspaper The Beaufort Gazette is the oldest and most circulated newspaper of record in South Carolina and is the sister publication to

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816-481: Is expected to change its appearance over the coming years due in part to a major redevelopment plan approved by the city in 2008 and supported via tax increment financing . Uptown Beaufort refers to a series of mostly commercial properties along Boundary Street that separates the historic district from the Pigeon Point neighborhood. Uptown is not formally considered a neighborhood on its own, yet merchants have created

884-643: Is known as the "Queen of the Carolina Sea Islands". The city's population was 13,607 at the 2020 census . It is part of the Hilton Head Island–Bluffton metropolitan area . Beaufort is located on Port Royal Island , in the heart of the Sea Islands and South Carolina Lowcountry . The city is renowned for its scenic location and for maintaining a historic character by preservation of its antebellum architecture . The prominent role of Beaufort and

952-483: Is not yet owned or formally developed by the National Park Service, but may eventually be owned and established as a national historic site. National historical parks tend to be larger and more complex than national historic sites. In the United States, sites are "historic", while parks are "historical". The NPS explains that a site can be intrinsically historic, while a park is a modern legal invention. As such,

1020-501: Is part of the Savannah, Georgia Designated Market Area , and additionally receives Charleston television stations. Beaufort has been the setting or the inspirational setting for several novels by long-time resident Pat Conroy and a popular filming location for major motion pictures, including The Big Chill , The Prince of Tides , The Great Santini , Forrest Gump , Something To Talk About , and G.I. Jane . The "garden" in

1088-833: Is the record of names and origins of freedmen taken to Canada. Beaufort is a tourist destination known for its history. Major festivals and arts events include the Home Water Festival, a two-week festival in the middle of July; and the Shrimp Festival, celebrating the local and traditional industry, in the first weekend in October. In 2007, the Beaufort Shrimp Festival was selected as one of the Southeast Tourism Society's Top 20 Events. The Beaufort International Film Festival held in mid-February each year (covers

1156-627: The Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown battlefield in Virginia as one of the first new historical areas, and it was renamed a national historical park in 1936. It then established Morristown National Historical Park , the 1779–1780 winter encampment of the Continental Army in New Jersey, on March 2, 1933, as the first NHP: The U.S. House committee noted that the new designation was logical for

1224-462: The Klondike River district of Yukon . Download coordinates as: Beaufort, South Carolina Beaufort ( / ˈ b juː f ər t / BEW -fərt , different from that of Beaufort, North Carolina ) is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina , United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston . Beaufort

1292-490: The National Register of Historic Places . Beaufort is located at 32°25′55″N 80°41′22″W  /  32.43194°N 80.68944°W  / 32.43194; -80.68944 (32.431853, -80.689515). The majority of the city is situated upon Port Royal Island, an interior Sea Island that the city shares with neighboring Port Royal and unincorporated portions of Beaufort County. The city has also annexed lands across

1360-566: The Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport , and a container port on the Savannah River make the city a desirable choice for residential and business development opportunity. Beaufort has several geographic areas of economic activity. The downtown area is the historical center of commerce and is now primarily focused towards visitors, tourists. Much of the day-to-day service businesses for locals has moved along

1428-616: The 1850 U.S. Census. The city recorded a population of 879, excluding slaves, which were not separately returned. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 13,607 people, 4,839 households, and 3,317 families residing in the city. At the 2010 census , there were 12,361 people living in the city. The population density was 447.9 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 67.1% White , 25.7% African American , 0.3% Native American , 1.4% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 1.98% from other races , and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 6.7% of

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1496-660: The 18th century, and Beth Israel Congregation is a historic Conservative synagogue in the downtown area. Additional places of worship include the St. James Orthodox Church (a mission church of the Orthodox Church in America) and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Beaufort. The proximity of the city to other fast-growing areas including Hilton Head Island and Bluffton as well as good access to Savannah, Georgia ,

1564-569: The 1950s, the Mission 66 program revived historic studies that had lagged during World War II and saw the creation of the National Historic Landmarks program as a method to recognize important sites. From the 1960s to 1990s, the NPS evolved from a thematic framework, in which numerous specific themes and subthemes of American history were expected to each be included in some way in the system, to

1632-476: The Beaufort Memorial Hospital. Several upscale residential streets are found in this area. The Battery Creek neighborhoods of Mossy Oaks, Royal Oaks, First Boulevard, and Cottage Farms form the southern residential areas of the city and are generally considered to be south of the Technical College of the Lowcountry campus and the Beaufort Memorial Hospital. There are some commercial establishments in

1700-593: The Beaufort River on Lady's Island . The city is amid a marshy estuary, and according to the United States Census Bureau has a total area of 33.6 square miles (87.0 km ), of which 27.6 square miles (71.5 km ) is land and 6.0 square miles (15.5 km ), or 17.80%, is water. Beaufort has a humid subtropical climate with warm winters by South Carolina standards. Remnants of the original English colonial settlement of Beaufort can be found in

1768-551: The Beaufort area, accompanied by historian Eric Foner , author of the book Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877 . The initial effort to create the national monument failed in Congress amid opposition from the Sons of Confederate Veterans . In 2004, when the creation of a Beaufort Reconstruction History Park was being considered, the Sons of Confederate Veterans organized

1836-483: The Bluffton-based Island Packet . There are two weekly print newspapers: The Island News and an alternative Lowcountry Weekly . Several radio stations have transmission feeds originating or duplicating in Beaufort. One such station is WAGP, 88.7 FM, "The Light". There are other locations just outside the city, such as Parris Island. Beaufort has one local television station, WJWJ-TV (PBS). Beaufort

1904-547: The Boundary Street corridor, the Robert Smalls Parkway corridor, or towards Lady's Island. There are several areas with limited industrial uses that exist primarily in the northwestern sections of the city, close to the intersection of Boundary Street with Robert Smalls Parkway. The largest economic sector in Beaufort is the military presence in and around the community. Having supplanted agriculture and aquaculture in

1972-642: The Interior , but most have been authorized by acts of Congress . In 1937, the first NHS was created in Salem, Massachusetts , in order to preserve and interpret the maritime history of New England and the United States. There is one National Historic Area in the US park system, a unique designation given to the Aleutian World War II National Historic Area . There is one International Historic Site in

2040-638: The NPS are automatically listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). There are also about 90,000 NRHP sites, the large majority of which are neither owned nor managed by the NPS. Of these, about 2,600 have been designated at the highest status as National Historic Landmark (NHL) sites. After its founding in 1916, the National Park Service initially oversaw sites of primarily scenic and natural significance, including national parks and national monuments . Historians soon began recommending preservation of sites relating to human history. Congress created Colonial National Monument in 1930 to protect

2108-444: The NPS developed criteria for nationally significant historic sites in the late 1930s, it aimed to identify unique sites that could each tell a broad story and would fit together to cover all aspects of American history. Surveys of sites were guided by themes and chronologies to ensure a diverse and comprehensive selection of those most representative of different eras and geographies, with less political influence over site selection. In

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2176-672: The NPS's mandate. In 1935, Congress passed the Historic Sites Act ( Pub. L.   49–666 ), which established that "it is a national policy to preserve for public use historic sites, buildings and objects of national significance for the inspiration and benefit of the people of the United States." This expanded upon the Antiquities Act of 1906, which gave the President the ability to order "the protection of objects of historic and scientific interest." The Historic Sites Act directed

2244-461: The NPS. A 1973 NPS publication outlined policies for administration of historical areas, which were distinct from its natural and recreational areas. This included not only NHSs and NHPs but also national military parks, national battlefields, national battlefield parks, national battlefield sites, national memorials, and some national monuments; at that time there were 178 such areas, and management focused on "maintaining and where necessary restoring

2312-550: The National Park Service to survey historic sites which may be of national significance, as well as restore and acquire properties. The Historic American Buildings Survey began to document the country's architectural heritage and identify buildings for potential protection. Initially the Secretary of the Interior could designate national historic sites, though this did not include funding for acquition or administration without congressional action. Salem Maritime National Historic Site

2380-801: The No. 7 Waterfront Adventure Town by National Geographic Adventure . The city is home to many Christian denominations, with several churches located downtown and throughout the area. The Parish Church of St. Helena , founded in downtown Beaufort in 1712 as the established church, is the oldest church in the city. Other churches of note include Community Bible Church, The Baptist Church of Beaufort, Tabernacle Baptist Church, Carteret Street United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, First Scots Presbyterian Church of Beaufort, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, First African Baptist Church , and St. Peter's Catholic Church, all with extensive histories and renowned architecture. Beaufort's Jewish community dates back to

2448-467: The Old Point), The Bluff, The Old Commons, and the Northwest Quadrant. As the city expanded in the 20th century, additional growth focused on previously undeveloped areas north and west of the historic district. Much of the growth can be attributed to the increased military influence during the 1940s and 1950s, in which Beaufort's population doubled as a result of new military personnel and families moving to

2516-604: The Presidents' Day weekend) screens independent films. "A Taste of Beaufort", presented by Main Street Beaufort, is held on the first Saturday in May and features twenty local restaurants, fine wines, and live music. Historic Beaufort Foundation's Fall Tour of Homes and St. Helena's Spring Tour of Homes provide tours of the antebellum homes on the Point and local plantations. The town is also

2584-544: The Reconstruction Era National Monument through executive action received overwhelming support at a public meeting held by Clyburn and the Park Service in December 2016. The great-great-grandson of Robert Smalls —a freed slave who rose to become a member of Congress from South Carolina during Reconstruction —was a supporter of the monument's designation. The Reconstruction Era National Monument, created in

2652-574: The Reconstruction Era. The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act , signed March 12, 2019, by President Donald Trump , re-designated it as a national historical park. It is administered by the National Park Service . The campaign to create a Reconstruction Era National Monument spanned fifteen years, beginning in the final days of the Bill Clinton administration , when outgoing Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt visited

2720-586: The US as Someone Knows My Name ). It portrays the evacuation of Black Americans from Manhattan by the British after the Revolutionary War, as they had promised freedom to those enslaved by Patriots who joined their forces. The British transported more than 3,000 freedmen for resettlement to Nova Scotia , where they became known as Black Loyalists ; others were taken to England and the Caribbean. The Book of Negroes

2788-505: The US park system, a unique designation given to Saint Croix Island , Maine, on the New Brunswick border. The title, given to the site of the first permanent French settlement in America, recognizes the influence that it has had on both Canada and the United States. The NPS does not distinguish among these designations in terms of their preservation or management policies. The following site

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2856-515: The area (and the term) is owned by a single developer, many of Beaufort's commercial properties and administrative uses have moved to this area. The Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort was annexed into the city in the 1990s, expanding the city limits northward near the unincorporated Seabrook community. Previous attempts at bringing large-scale residential development north of the air station were defeated after protests from long-time citizens and environmental advocacy groups. Beaufort first appeared in

2924-465: The area and set a new precedent, with comparison to the national military parks , which were then in the War Department. The park's establishment allowed the NPS to have an administrative historical program with professional historians. President Franklin D. Roosevelt reorganized the agency to also oversee memorials and military parks with historic significance later in 1933, substantially broadening

2992-487: The area in addition to residential subdivisions ranging from self-contained attached housing to residential estate lots of 0.5 acres (2,000 m ). Portions of Lady's Island have been annexed by Beaufort, but the city does not have complete jurisdiction of the entire island. Most of the incorporated areas are upscale residential communities. Both Beaufort High School and the Beaufort County Airport are located on

3060-635: The area. These areas have become integral parts of the city and today are home to the majority of the residents in the city. The Pigeon Point and Higginsonville neighborhoods are located immediately north of Downtown Beaufort and are built around the Beaufort National Cemetery . They contain two major city parks: Pigeon Point Community Park and the Basil Green Recreation Complex. An area with smaller homes and mostly one-story early 20th century structures, Pigeon Point has experienced

3128-401: The city and in surrounding areas. Joe Frazier was born here The local area provides excellent opportunities for watersports and boating. In February 2008, Field and Stream Magazine rated Beaufort as one of the top 20 fishing towns in the United States in an article that factored in cost, attractions, distractions, seasons, and fishing action. Beaufort was named as a "Top 50 Adventure Town" and

3196-452: The city initially grew slowly, subject to numerous attacks from Native American tribes and threats from the powerful Spanish Empire to the south. It flourished first as a center for shipbuilding and later, when the region was established as a slave society, as the elite center for the Lowcountry planters through the Civil War . Several months after hostilities began between the states, Beaufort

3264-568: The city, with hundreds of local residents contributing to the arts scene. The University of South Carolina Beaufort has a performing arts center that attracts regional and national acts to the community. The Arts Council of Beaufort, Port Royal and the Sea Island supports the arts via ARTworks, its 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m ) community arts center, theater, and gallery in Beaufort Town Center (2127 Boundary Street) that also includes

3332-850: The community regularly receiving accolades in regional and national media for its general attractiveness and quality of life. In 2022, an informal sister city arrangement was established with Ostroh , Ukraine in which the residents of Beaufort raised funds to support Ostroh during the Russian invasion of Ukraine . In addition to the Beaufort Historic District, The Anchorage , William Barnwell House , Barnwell-Gough House , Beaufort National Cemetery , John A. Cuthbert House , Fort Lyttelton Site , Hunting Island State Park Lighthouse , Laurel Bay Plantation , Marshlands , Seacoast Packing Company , Seaside Plantation , Robert Smalls House , Tabby Manse , and John Mark Verdier House are listed on

3400-425: The downtown or historic district area. 304 acres (1.23 km ) of the town have been designated a National Historic Landmark . With approximate dimensions, downtown is defined as anything upon the peninsula jutting into the Beaufort River that is located east of Ribaut Road (US 21). Further defined, downtown is broken into five distinct historic neighborhoods: Downtown (the commercial core), The Point (also known as

3468-514: The exploration of the area by Spanish Captain Pedro de Salazar between 1514 and 1516. Thus, Beaufort County was the site of the second landing on the North American continent by Europeans. The Lowcountry region had been subject to numerous European explorations and failed attempts at colonization before British colonists founded the city in 1711. Named for Henry Somerset, 2nd Duke of Beaufort ,

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3536-656: The final days of President Obama's term, was established on the same day as two National Monuments honoring the American civil rights movement : the Freedom Riders National Monument and the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument . Obama created the monuments using his executive authority under the Antiquities Act , which confers upon the president the unilateral authority to create most national monuments. A public dedication ceremony

3604-476: The focus of recent redevelopment efforts. Formerly concentrated around the Beaufort rail station (the depot), the neighborhoods have similar characteristics to the Pigeon Point area and have a sizable number of military families as residents. The Spanish Point neighborhood is located between Downtown and Mossy Oaks, generally considered to be clustered around the Technical College of the Lowcountry campus and

3672-566: The historical integrity of structures, sites and objects significant to the commemoration or illustration of the historical story". But because most units contained a combination of natural, historic, and recreational lands, the General Authorities Act of 1970 made all areas equal within the National Park System ; separate policy manuals for each were replaced in 1975 with one that would tailor policies in each park respective to

3740-769: The home of The Kazoo Museum , which opened in October 2010 and is located in the Kazoobie Kazoos Factory. Hunting Island is nearby on the Atlantic Ocean and is the state's most visited state park. Beaufort has been named by some sources as one of "America's Best Art Towns", including being ranked the No. 14 Small City Arts Destination by American Style Magazine in 2008 and one of America's top 100 art towns by author John Villani in his 2005 book The 100 Best Art Towns in America: A Guide to Galleries, Museums, Festivals, Lodging and Dining . Close to 20 galleries operate within

3808-551: The island. Once the outer edge of town, the areas along Boundary Street ( US Highway 21 ), the Robert Smalls Parkway ( SC Highway 170 ), and Ribaut Road now serve as Beaufort's major commercial corridors. Several major shopping centers and dining establishments are prevalent in all three areas. Beyond shopping and dining, Ribaut Road has numerous medical offices clustered near Beaufort Memorial Hospital. Boundary Street and Robert Smalls Parkway have several lodging facilities and auto dealerships as prevailing business types. Boundary Street

3876-423: The last decades of the 20th century, Beaufort's military bases employ thousands of jobs directly and indirectly related to base operations and pump millions of dollars into the local economy. As a result, economic downturns do not hit the community as hard as in other similarly sized communities. Due in part to its attractive location and deep connections with history and culture, the tourism and hospitality industry

3944-503: The park are: National Historic Site (United States) As of 2024, there are 63 NHPs and 85 NHSes. Most NHPs and NHSs are managed by the National Park Service (NPS). Some federally designated sites are owned by local authorities or privately owned, but are authorized to request assistance from the NPS as affiliated areas. One property is managed by the U.S. Forest Service , Grey Towers National Historic Site . Since October 15, 1966, all historic areas, including NHPs and NHSs, in

4012-410: The population. At the 2000 census, there were 4,598 households, of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

4080-443: The purpose of zones within. National historic sites are generally federally owned and administered properties, though some remain under private or local government ownership. There are currently 86 NHSs, of which 76 are official NPS units, 9 are NPS affiliated areas, and one is managed by the United States Forest Service . Derived from the Historic Sites Act of 1935, a number of NHSs were established by United States Secretaries of

4148-572: The studios of working artists, Strings 'n Things music shop, and spaces for workshops, classes, and conferences, as well as an after-school program. The arts council promotes the arts with original theater productions, community arts grants, and arts events county-wide. Through Beaufort County's Recreation Department, junior and intramural athletics are sponsored year-round. Team activities include football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, and cheerleading. Several recreational facilities, including tennis courts, playgrounds, and ballfields exist within

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4216-420: The surrounding Sea Islands during the Reconstruction era after the U.S. Civil War is memorialized by the Reconstruction Era National Monument , established in 2017. The city is also known for its military establishments, being located in close proximity to Parris Island and a U.S. naval hospital , in addition to being home of the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort . Written history began 500 years ago with

4284-421: The title of John Berendt 's non-fiction novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a cemetery in Beaufort. The voodoo practitioner Minerva, based on Beaufort resident Valerie Boles , lives near the cemetery. Lady's Island, the slave trade and the American Revolutionary War are the topics of an award-winning novel by the Canadian writer Lawrence Hill , The Book of Negroes (2007) (published in

4352-734: Was $ 42,894. Males had a median income of $ 22,465 versus $ 23,474 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 20,501. About 11.5% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over. Beaufort is the center of an urban cluster with an estimated population of nearly 70,000, comprising the city and its surrounding towns and unincorporated areas including Port Royal , Burton , Lady's Island , St. Helena Island , Dataw Island, Distant Island, Fripp Island , Harbor Island , Shell Point , Laurel Bay , Parris Island , Grays Hill, Sheldon , Seabrook , Dale , Lobeco , Gardens Corner, and portion of Yemassee . Beaufort

4420-418: Was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.90. 21.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 19.5% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 117.6 males. The median household income was $ 36,532 and the median family income

4488-470: Was held in March 2017. The monument's dedication was also celebrated at that year's annual Original Gullah Festival. The monument includes four locations in and near Beaufort, South Carolina . The Beaufort area came under the control of the Union Army in November 1861. As a result, it was one of the first places in the United States where emancipated slaves "voted, bought property and created churches, schools and businesses." The four sites that are part of

4556-433: Was occupied by Union forces following the Battle of Port Royal . Due in part to its early occupation, the city attracted escaping slaves. The Union declared the slaves emancipated and initiated efforts at education and preparation for full independence. The Freedmen's Bureau worked with local blacks during Reconstruction . After the war, the city relied on phosphate mining before a devastating hurricane in 1893 and

4624-459: Was the first place to be preserved as a national historic site, created by Secretary Harold L. Ickes 's secretarial order on March 17, 1938. It had followed his designation of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in 1935; many historic sites in the National Park System continue to be protected under different designation types. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site was designated later that year, another example of industrial heritage. As

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