10/14/2025
Before the British founded Beaufort in 1711, the Lowcountry was the site of numerous European explorations and failed attempts at settlement. The Spanish first arrived in 1520 when Captain Francisco Gordillo named the region Santa Elena (Present Day Port Royal), one of the earliest European place names in America. In 1559, Spain attempted to colonize the area, but Angel Villafaneโs efforts failed. Soon after, in 1562, the French, under Admiral Coligny, sent Captain Jean Ribaut to establish a Protestant colony. Ribaut founded Charlesfort on present-day Parris Island and named the harbor Port Royal, praising its abundance and safe anchorage. However, internal strife and lack of supplies led the French to abandon the settlement. In response to renewed French activity, Spain returned in 1566, building Fort San Phillipe and the Mission of Santa Elena on Parris Island. For a time, it became one of the largest Spanish settlements north of Mexico, but by 1586, English attacks forced Spain to abandon the area once again.
By the 1600s, English explorers began to survey the Sea Islands for colonization. William Hilton and Robert Sanford visited the region, leaving behind Dr. Henry Woodward, who later advised settlers to establish themselves farther north due to Spanish threats. By the early 1700s, English planters such as Thomas Nairn and John Barnwell had secured footholds in the Port Royal area, leading to the founding of Beaufort in 1711. Among the areaโs enduring legacies is its vibrant Gullah cultureโdescendants of enslaved Africans who preserved more of their ancestral language and traditions than any other African-American community.
Today, Beaufort stands as a living landmark of heritage, where centuries of exploration, conflict, and resilience are preserved through the efforts of organizations like the Historic Beaufort Foundation.
