Completed Condition and Integrity Study for the Beaufort NHLD

To help stewards and preservation partners of the Beaufort National Historic Landmark District (NHL District) understand the current condition of the district, the National Park Service (NPS) commissioned a study titled Condition and Integrity Study for the Beaufort NHL District (the study). Prepared by LG2 Environmental Solutions, Inc. and partner Ethos Preservation, the report documents in narrative and graphic formats the major changes that have occurred within and adjacent to the NHL District since its designation in 1973. The contractor was directed to prepare a report describing and analyzing the current integrity and condition of the NHL District as a whole, using the NHL bulletin, How to Prepare National Historic Landmark Nominations.

Throughout the study running from 2021-2023, the project involved research, a reconnaissance survey, photographic documentation, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis and mapping, and several means of public involvement to gather local area knowledge and inform areas of investigation. Occurring at the start and midpoint of the project, the NPS hosted and facilitated forums consisting of representatives from the South Carolina State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), the City of Beaufort, Historic Beaufort Foundation and other local preservation professionals, major landowners, parties with a demonstrated interest in the NHL District, and the public. Following these forums and throughout the course of the project, the NPS also solicited public comment.

Completed in November 2023, the study definitively demonstrates that the Beaufort NHL District retains the qualities for which it was originally designated; confirms that the NHL designation is merited; and that the district is not a candidate for de-designation. Because Beaufort is not a museum, but a growing and evolving community, change is to be expected. And change inevitably exerts pressure on the physical characteristics of any place. Sometimes growth brings about the irretrievable loss of historic fabric; other times it can restore or reinforce historic features.

Despite changes to the buildings and landscape over time, the study found that the Beaufort NHL District's original contributing resources retain a high degree of integrity. However, this assessment revealed that the historically overlooked African American resources in the Northwest Quadrant have experienced the largest lost. The loss of these buildings that would now likely be considered contributing resources represents a disparity within the district. Additionally, the application of the historic preservation ordinance and design guidelines in relation to development within the district and on its edges challenge ongoing preservation.

Moving Forward:

The NPS is part of a team devoted to the care and stewardship of the Beaufort NHL District. Considering the district's national significance and the numerous management challenges it faces, it is important that NPS take an active role in supporting local and state officials, private groups, and individuals in their efforts to preserve the NHL District. The NPS and the City should prioritize prompt as well as open and regular communication and cooperation in our shared goal of enhancing and preserving the NHL District.

Maintenance of any historic property, whether it be a single building or a large district, requires constant attention and active management. The NPS will continue to monitor the Beaufort NHL District and welcomes new information concerning the issues discussed in this study. Furthermore, the NPS looks forward to assisting the local community and our collaborative preservation partners working toward the common goal of protecting the unique qualities that make the district a place of national significance.

Please contact Alesha Cerny, Archeological and Historic Preservation Partnerships at Alesha_Cerny@nps.gov if you have any questions or require additional information.

Document Content:

Beaufort NHLD Study Final_20231110.pdf   (19.4 MB, PDF file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.