Plaque Text for South Carolina Landmark #7-10:
Erected in 1798 and rebuilt in 1852, the Beaufort Arsenal was the home of the Beaufort Volunteer Artillery, commissioned in 1802, which had its roots in an earlier company organized in 1776 and served valiantly in the Revolutionary War. The BVA was stationed at Fort Beauregard during the Battle of Port Royal on November 7, 1861.
More about Beaufort Armory:
The Beaufort Volunteer Artillery, later Beaufort National Guard, is recognized as the country’s fifth oldest! Before 1776, they were fighting pirates, the Spanish, and various Native American tribes up and down the coast! Their Arsenal headquarters was built over Beaufort’s original town square and was not only designed for storing weapons but also for hosting elite social events!
In fact, this is where elite society and the militia merged in the years leading up to the Civil War. The BVA fortified the tabby Arsenal into a brick structure in the 1850s, then became a vigilante slave patrol across the city. After the Union captured Beaufort in 1861, the BVA was disanded, the Arsenal became a Union HQ during Reconstruction, and then it became a museum in the 1920s!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer at the Beaufort County Historical Society!
- Become a member of the Beaufort County Historical Society!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
713 Craven St
Beaufort, SC 29902
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
The Arsenal museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM and Saturdays from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM!