The Spirit of Old Beaufort
This is the oldest and most well established tour company in Beaufort. I have known its owner, Evelene Stevenson for over ten years. She is a talented singer and actor who has helped make Downtown Beaufort the wonderful and welcoming place it is today. Evelene is well respected for her accurate historical interpretation and her ability to provide authentic, hands-on experiences related to 19th century social history. I'm looking forward to seeing her most recent project -- a portrayal of Laura Towne, founder of Penn Center. The Spirit of Old Beaufort also offers tours of outlying areas, charter transportation and shuttle service -- with two nice, big comfy new vans. Also, if you ever wondered what happened to that old brown suitcase Tom Hanks had with him in Forrest Gump -- well, just ask Evelene. And while you're there, take a look around the antebellum mansion where her shop is located. It's the George Parsons Elliott House, and it's one of those houses that served as a hospital in the Civil War. When I was growing up it was a house museum upstairs; down on the ground floor there were administrative offices for the Bank of Beaufort. All the Bank of Beaufort workers had to wear clothing in shades of navy blue and kelly green. The outfits were not officially required to be polyester, but they usually were. I know this because my Aunt Laurelle worked there. So anyway, when you visit Evelene, take time to appreciate the beauty of the Elliott House. It is truly magnificent. Check out the cute little coffee shop next to Evelene's, and then visit the Beaufort Art Association gallery upstairs. Then rest in a rocker on the verandah, and enjoy the breezes and the bay view.
Jon Sharp's Walking History Tour
Jon is an actor and director with a personal history so colorful it that it has already entered into Lowcountry lore. He arrived quite abruptly, and the saga of his subsequent activities in Beaufort and Port Royal has great potential as a romance novel. Here's the short version: shipwreck leads to dramatic helicopter rescue, true love and community transformation (I happen to think that Jon is one of the reasons Beaufort was named one of the top arts towns in the nation.) Jon may look as handsome as Hollywood itself (because that's where he came from), but it was here in the Lowcountry that he found his heart and his home. Jon introduced audiences here to a theatre experience that was as subversive as it was sublime, and he brings that same level of intensity and intellect to his walking tours. He also knows a lot about the Lowcountry, and with good reason: his wife, Suzanner Larson, is the Public Information Officer for Beaufort County. She is also a talented actor, playwright and musician. I'm a big fan of People of the Light, her play about the lighthouse keeper and others who lived and worked at the Hunting Island Lighthouse.
You can sample Jon's storytelling on YouTube:
Walking in Beaufort
Jon's tour is so interesting it causes a teenager to show enthusiasm.
The Robert Smalls House
Jon tells the tale of Robert Smalls, the slave who rose to become a US Congressman.
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