Founded in 1711, Beaufort, South Carolina, located in the heart of the Carolina Lowcountry midway between Charleston and Savannah, harbors a rich repository of 18th and 19th century houses with remarkable architectural variety. Historic Beaufort Foundation is a non-profit organization charged with the mission to preserve, protect and restore buildings and sites of historic or architectural significance in Beaufort County.
Please remember that Historic Beaufort Foundation is a membership organization, and memberships are critical to helping continuing our work. If you're interested in becoming a member or would like to renew, please call 843-379-3331 or click here.
By MAXINE LUTZ
Article published in the Beaufort Gazette onSaturday, March 30, 2013
There was a lot to take away from Historic Beaufort Foundation's 47th annual meeting, with the main message being that it is incumbent on us to be good stewards of our neighborhoods, ensuring that they reflect what our community wants and not someone else's vision. In other words, pay attention and speak up.
Guest speaker Cynthia Jenkins, a former Historic Beaufort Foundation executive director and author of the baseline study of "Historic Resources of the Lowcountry," reminded us all of the architectural and natural treasure that is Beaufort. By using historical insurance maps, she illustrated blocks in the historic district that now stand empty that once were filled with shops and homes. She explained how Beaufort's building development was keyed to the climate and to its location on the water. She noted that though Beaufort, Savannah and Charleston all developed at the same time as port/resort cities, Beaufort was laid out very differently. It was less dense.
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| Terry Murray and Beek Webb present 2013 Awards | The Historic Preservation Honor Award St. Peter's Catholic Church
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The Historic Preservation Honor Award Grace White House
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The Historic Preservation Honor Award ca. 1810 Cuthbert-Scheper House |
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The New Construction / Infill Award 1010 Church Street
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Variation of The Historic Preservation Honor Award Historic Markers in the Waterfront Park
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The Historic Preservation Honor Award celebrates successful and exemplary historic preservation projects around Beaufort County. Three awards were given in 2013:
St. Peter’s Catholic Church and the Catholic Diocese of Charleston for the restoration of the ca. 1846 St. Peter’s Historic Church at 710 Carteret Street. Rob Montgomery, architect and Beek Webb, contractor.
The University of South Carolina Beaufort for its adaptive re-use and interior renovation of the Grace White House at 802 Carteret Street. Eric Brown, architect and Jim Tucker, contractor.
Peggy and Ed Simmer for their restoration of the ca. 1810 Cuthbert-Scheper House at 915 Port Republic Street; Mike Sutton and Erin Peets, contractors.
The New Construction / Infill Award recognizes new buildings in the National Historic Landmark District that contribute to the character and design of their surroundings.
This award goes to LowCountry Habitat for Humanity for new construction at 1010 Church Street. Cooter Ramsey, architect; Jim Inlow, contractor.
A variation of the Preservation Honor Award was given to “Beaufort 300” for its drive to establish permanent, updated historic markers in the Waterfront Park celebrating Beaufort’s 300th anniversary in 2011. Kevin Cuppia, chairman; Erin Dean, co-chair; Dr. Larry Rowland, historian; Mike McFee, City Council.
The Board of Trustees of Historic Beaufort Foundation announced the appointment of Maxine Lutz as Executive Director of the non-profit organization serving Beaufort since 1965. She has served as Interim Director since July 2012.
By ERIN MOODY — emoody@beaufortgazette.com
Article published in the Beaufort Gazette on Monday, March 4, 2013
Maxine Lutz has been named executive director of the Historic Beaufort Foundation, almost six months after the last head of the preservationist group stepped down.
Lutz has been interim director since Julie Good resigned in August. Lutz has worked with the foundation for 15 years, under four directors, and also served as interim director in 2010 before Good was hired.
By MAXINE LUTZ
Article published in the Beaufort Gazette on Monday, January 7, 2013
Why argue for preservation of abandoned and neglected structures in Beaufort's Northwest Quadrant that are obviously beyond repair? Why allow them to stand any longer, blighting the neighborhood and inviting vandalism and vagrancy? What's historic about any one of them that makes them worthy of the financial investment it takes to rescue them?
Those are questions that Historic Beaufort Foundation is frequently asked as we advocate for their preservation in the face of overwhelming structural damage, deterioration and lack of resources.
By MAXINE LUTZ
Article published in the Beaufort Gazette on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
We're not from the government, but we are here to help you. That's a take-off on a common misperception that Historic Beaufort Foundation is an organizational function of the city of Beaufort; indeed, that it is a department of city government. You are not alone if you think that.
BY MAXINE LUTZ
Article published in the Beaufort Gazette on Monday, November 5, 2012
There were many smiling faces at Historic Beaufort Foundation last week as the staff and volunteers welcomed almost 2,000 visitors to the annual Fall Festival of Houses and Gardens. We've got a hunch that there were smiling faces all over town -- at restaurants, hostelries, gas stations and retail
shops; at least we hope so, because the crowd came to enjoy what historic Beaufort has to offer.
And if our experience at the foundation was an indicator, they came to spend.
The fall festival is the foundation's chief fundraiser for its preservation efforts -- our hands-on projects, our technical assistance on others' projects and our always-important, but often under-recognized, advocacy role. Those who care about the National Historic Landmark District and other historic sites know that we endeavor to keep our eye on the prize -- the protection of Beaufort's historic resources.
Six years after local preservationists began the campaign to save the Frogmore Lodge in the Northwest Quadrant, the historic, dilapidated structure is being restored.
Work to stabilize the house at 1407 Duke St., built in 1870, could begin next week, according to Historic Beaufort Foundation interim executive director Maxine Lutz.
Preservationists say the work can't come soon enough.
In local coffee shops and bars, progressive-minded citizens of Beaufort are asking, sometimes in fear of revealing their ignorance, "What are form-based zoning codes, and do I really need or want to know?"
The word docent comes from the Latin word docēns, which means "to teach." And that's exactly what the dedicated docents of the historic 208-year-old John Mark Verdier House museum downtown do at 801 Bay Street. They teach the history of Beaufort using the house and its exhibits as textbooks.