If you live in Beaufort, or spend any time here at all, you’ve probably seen Peter Stevenson. You know, the big guy in the burgundy with ruffles at his neck…that picturesque gent in period garb who, come rain or shine, can be found strolling the streets of the historic district, trailed—Pied Piper-like—by rapt followers, as he weaves his fabulous tales of yore.

            No, Peter Stevenson is not the town eccentric. He does this for a living—it’s his business. And with his perennially sunny disposition, his mellifluous baritone, his elegant way with a phrase, and his bottomless well of knowledge about Beaufort, he happens to be quite good at it.

            Peter Stevenson is just one of the reasons that The Spirit of Old Beaufort, a travel video by local company Sandbar Productions, works so well. Hosted by Stevenson, the thirty minute program combines recently-shot video footage with old photography and paintings to capture the enchanted atmosphere of this little city by the bay—a town steeped in history and sprinkled with the shimmering fairy dust of legend.

            First and foremost a fascinating history lesson, The Spirit of Old Beaufort tells the story—of this town that was one of the first in North America to welcome European explorers. From the Spanish conquistador, to the French Huguenot colonist, the English pirate…all have passed over these shores, a rich cast of characters in the compelling drama that is Beaufort’s history.

            You’ll hear how Beaufort was once considered the wealthiest, most aristocratic town of its size in America…until the Civil War forced affluent landowners to flee, leaving their magnificent homes, fine furniture, and valuable slave labor behind. During that war, Beaufort became a headquarters for Federal troop, and thus was spared the fiery fate that befell many surrounding cities, courtesy of General William Tecumseh Sherman. As a result, most of Beaufort’s pre-Revolutionary and antebellum houses still stand today.

            Each of these houses is a story in itself, and The Spirit of Old Beaufort tells you just enough to spark your imagination...