As we round the corner into our final days as interns at SCETV, we’ve endeavored to gather as much B-roll and supplemental footage for By the River as we can. This past week, we’ve made several stops across the Lowcountry, all of which will be featured in the upcoming author series. Here are just a few of our favorites.
5. Beaufort History Museum- The Arsenal on Craven Street
The Arsenal, formally known as the Beaufort History Museum, was originally built to house the volunteer artillery during the Revolutionary War. It’s been in operation since 1798, and was last renovated in the 1930s. The deep ochre walls stand out from all of the buildings around it, and its unique size and style make the old fort pretty hard to miss. I stood directly in front of it, as people walked in and out, and shot into its massive gate. Everything about the structure is interesting, including the stories within. A timeline of Beaufort’s rich history and significance can be found inside the museum, from the establishment of St. Helena by the Spanish to the city’s part in the Civil War. It is open for tours during the week.The Arsenal serves as the official History Museum of Beaufort.
4. Spanish Moss Trail
While filming footage for “By The River,” Cassidy and I were able to go to the Spanish Moss Trail. This beautiful trail is 14.9 miles in length. Visitors can be seen enjoying the beautiful views while cycling, skateboarding, jogging or just walking their dogs. The trail spreads throughout Beaufort County. The views vary from majestic trees with Spanish moss draped over their limbs to mysterious water views. This trail showcases the beauty that the Lowcountry has to offer.
3. Baptist Church of Beaufort
This church is located on Charles Street in downtown Beaufort and is a gorgeous display of historic architecture. Established in 1804, while Thomas Jefferson was president, the church has ties to the earliest Baptist congregations in America. Through the 1800s and until the early 1900s, the church experienced financial struggles and hardships, until expansions such as the Sunday school were added. By the 1960s its iconic steeple was built, and today the church has several missions and campuses all over South Carolina.
2. Charleston Tea Plantation
The Charleston Tea Plantation is the only tea plantation in the United States! Owner William Barclay Hall (or, as he is affectionately known, Bill) was kind enough to give us a personal tour of the plantation and share with us some of its history. On this tour, we learned that there are over 320 varieties of tea that are grown on the plantation, and only eight are planted, based on their rate of growth and taste. Bill is a professional tea taster who went through a four-year long apprenticeship in London, as he learned the different tastes and notes of over 800 cups of tea a day. Tea is something he is very passionate about, and it shows in his work. Bill also showed us the lengthy, complex process that tea goes through from the first harvest to packing and distribution.
1. Historic Beaufort Foundation and the John Mark Verdier House Museum
The last stop on our to-do list for the week was the Verdier House on Bay Street in downtown Beaufort. Imelda and I visited in hopes of capturing some footage of their archived photographs and documents. What we found was even more interesting than what we'd imagined. There were photographs of the waterfront from as far back as 1910 and pictures of the buildings and city streets with horse-drawn carriages in them. Plans for the waterfront park and images of the Woods Memorial Bridge on its opening day were stacked high in thick green folders, and we even found a letter from Mayor Henry C. Chambers. Just sifting through the files felt like stepping back in time and it was one of many great experiences I've had here.
It feels absolutely surreal to be in the middle of our 9th week here at SCETV. This internship has been truly one of the most amazing and fulfilling things we have done. It is a great feeling when life-long learning, passion, and giving back to the community can all line up. We only have one more week to go, but we will make the most of it. Until next time!