Beaufort Then & Now
Beaufort is a small, picturesque town found on the southeastern coast of North Carolina. It is known for its rich maritime history, scenic estuarine landscapes, and colonial heritage. Situated between the Newport and North Rivers, Beaufort sits on Beaufort Inlet, a channel that leads to the Atlantic Ocean. With such close proximity to coastal waters, it is no surprise that a deep connection to the ocean has been a foundational element in shaping Beaufort’s history, economy, and community. However, over the last fifty years, the nature of this connection has transformed dramatically. From the historical record, it is easy to identify two very distinct eras of Beaufort.
Beaufort Then
a geographically remote community, reliant on maritime industries
has transformed into
Beaufort Now
a community that attracts tourists and seasonal residents from all over the nation
Beaufort Then
The Productivist Era
Beaufort Now
The Consumptive Era
Dependent on
Natural Resources
Fishing
Community
Identity
Dependent on
Coastal Amenities
Coastal
Community
Identity
Boardwalk on Front Street, Looking West | 1898 - 1900 • Source
Beaufort Then
Up and down the waterfront, there were fish houses and oyster packing shanties at work, ship repair shops and fuel stations for commercial fishing boats, and boarding homes and small hotels for travelling merchants (8). The early community of the town was mainly comprised of people working directly in the commercial fishing industry or indirectly in a supporting industry, such as boat building (9). Beaufort Then was a productivist space dependent on commercial fishing. The community’s livelihoods, economy, social structure, and cultural identity centered on the extraction of marine resources. In short, Beaufort Then was an epicenter for all things commercial fishing, with a particular emphasis on landing and processing menhaden.
If you walked down the Beaufort waterfront 100 years ago, you would have seen boat repair shops, oyster packing shanties, fuel docks, and menhaden fleets approaching the shore to offload their catch.
Beaufort Now
Today, Beaufort is a quaint coastal town of 4,000 permanent residents, characterized by historic colonial homes and surrounded by beaches, maritime forests, marshes, and sandy shoals, some of which are protected by state and national government agencies. These amenities attract visitors and new residents looking for a quiet place to relax and retire, and so the community includes seasonal residents, second homeowners, and retirees (10). Beaufort Now is a consumptive space that is dependent on activities revolving around natural and recreational amenities of the area. For example, tour boats launch from downtown Beaufort to visit the barrier islands; lucky tourists may catch glimpses of dolphins in the water or the wild horses of Shackleford Banks. The community’s economy, social structure, and cultural identity are now centered on these consumptive activities. In short, Beaufort Now is a mecca for relaxation and recreation.
Aerial View of Front Street | No Date • Source
Now, when you walk down the Beaufort waterfront, you see gift shops, restaurants, privately owned docks, and marinas for recreational boating. You may even catch sight of Blackbeard’s Pirate Ship tour setting out to sea.
