Business View Magazine | May 2019

276 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE MAY 2019 WHERE HISTORY, CHARM, AND BUSINESS THRIVE C hartered in 1711, Beaufort (pronounced BEW-fert) is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. From its picturesque location on Port Royal Island, the city draws countless visitors who come to immerse themselves in its natural beauty, enchanting antebellum architecture, and Reconstruction period heritage. The Emancipation Proclamation was read in Beaufort – that legacy, alone, is beyond price and a story to be told and retold through the generations. Indeed, Beaufort stewards its history with pride, but contrary to being “stuck in the past,” this ambitious coastal city and County Seat of Beaufort County is also proactively planning for a successful future – one that embodies its mantra as the place “where history, charm, and business thrive.” Beaufort City Manager, William “Bill” Prokop, describes Beaufort as “a small to medium size city with around 13,500 inhabitants. But every day we service anywhere from 45,000 to 65,000 people going right by City Hall,” he notes. “So, we’re a very busy city for our actual size. Like many coastal cities in South Carolina, AT A GLANCE BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA WHAT: 2nd oldest city in South Carolina; population approx.13,700 WHERE: Port Royal Island, SC WEBSITE: www.cityofbeaufort.org