From staff reports
Beaufort County and the Friends of Fort Fremont are hosting a Grand Opening celebration for the Fort Fremont History Center from 3 to 5 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 9, and it will be live-streamed on The County Channel.
The Fort Fremont History Center is located on Fort Fremont Preserve at 1124 Lands End Road, St. Helena Island. The preserve and fort were purchased by Beaufort County through the Rural and Critical Lands Preservation Program in 2004 and 2010, and encompass 18-acres of mixed hardwood forest facing the Port Royal Sound.
The fort was constructed in 1898 during the Spanish American War for coastal defense of the Port Royal Naval Station at Parris Island. Beaufort County constructed the history center to showcase the rich history of the area.
Passive recreation and historic amenities include free public access and parking area, a picnic pavilion, ADA pathways, history center with scale models of the fort and associated buildings as they stood in 1900, restrooms, drinking fountains and historic concrete batteries.
The Friends of Fort Fremont work with Beaufort County to preserve and promote Fort Fremont’s historic, natural, educational, and cultural resources through public tours and displays at the history center.
Visitors to Fort Fremont Preserve can learn about the fort’s history by reading the interpretive panels on display near the batteries, taking a self-guided walking tour through a smart phone app, visiting the history center exhibit hall or attending a docent-led tour of the property. The forested habitat also provides a wonderful opportunity for viewing spring and fall migrating birds and enjoying the scenic views of the Port Royal Sound.
Beaufort County Councilman York Glover, Beaufort County Administrator Eric Greenway, Friends of Fort Fremont President Kathryn Mixon, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation Queen Quet, and Friends of Fort Fremont Marian Rollings will provide remarks, immediately followed by the ribbon cutting and reception activities.
Limited parking is available at the preserve parking area and a shuttle service will be provided from The Woodlands, located at 100 Lands End Woodland Road, St. Helena Island, to the preserve during the event.
The Preserve is open to the public from dawn to dusk, Monday through Sunday. The History Center exhibit hall is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., every Friday and Saturday,
