Lowcountry Life

The Beaufort bench project now tallies 17 benches (completed or under construction) in Beaufort’s cultural and historic district. Artist Aki Kato was commissioned for a bench at the Pat Conroy Literary Center, located at 601 Braden Street. Ron Callari captured a photo of his bench, which pictures scenes representing Conroy’s first book, “The Water is Wide,” a novel based on Conroy’s year as a teacher on Daufuskie Island. The novel later became a 1974 film titled “Conrack,” starring Jon Voight.