Relive the Revolution with the Beaufort County Library

When we think of the Revolutionary War, we often conjure up thoughts of Valley Forge and the Crossing of the Delaware, but the American Revolution happened across all 13 colonies. The Beaufort County Library, in cooperation with the Beaufort County 250^th committee and others, will celebrate the quarter-millennial of American democracy from April 1 through July 2 with a mix of activities you can do at your own convenience and scheduled activities before Independence Day 2026.

Pick up your Celebrate America 250 passport at a library location. Participate in any four of the listed activities, then bring your card to a library or bookmobile to receive a limited-edition sticker.

Here are just a few of the activities we have planned:  

• Create a quilt block for the Martha Washington Star Paper Quilts at the Branch Libraries.

• Contribute your “Hope for the Future” to a Time Capsule to be archived in the Beaufort District Collection. (We’ll leave instructions that it’s to be reopened for the 275^th anniversary in 2051.)

• Attend a “Revolutionary Roots” hands-on Ancestry Library Edition program to learn how to trace your lineage, uncover stories about ancestors who lived during the Revolutionary era, and see how your own family may connect to America’s fight for independence.

• All ages are invited to travel back in time through 18^th-century games and crafts. Learn how to embroider. Create a quill pen, practice your cursive penmanship, and sign your “John Hancock” to the Declaration of Independence. Play Hoops and Sticks, Marbles, Checkers, and other games of the period.

Don’t forget that mischief was afoot in bucolic colonial South Carolina as well. And while Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox, was creating havoc up toward Charleston, others like Thomas Heyward, Jr., and William Moultrie were making history in Beaufort District.

To emphasize our local history, the Beaufort County Historical Society, the Beaufort District Collection, and the Beaufort County 250th Committee have combined forces to make it easy and fun for visitors and residents alike to discover Beaufort District’s rich Revolutionary War past. Play our historical marker scavenger hunt, “Revealing the Revolution: One Marker at a Time!” or our “Library Quiz” game to earn prizes. You can participate at your convenience, just so long as you return your completed game sheet on or before July 2. All the while, learn about the important people and events that shaped Beaufort District’s Revolutionary era history. Visit the BDC’s Connections blog for more details.

We end our series with two days of “Liberty and Legacy.” Mark America 250 with a family-friendly celebration that brings history to life through colonial-themed crafts and games, screenings of Ken Burns’s American Revolution documentary, a trivia contest, and a visit from Ben Franklin himself. All are welcome.

Be sure to check the Library Calendar for details about our scheduled events. 

During this year of celebration of our Independence, we hope that this community-wide effort will be an exciting and enjoyable way to learn about the people, places, and events that helped shape the Revolutionary War effort.