Beaufort, SC’s Fripps Island Bridge waits to be visited…a Southeast United States treasure!
Beaufort, SC is the second oldest city in South Carolina, so it has lots of history…some old and some fairly recent! It is the home of beloved American author Pat Conroy. Among the most interesting places to experience are the quaint downtown and beautiful, peaceful adjacent Harry C. Chambers Waterfront Park. Even on a hot day, the steady breeze coming in from across the bay combines with the shade across the park to make it feel refreshing! Add to that the sight of the boats and yachts entering and leaving the area via channels under the 1959-built swing bridge that has let marine traffic traverse the creek for years.
The current swing-bridge, opened in December, 1959 replaced an older swing-bridge originally built in 1927. It was also featured in a portion of the 1994 film “Forest Gump.” In the film, Forest (portrayed by Tom Hanks) is interviewed by media members about his 3+ year run as he allegedly crosses the “Mississippi River.” In the picture of the Woods Memorial Bridge captured here, Sunny 94.3’s Paul Johnson points out the bridge in “swung” mode!
