I've returned from the library with some answers. The present day bridge was finished in 1960. Before that, and just to the south of that (literally), there stood the Beaufort-St. Helena bridge. Proposed in 1914, opened on July 8, 1927, the bridge was the first connecting Beaufort to Lady's Island, St. Helena Island, Hunting Island, Fripp Island, Cat Island... you get the picture. Before 1927, there were three ferries. By ferries I mean row boats operated by various companies. I really enjoyed this article, and it's reminiscence of one Frank Brown, Ferryman.
"Frank Brown, the negro boatman, never sober more than 50 per cent of the time, but a good boatman drunk or sober. The writer recalls crossing with him one foggy night when he sat in the stern of the ferry boat and directed Frank's course. That individual had merely enough sense left to pull at the oars. But he got over all right. And who, having once skimmed over in Frank's sailboat when the wind was fair, will quickly forget it. Be it said that in all the years old Frank fought the elements and booze, until the latter laid him low, he never lost a passenger. " - The Beaufort Gazette, July 7, 1927.
You can see a few other photo's here.
What I've found out from researching the history of the bridges, and life before, is that we're closer to history than we are a famous person. Everyone recalls that 'no more than 7 people away from someone' thing. I'm a lot closer than that to Frank Brown. He's rowing someone in a boat of dead wood, and I'm watching the water move.
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