Penn Center

We toured the Penn Center museum during our recent stay on Harbor Island. Not too far off the main road the center appears untouched over the past decades. Large trees with spanish moss line the drive.
This was one of the first schools for freed slaves and was one of MLK’s stops during his career.
The Museum is wonderful and worth the admission price. There is even a little museum shop attached. The museum is air-​conditioned as well.
I was a little disappointed that we were unable to tour the other buildings of the center. In addition I was hoping for a little more information on MLK and his tenure at the Penn Center.
Overall this a neat little stop with a lot of history seeping from the walls.
Check it out you won’t regret it!

The Penn Center was the first school for freed slaves in the U.S. Martin Luther King used it for planning retreats during the Civil Rights movement. This isn’t a place you go to see so much as to learn about the history of the Gullah people after the Civil War. Its story is amazing.
Ask for directions to the chapel ruins just down the road. It is a great example of tabby buildings and is quite photogenic.
If you’re willing to drive 15 minutes more out of your way, visit the Shrimp Shack for a shrimp burger and check out the lighthouse and beach on Hunting Island. You can see Beaufort on the distant shore.