Following the U.S. Civil War, the "Reconstruction Era" began in the south as a process in which to bring those states that had attempted to break away from the country, back into the mainstream. It often might be more accurately called the "Revenge Era". Northern lawmakers imposed rules and policies on southern states and people designed as much to humiliate them as to fix the badly ailing southern economy. None the less, things were done right in some areas, and Reconstruction Era National Historical Park highlights one of those areas.

Located in coastal South Carolina, near the city of Beaufort, the area around the park was occupied by Union troops early in the Civil War. Having secured the area around Beaufort, it became a magnet for those who escaped slavery. Camp Saxton, built nearby, is part of the park but was closed during my visit. Here, blacks formed one of the many "Colored" units of the Union army.

But it was at a different site within the park that one sees the evidence of things done right. Penn School was established on nearby St Helena Island. Southern law had prohibited educating the enslaved people, with many believing that "they" could not be educated. Northern missionaries helped create Penn School for the purpose educating those people who had escaped to the Union controlled area (and, of course, it continued doing so long after the war). They were wildly successful and many students they taught were very successful in postwar life. Sadly, such endeavors were not replicated throughout the south, with inferior (or no) education still the norm for the black population.

The area around Penn School evolved into a meeting area with conference centers, accommodations and a museum; over 15 structures in all. It is owned and managed by the Penn Center Inc National Historic Landmark District. The National Park has only a small piece of land within this district - Darrah Hall - a former meeting hall and recreation center for the local citizens. The Park Service does work together with Penn Center to preserve and protect all of the history of the area.

The Visitor's Center was located in downtown Beaufort. There is limited parking nearby. The center itself is fairly small but packed with informational posters and a friendly staff, one of whom took my photo by the park sign so I did not need to set up my tripod on a city street!