Beaufort

Beaufort ( /ˈboʊfərt/ boh-fərt) is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. Established in 1709, it is the third-oldest town in North Carolina. On February 1, 2012, Beaufort was voted America's Coolest Small Town by Budget Travel Magazine. The population was 4,189 at the 2008 census and it is the county seat of Carteret County. It is sometimes confused with a city of the same name in South Carolina; the two are distinguished by different pronunciations. Beaufort is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region. The town is home to the North Carolina Maritime Museum, the Duke University Marine Laboratory (Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences), and the NOAA Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat...