Visitors to Beaufort, South Carolina, will recognize its historic district and trademark waterfront boardwalk from the many movies filmed there, including "Forrest Gump," "The Big Chill," and "The Prince of Tides." Located on the southern end of the state's coast, Beaufort is a year-round resort and the gateway to many ocean island communities whose beaches are among the best on the East Coast. The Archaic Indians were Beaufort's first inhabitants more than 4,000 years ago. Since the Spanish exploration in 1514, the city has been home to conquistadors, French Huguenots, English privateers, and sea pirates. Historic sites of French, Colonial, Spanish-American, and Revolutionary origins include forts, churches, and architecture from many grand cultures and eras. The town boasts at least 90 historic sites, including cemeteries, bed and breakfast inns, churches, and other buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Beaufort is known for its fragrant gardens, romantic movie myths, unique shopping, quaint antiquing, grand houses, outdoor cafes, and scenic golf courses. Its waterfront district represents the town's effort to reclaim and reinvent its downtown, which for decades are been a deteriorated, overlooked resource. Other cultural attractions feature local theater productions of national plays, several performing arts centers, film and art series, and visiting dance companies. Lodging ranges from historic inn and modern motels to family campgrounds and beachfront resort rentals. The region's significant legacy of an African-American population drawn from a hundred African tribes is commemorated in cultural museums, historic sites, and the Gullah Festival, when African-American culture and heritage is celebrated with art, music, dance, and food. The Water Festival, the town's other most famous event, dates from 1956 and features parades, sports, street dances, water shows, and entertainment. The Penn Center, a National Historic Landmark, was founded for the education of newly freed African-Americans during the Civil War. Visitors can appreciate Beaufort's historic downtown on horse-drawn carriage tours, walking tours, or bicycle routes, either self-guided or with a guide. The town's museums and historic parks trace its colorful past and diverse cultures. The entire downtown area of Beaufort is in the National Register of Historic Places, and the Point section of downtown is also a National Historic Landmark District. The town has been a Main Street Community for more than 10 years.