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History of Hilton
Head
Hilton Head Island has a rich history that started with seasonal
occupation by native Americans thousands of years ago, and continued
with European exploration and the Sea Island Cotton trade. Hilton
Head became an important base of operations for the Union blockade
of the Southern ports during the Civil War (link to lower part
of same page). Once the island fell to Union troops, hundreds
of ex-slaves flocked to Hilton Head, which is still home to
many 'native islanders', many of whom are descendants of freed
slaves known as the Gullah link to lower part of same page)
(or Geechee) who have managed to hold onto much of their ethnic
and cultural identity. |
The Early Days
An ancient Shell Ring can be seen near the east entrance to
the Sea Pines Forest Preserve in Sea Pines Plantation. The ring,
one of only 20 in existence, is 150 feet (46 m) in diameter
and is believed to be over 10,000 years old. Archeologists believe
that the ring was a refuse heap, created by Native Americans
that lived in the interior of the ring, which was kept clear
and used as a common area. You can visit the Shell Ring site
today when walking in the Sea Pines Forest Preserve.
Since the beginning of recorded history in the New World, the
waters around Hilton Head Island have been known, occupied and
fought for in turn by the English, Spanish, French, and Scots.
A Spanish expedition led by Francisco Cordillo explored the
area in 1521, initiating European contact with local tribes,
whose names are still found all over South Carolina today. Edisto,
Ashepoo, Combahee, Yemassee, and Daufuskie Island, a Creek Indian
word meaning "land with a point".
In 1663, Captain William Hilton sailed on the Adenture from
Barbados to explore lands granted by King Charles II to the
eight Lords Proprietors. In his travels, he identified a headland
near the entrance to Port Royal Sound. He named it "Hilton's
Head" after himself. He stayed for several days, making
note of the trees, crops, "sweet water" and "clear
sweet air". |
Location of Hilton Head
Island in
South Carolina |
In 1698, Hilton Head Island was granted as part of a barony
to John Bayley of Ballingclough, County of Tipperary, Kingdom
of Ireland. John Bayley the second appointed Alexander Trench
as the Island's first retail agent. For a time, Hilton Head
was known as Trench's Island. In 1729, Trench sold some land
to John Gascoine which Gascoine named "John's Island"
after himself. The land later came to be known as Jenkin's Island
after another owner.
In 1788, a small Episcopal church called the Zion Chapel of
Ease was constructed for plantation owners. The old cemetery,
located near the corner of William Hilton Parkway and Mathews
Drive (Folly Field), is all that remains. |
Hilton Head's role in the Civil War
Fort Walker was a Confederate fort in what is now Port Royal
Plantation. The fort was a station for Confederate troops and
its guns helped protect the 2-mile (3 km) wide entrance to Port
Royal Sound, which is fed by two slow moving and navigable rivers,
the Broad River and the Beaufort River. It was vital to the
Sea Island Cotton trade and the southern economy. On October
29, 1861, the largest fleet ever assembled in North America
moved South to seize it. In the Battle of Port Royal, the fort
came under attack by the U.S. Navy, and on November 7, 1861,
it fell to over 12,000 Union troops.
Hilton Head Island would have tremendous significance in the
Civil War, becoming an important base of operations for the
Union blockade of the Southern ports, particularly Savannah
and Charleston. The Union would also build a military hospital
on Hilton Head Island with a 1,200 foot frontage and a floor
area of 60,000 square feet.
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The Battle of Port Royal
- November 7, 1861 |
Gullah History
Hundreds of ex-slaves flocked to Hilton Head Island, where they
could buy land, go to school, live in government housing, and
serve in what was called the First Regiment of South Carolina
Volunteers (although in the beginning, many were "recruited"
at the point of a bayonet). A community called Mitchellville
(in honor of General Ormsby M. Mitchel) was constructed on the
north end of the island to house them. Many of descendants of
these ex-slaves are still living in the Lowcountry and enriching
the local culture with traditional Gullah history, customs,
and folklore.
Although it had its origins in slavery, the history and culture
of the inhabitants that call Hilton Head Island and the Lowcountry
coastal region of South Carolina "home" is an inspiration
to all Americans. Living simply just as they did more than a
hundred years ago, these people, whose ancestors are known as
the Gullah subscribe to high religion and the celebration of
spiritual redemption in leading their daily lives.
The original Gullah were African slaves who were shipped across
the Atlantic from West Africa to work the cotton plantations
of the South. While plantation owners built their fortunes upon
slave labor, the slaves were able to create something of their
own -- the unique culture that is now known as Gullah. With
that culture came a thriving mix of language, folktales and
superstition, a mix that has shaped generations of families
who live on Hilton Head Island and in the Lowcountry today.
In addition to attending the annual Hilton Head Island Gullah
Celebration held each February, which gives visitors the opportunity
to share in rich cultural traditions and crafts. |
20th century
In 1931, Wall Street tycoon, physicist, and patron of scientific
research, Alfred Lee Loomis along with his brother-in-law and
partner, Landon K. Thorne, purchased 17,000 acres (69 km2) on
the island (over 63% of the total land mass) for about $120,000
to be used as a private game reserve.
In the early 1950s, three lumber mills contributed to the logging
of 19,000 acres (77 km2) of the island. The island population
was only 300 residents. Prior to 1956, access to Hilton Head
was limited to private boats and a state-operated ferry. The
island's economy centered on shipbuilding, cotton, lumbering,
and fishing.
The James F. Byrnes Bridge was built in 1956. It was a two-lane
toll swing bridge constructed at a cost of $1.5 million that
opened the island to automobile traffic from the mainland. The
swing bridge was hit by a barge in 1974 which shutdown all vehicle
traffic to the island until the Army Corps of Engineers built
and manned a pontoon bridge while the bridge was being repaired.
The swing bridge was replaced by the current four-lane bridge
in 1982. |
The Liberty Oak in Harbour Town |
The beginning of Hilton Head as a resort started in 1956 with
Charles Fraser developing Sea Pines Resort, with the center
piece being Harbour Town. Fraser was a committed environmentalist
who changed the whole configuration of the marina at Harbour
Town to save an ancient live oak. It came to be known as the
Liberty Oak, known to generations of children who watched singer
and song writer Gregg Russell perform under the tree for over
25 years. Fraser was buried next to the tree when he died in
2002.
The Town of Hilton Head continues to support Charles Fraser's
vision and manage the island's growth and commercial development
with strict guidelines and local ordinances on colors and electronic
signage such that the natural beauty will be preserved for the
future. |
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Palmetto
Sands Vacation Rentals
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17B
New Orleans Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
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