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Hilton Head history is somewhat unusual in that it goes back
very far, yet the modern Hilton Head Island
was not incorporated as a town until 1983.
It dates back to seasonal occupation by the Woodland Indians in the fall
and winter of each year until the area was colonized, continuing through the
American Revolution and the Civil War; yet the island bore little resemblance
to what we see today until the 1950s.
Hilton Head history begins with the Native Americans who
occupied the land during the fall and winter to escape the harsher climates
further north. Some evidence of their
occupation is preserved today in the form of the Indian Shell Ring, located in
the Sea Pines Forest Preserve. It is
basically a mound consisting of animal bones, oyster shells, and clay and it is
thousands of years old, dating back to 1450 B.C.
Both Spain
and France began to occupy
the Port Royal Sound region in the 1520s, and after some fighting the area went
to Spain. However, England would later take over the
region. In some ways it could be said
that the history properly begins in 1663 when William Hilton accidentally
discovered the island while trying to locate Port Royals
entrance. He was impressed with the water
and air in the area, as well as the tall pine trees which implied that the soil
was fertile. The island was named Hilton
Head in reference to the headlands his crew observed as they explored the area
by sea. English colonization of the
island began in 1698, but the islands European population still only consisted
of 25 families by 1766.
Hilton Head history went through a somewhat difficult time
during the American Revolution, as islanders generally supported the
Colonists. This made them the subject of
frequent British raids, which didn't end immediately after the surrender of
Cornwallisa testament to the poor communications networks of the time.
Plantations thrived for many years after that, and a unique
slave culture which came to be known as Gullah developed on the island and
elsewhere in the region. It is believed
by many historians that the unity and pride of Gullah culture can be traced
back to the task system of slave labor employed in the region. Instead of groups of slaves being pushed to
work, Gullah slaves were given a task to complete; upon completion of the task,
they were free to go home. This fostered
greater independence and a sense of pride in their work not enjoyed by most
slaves, and it is thisalong with the distinctive Gullah language and
traditions that developedthat helped Gullah culture to be strong enough that
it survives to this day. There can be no
doubt that the Gullah people were essential to the development of the island
and everywhere else that they labored.
The Civil War was another trying time, with Union Troops
quickly occupying the region after the Battle of Port Royal Sound in 1861. The Gullah slaves were freed, and within a
few years of the end of the Civil War they were the islands only
inhabitantsat least until 1890.
Modern history began in 1951 with the introduction of
electricity to the island. While the
land had mostly been used for hunting and timber for many years, a group of
investors led by Charles Fraser bought up the majority of the islands land and
began to develop it, beginning with Sea Pines plantation. His system of development consisted of
respecting the environment while providing amenities such as golf courses and
bike paths first, allowing development to follow around those amenities. This development model has been followed
since, resulting in the popular resort destination known today. |
