Enjoy easy days relaxing in the sun, sand and surf on some of the best beaches in the country. "You see, Gullahs bury their dead along the edge of a waterway because they believe that's the only way we can get back to their homeland,” Irv told us. I was 18 years old.”. I remember that one well. The Civil War changed the lives of both planters and slaves on Hilton Head Island. 1959. Rice cultivation needed freshwater ponds, but these bred hordes of mosquitoes, which in turn carried malaria and yellow fever. It is the oldest structure still standing on the island, and more Revolutionary War soldiers are buried in this coastal cemetery than anywhere else on the coast other than Charleston. Then Irv regaled us with a tale from his childhood. It decided upon the novel idea of an “experiment”: Try paying wages to these contrabands (the awful word used to describe slaves freed by Union forces as well as for those who had escaped). 1862 - Hilton Head's population swelled to over 40,000, including Union troops, civilian store-keepers, missionaries, prisoners of war, and slaves seeking refuge from their owners. And indeed, there are: Buildings of this era were made of tabby, which consists of lime, sand and oyster shells. Categories: Show on Calendar. Standing architectural ruins associated with the plantation include portions of the main house, a chimney footing for what may be an overseer’s house, and a slave house associated with slaves working in … Other structures were salvaged for building materials. Consequently, Hilton Head Island lapsed into obscurity, remaining isolated for over 80 years. Stunning Resorts. Back in the day, the pavilions would have changing rooms, showers and a dance floor, all under one roof. Remnants of mysterious shell rings, measuring up to 240 feet across and nine feet high, can still be found on the Island. But once the bridge that connected the island to mainland was built in 1956, there was an influx of people to the island. Armed with vision, energy, modern air conditioning and investment dollars, he created a master plan for a resort community. Date: Tuesday, November 11, 2014 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm. The Port Royal Experiment involved paying freed slaves for the first time — right near the start of the Civil War. You’ll see stacks of bricks propping up the buildings. Hilton Head Island’s natural beauty, spectacular seascapes, exceptional ecology and South Carolina historical sites now beckon a new generation of explorers. Eleven months after South Carolina seceded from the Union, the shots fired on Fort Sumter reverberated on Hilton Head Island. Gradually a plan was formulated for the education, welfare, and employment of the blacks, combining both government and missionary efforts. The Civil War and the subsequent abolition of slavery altered the prosperous and patrician lifestyle of the plantation owners forever. Named to the National Register of Historic Places, the cemetery and mausoleum is owned and maintained by the Heritage Library and the site is open to the public for respectful visits. “You could get anything at these stores, from penny candy to a piece of equipment for your horse harness,” he told us. Shortly after the war, the main house was destroyed by fire. French, Austa M., Slavery in South Carolina and the Ex-slaves; or, The Port Royal Mission. They founded the town of Mitchelville, the first freedmen's town in America. By 1860, 24 plantations were in operation on Hilton Head Island. Strict rules remain when it comes to construction projects. Yet, like the enigmatic rocks of Stonehenge and the carvings of Easter Island, their secrets remain hidden. Incorporated as a town in 1983, Hilton Head Island is now home to several environmentally planned resort and residential communities, supporting more than 40,000 full-time residents. John Barnwell became Hilton Head Island’s first English settler in 1717 after receiving a grant of 1,000 acres in what is now Hilton Head Plantation. Tickets cost $32 for adults; $15 for kids 12 and under. Origin of name – Named for Captain David Cutler Braddock, commander of the colonial half-galley Beaufort in 1742.. Other names – Braddock Cove, Calibogue Point, Stoney-Baynard Hall Today, historic Mitchelville is preserved as a tourist attraction, while the Gullah Geechee are squeezed onto ever-smaller tracts of land. Consider hopping on the bus for an insightful tour of the island’s fascinating Gullah heritage. Over the centuries, Hilton Head Island’s natural beauty, spectacular seascapes, exceptional ecology and South Carolina historical sites have beckoned generations of explorers—with Native Americans, English, Spanish, French colonists, pirates, African-Americans and soldiers all leaving their footprints on the sands of South Carolina’s Treasured Coast. Hilton Head Island Breweries, Distilleries and Wineries, Infographic: How to Enjoy a Shell-icious Raw Oyster, Everything You Need to Know About Hilton Head Island's Sea Turtles, Pet-Friendly Accommodations, Restaurants & Services, Make the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Promise. “They used to bring in Motown singers, from 1957 to ’70,” Irv reminisced. The Gullah/Geechee people are descendants of enslaved Africans from various ethnic groups of west and central Africa. “It’s so spirits can take the waters back to West Africa.”. Next day, what would it be covered with? Search for activities, restaurants, and attractions, get travel deals, view trip ideas, and create your own personalized itinerary. “But Mr. William Aiken took his recipes with him when he died,” Irv said. One Union soldier stationed on Hilton Head at the time recounted: negro slaves came flocking into our camp by the hundreds, escaping from their masters when they knew of the landing of "Linkum sojers," as they called us . Sure, we cover the basics — where to go, what to see. After the war, the Island made a healthy recovery. The antebellum Zion Chapel of Ease Cemetery and Baynard Mausoleum, situated among ancient moss draped oaks and facing the waters of Broad Creek, is the burial place of several of Hilton Head Island’s original colonial families. I thought that was the coolest thing — a town telling a huge company like Mickey D’s to follow their rules or shove it. “When Union troops invaded Hilton Head Island on November 7, 1861, Baynard and other plantation owners fled inland. But travel is so much more than just ticking sites off your itinerary. The Gullahs of Hilton Head Island were descended from African slaves and are a key part of the history of the Civil War and Restoration. When the Union Army occupied South Carolina’s Sea Islands, including Hilton Head, on November 7, 1861, it freed about 10,000 slaves. Hilton Head Island Publishing Company, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Skip the stress of highway traffic and parking on a full-day boat tour to Savannah from Hilton Head Island. ©2020 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce & Visitor and Convention Bureau. Beaufort County, which includes the island of Hilton Head, was founded in 1711. However, Hilton Head Island did not gain worldwide recognition until 1790 when another planter, William Elliott, successfully raised the first crop of long-staple Sea Island cotton. You could suck that for two days! 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