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The history of Hilton Head is full of contradictions. On the one hand, the island’s history can be dated back to seasonal occupation by Native Americans. On the other hand, the town of Hilton Head Island was incorporated fairly recently, in 1983. Part of the history of Hilton Head involves large slave plantations, but they were treated with respect here and in other parts of the region, leading to a unique culture which is still celebrated today.
The earliest chapter in the history of Hilton Head involved the Woodland Indians, who escaped the harsh fall and winter seasons further north by coming to the island. Evidence of this seasonal occupation remains preserved to this day in the Sea Pines community. Within the community’s forest preserve is a mount made up of oyster shells, clay, and animal bones which has been dated back to 1450 B.C. It is known as the Indian Shell Ring.
The next recorded chapter in the history of Hilton Head occurs in the era of colonization, when the island and the region in general came under dispute. In the 1520s, both France and Spain occupied the region, with Spain eventually winning control of the area. England later took control of the Port Royal Sound region, and Englishman William Hilton is credited with the discovery of the island—thus beginning the history of Hilton Head as it is known today. He was trying to find Port Royal’s entrance when he came across the island, and he and his men were impressed with the air, the water, the quality of the soil, and the tall pine trees. The headlands observed by his crew were responsible for the second part of Hilton Head’s name.
Although the island was colonized in 1698 by the English, by 1766 relatively few families lived on the island even after so much time had passed. The residents of Hilton Head Island supported the colonists during the Civil War, leading to frequent raids by the British. After the war, however, there was a time of relative peace and prosperity in the history of Hilton Head Island. A unique slave culture made a huge contribution to this prosperity, known as the Gullah culture. Gullah slaves were given a great deal more responsibility than many of their counterparts elsewhere, being given a specific task to complete each day, after which they were free to go home. It was up to them how to complete the task, leading to slaves who were more independent and who took pride in their work. Along with the distinctive Gullah language and traditions which took shape over the years, the Gullah people were and are an important part of the history of Hilton Head. They became free at the end of the Civil War, during almost the entirety of which the island was occupied by Union Troops.
The modern history of Hilton Head began in the second half of the twentieth century. Electricity was introduced in 1951 and Charles Fraser, in many ways the father of modern Hilton Head Island, led a group of investors to create Sea Pines Plantation, the island’s first modern resort community. He showed a great deal of respect for nature and built recreational amenities first, such as bike paths, tennis courts, and golf courses. Housing and hotels came later, built around both nature and the amenities he created. This development model has been followed by every community created since, taking the history of Hilton Head firmly into the modern era as the beautiful resort destination we know today.
