Hilton Head Island The History of our Island

William Hilton, Commander and Commissoner of the ship named Adventure, along with Captain Anthony Long and Peter Fabian were sent "by several Gentlemen and Merchants of the Island of Barbados" from Spikes Bay on August 10, 1663.  William Hilton writes that "after Sixteen days of fair weather, and prosperous winds, Wednesday the 26 instant, four of the clock in the Afternoon, and God be thanked, we espied Land".*

That land was our very own Hilton Head Island.  Of course, Hilton Head was not always such an esteemed vacation site.  In fact, it didn't reach its modern age until the 1950's when a southeast Georgian, Charles Fraser, began the development of Sea Pines.  Around the same time, Fred Hack and O.T. McIntosh started plans for Spanish Wells Plantation and Port Royal Plantation.  And then in the mid-1950's, the bridges that attach the island to the mainland were constructed allowing everyone easy access to Hilton Head's tropical paradise.

More History to come... please check back.

*Quotes are from an account written by William Hilton.  Printed by J.C. for Simon Miller at the Star near the Westend of St. Paule, 1664.1