This image is the cover for the book Hilton Head Island, Images of America

Hilton Head Island, Images of America

Hilton Head Island: One of South Carolina's premier tourist destinations with an intriguing history dating as far back as 10,000 years ago.


Hilton Head Island's scenery and leisure industry attract more than 1.5 million visitors each year to play golf, relax on the beaches, or just soak up the atmosphere. Before the fairways and hotels ever arrived on the scene, however, the island already had a long and interesting history when Native Americans first began to visit the area. In Hilton Head Island, Natalie Hefter and the Coastal Discovery Museum revisit this history, charting the area's development from its first plantation in 1717, through the boom years of shipbuilding and Sea Island cotton to the Civil War. In over 200 vintage
photographs, the authors document the impact of the Union occupation, the establishment of Mitchelville (the island's "contraband" and Freedmen community), the dramatic effects of the first bridge to the island, and the development of the tourist industry that now typifies this popular South Carolina destination.

, Natalie Hefter

Vibrant with the living past, Hilton Head Island reveals a fascinating place that many may not have realized existed. With photographs from the Coastal Discovery Museum and dozens of Hilton Head Islanders, along with fascinating commentary, this unique guide will enchant and enlighten both lifelong residents and visitors to the island.

Arcadia Publishing