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The world-class golf and luxurious resorts that beckon well-heeled travelers and permanent residents do not betray Hilton Head Island's tumultuous past. The island holds a conspicuous place in our nation's history, providing several "firsts" to pique our interest, while giving us a greater appreciation for the area.

The island was claimed in 1663 for the British when Captain William Hilton spotted its tall bluffs from his ship. It became known as Hilton Head Island, named after the modest captain. In 1861, the Union targeted the waters surrounding the island in their blockade of all trade routes. This fleet, the largest ever assembled to that point, served as a model in a future war when the U.S. conducted operations in the Pacific in 1941.

Newly-freed slaves on the island were pressed into military service, becoming the first black troops for the Union. Their earnings enabled many of these men to purchase acreage on the island, and at war's end, Hilton Head was essentially forgotten by the outside world.

The former slaves took up residence, and the culture of the "Gullahs" emerged. They are an important fixture in the Low Country, their language being as unique as their heritage. The juxtaposition of the Gullah community and the lush resorts is a jolting surprise as you drive into the Hilton Head area evidenced by the stark contrast of poverty and wealth.

Most of the island's acreage was bought in the 50's by Charles Fraser and Fred Hack. The men put in motion a system of land use that has become a model for emerging communities everywhere, encouraging development that focused on preserving the natural environment. Electricity came to the island in 1951, and the first telephone was installed in 1960. Today, the population stands at over 40,000 residents. Construction of the final community is now underway, and its completion will bring an end to all further residential development on the island.

To describe Hilton Head as "breathtaking" is frustratingly inadequate. With its marshes and moss-covered trees, it is an environment that must be visited to comprehend. On a manicured fairway, your eyes absorbing the same magnificent displays of nature as those living centuries ago, you may hear the faint sound of pebbles crunching underneath the wheels of a golf cart. Nowhere can you find such a gracious cooperation of nature and modernity, rooted in a rich history; nowhere but Hilton Head Island.

Learn more about this author, Sara Stone.
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