Isle of Palms Favorites

Favorite thing: Isle of Palms has a fascinating history. According to the IOP.net website:

"Originally named Hunting Island and then Long Island, it's thought to be at least 25,000 years old, and first inhabited by the indigenous Seewee Indians. The Seewees were said to have greeted the first English settlers to the area by swimming to the ships and carrying the travelers to shore." After the English visits, some of them were inspired to try and reach England in their canoes-all lost at sea in storms.

"During the Revolutionary War a British Army contingent of 2,500 men attempted to raid a colonial encampment on adjacent Sullivan's Island." Many men drowned and the attack was a failure.

"The area was of significance again during the Civil War, as a point of departure for the CSS Hunley, the first submarine to sink an enemy vessel."

"The island remained without permanent inhabitants until the late 19th century when the island became recognized by locals of the area as a refuge from the summer heat and tempo of Charleston. The island was purchased in 1899 by J.S. Lawrence, who renamed it the Isle of Palms. In 1906 a 50 room resort hotel was built to offer the first permanent accommodations. By 1912, James Sottile constructed a spacious beach pavilion and an amusement park with Ferris wheel. Accompanying transportation developments enabled residents of Charleston to catch a ferry to Mt. Pleasant, and from there catch a rail trolley car to Sullivan's Island and the Isle of Palms."

Isle of Palms celebrated the 50th anniversary March 7-9, 2003

Fondest memory: Isle of Palms is the name of the marina we usually stay at when we go to Charleston by boat to visit our son. I didn't realize that Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms were two different islands until I went to look it up.

"In the 1970's the rest of the world discovered the joys of the Isle of Palms, and real estate development blossomed. In 1975, the Sea Pines Co., one of the major developers of now renown Hilton Head Island, established a similar resort enterprise on 900 acres of land at the northeast end of the island. Originally named The Isle of Palms Beach and Racquet Club it was renamed The Wild Dunes Beach and Racquet Club in 1984 and today is simply called Wild Dunes. With nationally recognized golf courses and other resort amenities, Wild Dunes has become a major vacation locale on the South Carolina coast."

I thought I had some pictures of the golf course, but can't find them.

The Isle of Palms Marina where we usually stay at one time had a Wild Dunes part, but it is now all Isle of Palms, and is managed by the municipality.