Daufuskie Island, located between Hilton Head Island and Savannah, is the southernmost inhabited island of South Carolina. It is 5 miles (8 km) long with almost 2.5 miles (4.0 km) wide - an estimated surface area of ​​8 square miles (21 km 2 ) (5,000 hectares). With more than 3 miles (5 km) from the beach, Daufuskie is surrounded by Calibogue Sound waters, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean.
Accessible only by ferry or barge, and with a full-time population of over 400, Daufuskie Island encompasses rich cultural experiences, with environmental preservation, private communities, resorts, Gullah homes, various art galleries and history. The island is named after a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places because of the history of Gullah and the Civil War. The island is also the setting of Pat Conroy's novel The Water Is Wide which tells Conroy's experience of teaching at Daufuskie in the 1960s.
Video Daufuskie Island
History
For thousands of years ancient humans called the house of Daufuskie Island, as evidenced by the piles of discarded oyster shells that exhibit pottery shards from all phases of the hunter gathering period. Before the arrival of Europe many Indian tribes inhabit Lowcountry and islands. Culturally and linguistically these tribes are of Muskogean descent. Daufuskie comes from the Muscogee language and means "sharp hair", for a distinctive island shape.
In early 1523, Spanish explorers sailed on the southeast coast of North America in search of potential settlements. In 1565, Spain had settled in St. Augustine, Florida, and encourage beaches to build and maintain additional colonies. Along with the 16th century ambitions for settlements, France also made colonization efforts in areas of South Carolina Lowcountry. In the mid-1600s, the British began to explore the south coast. The prosperous Caribbean cultivator sponsors several expeditions to South Carolina. Captains William Hilton and Robert Sandford travel to Port Royal Sound and surrounding areas. In July 1666 Sanford entered the Calibogue Sound between Hilton Head and Daufuskie.
It was during the initial exploration period that Spanish settlers introduced their typical Iberian horses to the Southeast coast. Today the descendants of these horses are known as "Carolina Marsh Tacky". These powerful and intelligent horses are very well adapted to the swampy and swampy lowland areas. Examples of these rare breeds can still be found in Daufuskie.
In 1684, the Spanish army enlisted the help of indigenous soldiers against the Scottish settlers at Port Royal, and thus initiated an easy and difficult history of indigenous ties in the history of European settlement. The inevitable cultural clash culminated with the so-called revolt of Yamasee consisting of three brutal combats on the southwest coast of Daufuskie Island between 1715 and 1717 giving this land a name he still holds today, Bloody Point.
The quest for religious freedom eventually brought two European families to Daufuskie Island - the grandson of Huguenot David Mongin of France, and the daughter of Italian Prince Filippo de Martinangelo who escaped the Inquisition. The stories of these two founding families were established throughout their long history, and both rose to become owners of powerful island plantations.
The American Revolution brings loyalty to the lower states. Daufuskie received the nickname "Little Bermuda" during the Revolution because of the Loyalist sentiments of the population. After the Revolution, Daufuskie thrived with the introduction of world-renowned sea island cotton, a variety that is appreciated by European factories. High quality, marine island cotton exceeds other long-term cotton in fiber, as well as smoothness and strength. It was during a period of strong economic growth that some large plantation houses were built.
The construction of a tall wooden American vessel sparked the demand for wood from the abundant living oaks in Daufuskie. This hardwood species, unique to the southeast coast, is valued by shipbuilders for its strength and decay, and its naturally curved limbs. Daufuskie is in a "live oaking" trading center important for the development of US maritime forces. Shipbuilders travel to Daufuskie and the low country to drop oaks, chop down, and drag the pieces by the cattle to the beach landings. The USS Constitution - "Old Ironsides" - built with live oak.
Before the Civil War, there were eleven estates in Daufuskie. Large houses were built in some of these tracts - Oakley Hall in Bloody Point, Melrose, and Haig Point. The house at Haig Point is unique because it is built from cats. It is the largest domestic building erected on the coast of South Carolina.
Introduced in the southeast by early Spaniards, cats are a type of concrete made by burning oyster shells to make chalk, then mixing them with water, sand, ash and broken oyster shells. Three of the only preserved tabby-walled residences still standing in Beaufort County can be found today at Haig Point.
At the beginning of the Civil War, Union forces occupied the islands of the Beaufort region. Union forces in Daufuskie support the siege and reduction of Fort Pulaski that protects the entrance of the Savannah River. The presence of this Union caused the owners of white plantations to flee, leaving the property and slaves behind. After the war, Daufuskie's remoteness enabled Gullah's culture to survive and evolve from generation to generation.
The language of Gullah is the inheritance of the original slaves and the laborers who then remained after the plantation was folded. The lowlands were remote until the mid-20th century, but Daufuskie's isolation created the perfect climate for the language and behavior of the Gullah people to remain well preserved. Language is a mixture of colors and rhythms of Western African and rural English dialects that are increasingly being heard. Daufuskie is in the middle of the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor.
After the Civil War, the agricultural, mining, and timber industries were re-established in Beaufort County and the lowlands. This activity means the water channel around Daufuskie, with its critical position between Port Royal and Savannah, becomes very busy. Navigation aids are important to support increased shipping volume. In 1873, the Haig Point Spotlight was built on the northern tip of the island. This was followed by Bloody Point Range Lights in 1883 was built to help the ship approach the entrance of the Savannah River.
From the 1880s the oyster industry flourished in Daufuskie. At the turn of the century the island has a population of 2,000-3,000, mostly working in the trading of these profitable shells. Flat coastlines, salty estuaries, and natural oyster reefs, combined with a long spawning season, make the waters around Daufuskie the perfect habitat for growing large numbers of watery and watery oysters. Oyster Daufuskie is known as far away as Bar Harbor and New York. It was reported that the Russian Tsar prefers Daufuskie oysters.
Finally, in the 1950s, pollution shut down oysters and the island's economy declined. Electricity came to the island in 1953 and telephoned in 1972; but, with little opportunity to work, the population shrank to less than a hundred, leaving behind the rich heritage of Gullah. In the 1980s, developers began planning to make Daufuskie Island a residential development destination, and Bloody Point development plans, Melrose, Haig Point, and Oakridge were born. Despite these advances and developments, the island's historic districts remain untouched to preserve Gullah culture, and today the whole island is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Maps Daufuskie Island
Industry
Island shoreline design and tidal ranges are conducive to long oyster spawning season. On this island oysters grow in groups instead of individually. The island's natives appreciate the natural abundance of oysters on the island. Large mounds of oyster shells found on the island stand as evidence of widespread use of oysters on the island by the natives. Native Americans use oyster for food and use shellfish for fashion, fertilizer, and cat kits. The oyster industry hit the island of Daufuskie in the 1880s when an Italian immigrant named Luigi Paolo Maggioni rented an oyster bed and opened a raw oyster house on the island. Then in 1893, he opened the Magpioni Factory and Company Oyster L.P. The plant is harvested, peeled, steamed, and canned oysters to be delivered to Savannah. The success of L.P. Maggioni and Company Oyster Factory bring some to the island. Some shadows shacks and factories remain on the island after L.P. Maggioni moved to Savannah, Georgia. The oyster industry is developing as people as far as Bar Harbor and New York regard the Daufuskie Island oysters as a delicacy. The Depression of the 1930s and World War II caused the oyster industry to decline as many left the island for better job opportunities. The industry faces more setbacks due to pollution from the Savannah River in the 1950s contaminating the island's shell beds. The new wage and clock law increased labor costs at the cannery that caused it to close after spring 1986. Fortunately, mom-and-pop shops continued to sell oysters on the island.
Location
The island is now split into five parts.
To the northeast is Haig Point Club, a private residential club, owned by members with about 150 residents throughout the year and over 225 homes.
South of Haig Point is the Melrose Resort and residential community. Currently, the resort is closed but new owners (per Spring, 2018) are expected to reopen at least some facilities. Further south on the eastern side of the island is Oak Ridge, a small undeveloped marine beach community, followed by Bloody Point, a semi-private residential community.
The western part of the island is an unrelated land. About 100 people live in a variety of accommodations, ranging from unique cabins and small houses to beautiful beachfront homes with private docks. This part of the island received the federal title as a historic district in the early 1980s. According to a study conducted by the College of Art and Design of Savannah, the island has examples of excellent Gullah houses that have not been altered. There is a descendant of the Gullah people who lived in this area on the land they had since after the Civil War. The Historic District is also known for its craft shops, unique restaurants and a coffee shop (located at Mary Fields School where author Pat Conroy has taught), spectacular wildlife, historic churches and friendly locals. Most of the Historic District is traversed by historic, winding dirt roads lined with Live Oaks, most of which look very much like they did at least a century ago, including School Street, Benjie Point, Prospect Road, Bryant Road, and Pappy Landing.
A census in 2007 by the local Fire and Rescue Agency of Daufuskie Island counted a total of only 429 residents who lived full-time across the island. The rock musician John Mellencamp built a house on the island and used it as a retreat.
Culture and government
This island is home to the First Union African Baptist Church, which is Daufuskie's oldest building, and still used today as a place of worship.
There are two historic lighthouses on Daufuskie Island: The Bloody Point Lighthouse, built in 1883, and Haig Point Lighthouse, built ten years earlier.
The island is part of Beaufort County, South Carolina, and has an elected council l. The Daufuskie Island Council serves as the official voice between Daufuskie and the county and other stakeholder groups.
Education
Daufuskie Island School is a Beaufort County public school built in 1997. It is a modern facility with two classrooms, a lunchroom and a library. Students are in multigrade classes: pre-K to grade 2 and grade 3 to grade 5. Generally there are about 15-18 students each year, and schools have significant community support and many volunteers on the island.
Students in grades 6-12 are transported to Hilton Head Middle School and High School by ferry. At Daufuskie, these students take a small school bus to the ferry. After the students reach Hilton Head, they are picked up by the local school bus and taken to the appropriate school campus. The whole trip is about an hour and ten minutes every morning and afternoon. Students often do their homework or just take a short nap during a boat trip.
Transportation
There is no bridge connecting Daufuskie to the mainland of South Carolina; therefore all island access must come by boat. A public ferry does some daily transit between Buckingham Landing on Hilton Head and Melrose Landing in Daufuskie.
Beaufort County provides subsidized ferries that transport residents. Haig Point Club has its own private ferry service. There are also some private companies that provide a 25-30 minute water taxi service to the island. Residents of the club, as well as several other residents on the island, use golf carts and bicycles to get around the island, although there are also some regular vehicles.
Flora and fauna
The Daufuskie Island Conservancy is one of several local organizations dedicated to preserving ecosystems, flora and fauna, and the quality of life on Daufuskie Island.
Daufuskie Island offers a wide variety of nature and animal life. One of the foremost animals that inhabit the island is the squirrel fox. The bald eagle is also one of the creatures found on the island.
Climate
Daufuskie Island has a humid subtropical climate.
Island Attractions
The island has two resorts, Bloody Point Resort and Melrose Resort, but both are currently closed. However, there continues to be a strong residential community in both areas, and a strong holiday business with Melrose beach cottages and Bloody Point Villas (known as Sandy Lane Villas) the most common type of holiday homes. Vacation house rentals are handled by Daufuskie Rental Group, several other agents, and through private property owners.
The island is home to the prestigious Haig Point community, a private and exclusive residential community with its own ferry service to Hilton Head, a 29-hole championship golf course, riding center, tennis center, multi-purpose clubhouse, and a waterfront restaurant and pool.
The Historic District is also a major attraction for day tourists and holiday guests who enjoy exploring the island with golf carts, and especially experience the island's unique restaurants, coffee shops and indigo dye studios located at Mary Fields School (where the writer) Pat Conroy is taught ), unique art galleries, the historic First Union Baptist Church of Africa, Daufuskie Island Rum Company (micro refineries), outstanding wildlife populations, an island museum, pristine and remote beaches, endless dirt roads shaded by Live The oaks, and the friendly locals.
Famous natives
- Sallie Ann Robinson
In popular culture
Jimmy Buffett's "Prince of Tides" (from his 1988 Hot Water album) deplored Daufuskie's development and the loss of Gullah culture.
Pat Conroy's 1972 book The Water Is Wide is set in Daufuskie, fiction as Yamacraw Island. This book tells Conroy's experience teaching on the island in 1969. This book won Conroy a humanitarian award from the National Education Association and Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. The book was made into a movie, Conrack , starring Jon Voight in 1974. The novel was also produced as The Water Is Wide in 2006, the Hallmark Hall of Fame TV film starring Jeff Hephner.
One episode of the National Geographic Channel Diggers (S2, E10; 2013) series featured professional hunters Tim Saylor and George "KG" Wyant visiting Daufuskie looking for pirate gold.
The March 2014 edition of Architectural Digest magazine featured Daufuskie's part-time home from singer John Mellencamp.
Magazine Travel Leisure designated Marshside Mama's restaurant, in County Landing in Daufuskie, as one of the "Top Ten Beach Bars Best" in America.
The Travel Channel shows Bizarre Foods America featuring segments with original Daufuskie Sallie Ann Robinson at a show (S1, E8; 2012) dedicated to food and culture Lowcountry and Gullah.
References
External links
- The official website of Daufuskie Island Council
- Daufuskie Island Ferry Service
- Daufuskie Vacation Rentals
- Visitor information Daufuskie Island
- The Daufuskie Island History Foundation
- Daufuskie Marsh Tacky Society
- National Registrar of Historic Places Inventory Form - Daufuskie
- The American Revolution in South Carolina: The Bloody Point
- US. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Daufuskie Island
- American Historic Buildings Survey (HABS) No. SC-867, "Haig Point Tabby Ruins, Haig Point Road, Daufuskie Landing, Beaufort County, SC", 27 photos, 4 transparency colors, 17 pages of data, 3 photo page captions, additional material
- Daufuskie Cottage # 10 - Mose Ficklin House
- Mount Carmel Baptist Church
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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