National Register of Historic Places

Daufuskie Island Historic District

Hilton Head, Beaufort County, South Carolina
Listed
June 1, 1982
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
82003831

About this property

Daufuskie Island, located between Hilton Head Island and Savannah, is the southernmost inhabited sea island in South Carolina. It is 5 miles (8 km) long by almost 2.5 miles (4.0 km) wide – approximate surface area of 8 square miles (21 km2) (5,000 acres). With over 3 miles (5 km) of beachfront, Daufuskie is surrounded by the waters of Calibogue Sound, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. It was listed as a census-designated place in the 2020 census with a population of 557. Accessible only by ferry or barge, and with a full-time population of just over 400, Daufuskie Island contains environmental preserves, private communities, resorts, Gullah houses, diverse art galleries and history. The island was named a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places due to its Gullah and Civil War history. The island is also the setting of Pat Conroy's memoir The Water Is Wide recounting Conroy's experiences teaching on Daufuskie in the late 1960s.

Location

Hilton Head, Beaufort County, South Carolina
32.12124, -80.86162

Categories

MILITARYBLACKARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Daufuskie Island Historic District

This page lists Daufuskie Island Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Stoney-Baynard Plantation
Listed
2.8 mi
Church of the Cross
Industrial
7.6 mi
Bluffton Historic District
Listed
7.7 mi
Rear Lighthouse of Hilton Head Range Light Station
Industrial
7.7 mi
Campbell Chapel AME Church
Industrial
7.9 mi

Nearby Battles

Bombardment of Fort Pulaski — Naval Component
1862Civil War
6.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Daufuskie Island Historic District listed on the National Register?

Daufuskie Island Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 1, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Daufuskie Island Historic District?

Daufuskie Island Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Daufuskie Island Historic District?

The period of significance for Daufuskie Island Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Daufuskie Island Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Daufuskie Island Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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