National Register of Historic Places

Mosquito Beach Historic District

Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina
Listed
September 22, 2019
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
100004409

About this property

The Mosquito Beach Historic District located on James Island, South Carolina was the weekend destination for thousands of African Americans during the height of Jim Crow. It was added to the National Historic Register on September 23, 2019. The 8.36-acre site, located between two creeks, was formerly owned by a member of the Legare family. In the 1950s, African Americans began using the land, which was more akin to a dirt road on a creek rather than a natural beach, for recreation. The four structures and corresponding pavilions were a safe refuge for the community. Usage of Mosquito Beach declined after nearby Folly Beach was desegregated. The owner of the Pine Tree Hotel, one of the remaining structures in the historic district, received a $490,000 grant for the restoration and renovation of the hotel from the National Park Service's African American History Civil Rights program in 2020. The structure was going to be almost completely rebuilt and further lifted to avoid floods in the area. However, on April 15, 2022, a fire destroyed the structure. Nonetheless, because the Historic Charleston Foundation was in the process of reconstructing it, "windows, roof trusses, and other materials" had already been removed and will be used for the reconstruction of the hotel.

Location

Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina
32.67308, -79.98237

Categories

BLACKENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONETHNIC HERITAGE
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 Mosquito Beach Historic District

This page lists Mosquito Beach 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

Seashore Farmers' Lodge No. 767
Industrial
1.1 mi
Fort Trenholm
Early Republic
2.5 mi
Moving Star Hall
Industrial
2.6 mi
Fort Pringle
Early Republic
2.8 mi
Battery LeRoy
Civil War
2.8 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Grimball's Landing
1863Civil War
1.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Mosquito Beach Historic District listed on the National Register?

Mosquito Beach Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 22, 2019.

What type of historic resource is Mosquito Beach Historic District?

Mosquito Beach Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Mosquito Beach Historic District?

The period of significance for Mosquito Beach Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Mosquito Beach Historic District?

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