You can still travel to Jamestown, Virginia (the site of the first permanent English settlement) or Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts (where the Pilgrims are thought to have landed).
These are great vacation spots that are visited by thousands of tourists each
year. But they can’t escape their past.
Jamestown and Plymouth Rock are both known primarily for
their history. Most of the visitors arrive hoping to check out the original
settlements, or to imagine life in early America. Not so for the coast of South Carolina.
Make no mistake—South Carolina has plenty of history, and
there are museums and attractions to excite anyone who is fascinated with America’s early days. Each year, thousands of tourists select the islands along South Carolina’s coast (in Beaufort County) as
their chosen vacation spot. But very few come for the history. Confused? It
might help to get the “historical perspective.”
In the 1520s, Spanish explorers began making their first
trips to the New World, and South Carolina was one of their first spots. An
explorer named Francisco Gordillo sailed through the Sea Islands of South
Carolina. One of islands caught his attention right away, and he named it
“Santa Elena.” Today, we know it as Hilton Head Island.
By the 1560s, the French had traveled to the area, and all
of Europe was hearing rumors about how great the Sea Islands were. The climate
was mild, the beaches were beautiful, and there were plenty of needed resources
nearby (i.e. forests, rivers, wildlife, etc.).
The Spanish and French tried several times to settle the
area during the 16th century, but luck wasn’t on their side. All of
the early settlements failed, which paved the way for the British to come in
and claim the area in the mid 1700s.
That’s just the early history of the Sea Islands. They also
played a crucial role in the American Revolution and the Civil War—and even in
the World Wars of the 20th century (Parris
Island is a training center for the United States Marines—it is the home of the
infamous “boot camp”).
If tourists aren’t coming to the Sea Islands for its rich
history, then why are they coming? Simple. They’re a great place to take a
vacation. There are beaches, golf courses, resort hotels, restaurants,
shopping districts—and, of course, a few museums.
During the second half of the 20th century, the South Carolina coast became one of the leading tourist destinations in the entire nation.
The Sea Islands—especially Hilton Head Island—were right at the top of the
list.
Not counting Charleston, nearly half of this year’s several
hundred-thousand visitors to South Carolina’s coast will go to Hilton Head Island and the surrounding areas. The other half will take their trip a little
further north, near Myrtle Beach. Some of these tourists are coming for the
history—most are coming for the beach.
For the record, the historic city of Charleston is still South Carolina’s tourism king. Located almost midway between Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head
Island, Charleston brings in about five times more tourists than any other part
of the state.
To put it simply, tourism saved South Carolina. After the
Civil War, the South Carolina coast (along with the rest of the state)
was completely devastated. Thousands of soldiers were killed in battle, cities
were burned, plantations were destroyed, and the morale of the state was at
rock bottom. Poverty plagued the state for over half a century after the war
had ended. The state was on a road to nowhere.
In the 20th century, developments like the
automobile and mass media (for advertising)
helped lead to the rise of tourism. South Carolina’s mild climate and quiet
beaches started to gain recognition. The rise of commercial airlines and the
development of the interstate system sealed the deal, and South Carolina has
been welcoming tourists ever since.
