History of Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Before the arrival of Europeans to the Western Hemisphere, the Kiawah Native Americans would travel to the Kiawah Island to hunt. Today, the 10-mile long island still bears the name of its original occupants. Because they had little attachment to the land, they willingly ceded the island to Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of Shaftsbury, in 1675. Cooper was acting on behalf the English Lords Proprietor when he made the deal. After this transaction, Kiawah Island history continued with very few changes in ownership.
Euorpean Impact on Kiawah Island
When Europeans began to settle on the island there were 160 people living there. The native people soon succumbed to the European diseases and the population dwindled. The Europeans and native Kiawah lived peaceably together on the island for a number of years, and the Kiawah people were granted part of the land in 1743 to use as their own.
The Vanderhorst Family
Kiawah Island history continued when the island was given to Captain George Raynor in 1699. He held the land until it was purchased by John Stanyarne, a Johns Island planter. Stanyarne raised indigo and cattle on the island, and soon created a vast estate, which was split between his two granddaughters, Mary Gibbes, and Elizabeth Vanderhorst, when he died. Soon Elizabeth and her husband, General Arnoldus Vanderhorst, gained control of the island and successfully cultivated cotton on it. The land stayed with their family until it was purchased by Charles Clarence Royal in 1950. The plantation house that the Vanderhorst family built in 1802 is still present on the island, paying tribute to the long history of the family on Kiawah.
Kiawah Residential Real Estate Becomes Popular
Unlike the previous owners, C. C. Royal was not a planter. He was a businessman who gained his income from the lumber industry. He purchased the island as a place for his family to live. They built a spacious estate home, and then he portioned off other areas of the land to sell to prominent politicians, who were also his friends. The Royal family and their friends enjoyed hunting and fishing on the island, where 18 species of mammals still reside.
Modern Kiawah Island History
In 1975 the island’s residential development began in earnest when the Kuwait Investment Company purchased it from the Royal family. The Kuwait Investment Company was the first developer to work on the island, and plans for a resort and residential development were implemented. They were never finished, however, because of stock market problems that occurred in the 1980s. While this first developer owned the island, however, the Kiawah Island Inn and several residential areas were developed. Two excellent golf courses were also opened, drawing visitors and tourism to the island.
In 1988, Kiawah Resort Associates purchased the undeveloped areas of the island and began developing them. Today, they continue to develop and maintain the island for current residents. The environmental protection efforts on the island to help protect the Atlantic Loggerhead Sea Turtle earned the area the National Conservation Award, and these efforts continue even as more residential areas are developing on Kiawah Island.
If you are interested in moving to Kiawah Island, contact Joe Klingensmith at 1-800-803-5143 or contact him via email. Joe has been selling property since 1975, and is a resident of the Sea Brook Island, making him an excellent consultant for those who are looking to move to this unique location.
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