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Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Barrier islands of South CarolinaGullah countryGullah cultureGullah historyHilton Head Island, South Carolina
Hilton Head Island–Beaufort micropolitan areaIslands of Beaufort County, South CarolinaIslands of South CarolinaPages with non-numeric formatnum argumentsPopulated coastal places in South CarolinaSeaside resorts in the United StatesSouth Carolina Sea IslandsTowns in Beaufort County, South CarolinaTowns in South Carolina
Harbour Town July 2007
Harbour Town July 2007

Hilton Head Island, sometimes referred to as simply Hilton Head, is a Lowcountry resort town and barrier island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Savannah, Georgia, and 95 miles (153 km) southwest of Charleston. The island is named after Captain William Hilton, who in 1663 identified a headland near the entrance to Port Royal Sound, which mapmakers named "Hilton's Headland." The island features 12 miles (19 km) of beachfront on the Atlantic Ocean and is a popular vacation destination. In 2004, an estimated 2.25 million visitors infused more than $1.5 billion into the local economy. The year-round population was 37,661 at the 2020 census, although during the peak of summer vacation season the population can swell to 150,000. Hilton Head Island is the largest city within the Hilton Head Island–Bluffton metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 215,908 in 2020. The island has a rich history that started with seasonal occupation by Native Americans thousands of years ago and continued with European exploration and the Sea Island Cotton trade. It became an important base of operations for the Union blockade of the Southern ports during the Civil War. Once the island fell to Union troops, hundreds of ex-slaves flocked to Hilton Head, which is still home to many of their descendants, who are known as the Gullah (or Geechee). They have managed to hold on to much of their ethnic and cultural identity.The Town of Hilton Head Island incorporated as a municipality in 1983 and is well known for its eco-friendly development. The town's Natural Resources Division enforces the Land Management Ordinance which minimizes the impact of development and governs the style of buildings and how they are situated amongst existing trees. As a result, Hilton Head Island enjoys an unusual amount of tree cover relative to the amount of development. Approximately 70% of the island, including most of the tourist areas, is located inside gated communities. However, the town maintains several public beach access points, including one for the exclusive use of town residents, who have approved several multimillion-dollar land-buying bond referendums to control commercial growth.Hilton Head Island offers an unusual number of cultural opportunities for a community its size, including plays at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, the 120-member full chorus of the Hilton Head Choral Society, the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, an annual outdoor, tented wine tasting event on the east coast, and several other annual community festivals. It also hosts the RBC Heritage, a PGA Tour tournament played on the Harbour Town Golf Links in Sea Pines Resort.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Turnbridge Drive,

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Wikipedia: Hilton Head Island, South CarolinaContinue reading on Wikipedia

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Latitude Longitude
N 32.178888888889 ° E -80.743055555556 °
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Turnbridge Drive

Turnbridge Drive
29928
South Carolina, United States
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Harbour Town July 2007
Harbour Town July 2007
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