James Island, South Carolina

James Island is one of South Carolina's most urban Sea Islands; nearly half of the island sits within Charleston city limits. The island is separated from peninsular downtown Charleston by the Ashley River, from the mainland by Wappoo Creek and the Wappoo Cut, and from Johns Island by the Stono River. It lies inshore of Morris Island and Folly Beach. Fort Sumter, located on an island just off the eastern tip of James Island, is the site of the first battle of the Civil War. Bombardment of Fort Sumter was started from Fort Johnson which is located on the eastern portion of James Island. Several significant military engagements took place on island, including the battles of Secessionville (1862), Grimball's Landing (1863) and Grimball's Causeway (1865). All of these battles were alternately known as the "Battle of James Island". On Nov. 14, 1782, Tadeusz Kościuszko, Colonel of the Continental Army, led the last known armed action of the Revolutionary War against the British and nearly was killed. Later, The Continental Congress named Kosciuszko Brigadier General for his service in both the North, including his assistance to General Gates at the Battle of Saratoga, and brilliant efforts assisting General Greene in saving the South Region Army from Cornwallis' forces. James Island land was long largely agricultural with Sea Island cotton forced-labor farms covering much of the island. Growth accelerated after World War II and James Island became a suburban bedroom community to Charleston. As of the 2000 census, the United States Census Bureau reported that 33,781 people lived on the island. About one-half of the island lies within the city limits of Charleston, and the remainder of the island is made up of the Town of James Island and unincorporated areas. There has been political discord concerning the incorporation of portions of the island into the City of Charleston. The town of James Island has been founded on three occasions. Three incorporations were overturned as a result of legal suits filed by Charleston. The third incorporation attempt was in contention in another legal suit by the city, and on November 7, 2008, the town's incorporation was upheld by a Circuit Court judge. The city of Charleston filed an appeal of the decision to the South Carolina Supreme Court. Ultimately, this ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court. A fourth attempt at incorporation was successful, upheld by the courts and uncontested by the city of Charleston. There is now a legally formed Town of James Island. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of James Island is included within the Charleston-North Charleston Urbanized Area and the larger Charleston-North Charleston Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Unnamed Battery No. 1 is an historic artillery battery located at Clark's Point, James Island, Charleston County, South Carolina. It was built in 1862, and was the southern end of the eastern James Island line. At the end of the war this battery mounted two field guns. The earthen redoubt measures approximately 240 feet long and 200 feet wide. It has a 12 foot high parapet wall and a powder magazine about 17 feet in height.It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

The Stiles-Hinson House is two houses built back-to-back on James Island, South Carolina. The first house is a simple, rural building constructed in 1742 by the James Island pioneer planter Benjamin Stiles. The significant agricultural science contributor William Godber Hinson constructed the 1891 portion of the building and he continued to maintain the running of the plantation until early in the 20th century.The conjoined arrangement of two styles is unique. Both houses' exteriors are characteristic of the periods of history of which they belong. The house's Stiles part has been cited as an example of the residence of a planter from the mid-18th century. The larger part of the house, facing the river and built by Hinson, is Victorian. On October 9, 1974, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Melton Peter Demetre Park is a municipal park in Charleston, South Carolina. Some locals still refer to it by the nickname "Sunrise Park", the park was officially dedicated and named Melton Peter Demetre Park in 2007 after its owner, who donated the land to the City Of Charleston for use as a park. Melton Demetre owned a parcel of land which provided views across Charleston Harbor to The Battery and surrounding landmarks. During the 1960s, Demetre obtained permits and filled his waterfront lot with dirt, a practice which was later prohibited. In 1970, the United States Army Corps of Engineers ordered Demetre to stop filling the waterfront property, and litigation resulted. Eventually in 1975, a federal judge ruled that the fill dirt could stay but limited the use of the land to Demetre's stated intent of a marina. In 1990, Demetre donated the land to the City of Charleston, transferring the deed to the land on the condition that it be converted into a park with certain agreed upon amenities within ten years, and that the park be dedicated to Demetre when opened. When the ten-year deadline approached in 2000, the city installed a makeshift floating dock without a permit, and did not fulfill other agreed to obligations. Demetre claimed that the work did not satisfy the conditions of the deed, and he sued to have the land returned to him based on the reverter clause in the deed. The lawsuit settled in 2007 in Demetre's favor, with the city agreeing to a timetable for certain improvements including the construction of a 190-foot pier. The park has a fishing pier, two large sandy waterfront beaches, marshes, a covered picnic area, a large nature preserve pond, fields of green grass and the beginnings of a hiking trail. The 190-foot fishing pier extending into the harbor opened in February 2009. The pier leads to a 20-by-20-foot pier head and 40-foot floating dock. Other projects include steps leading to the beach areas and an automatic gate that opens the parking area from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. The park improvements were built with $450,000 approved by Charleston City Council for the only city administered waterfront park on James Island. In June 2019, it was announced that the park would be closed for the summer months while work began on a project to fix past hurricane damage and make further improvements to the park. The project was projected to cost over $800,000. The views from the park take in the Battery, the Downtown Charleston Peninsula, the Ravenel Bridge, Patriots Point, Sullivan's Island, and Fort Sumter among other areas.

Lefebvre's Charles Town expedition (September 1706) was a combined French and Spanish attempt under Captain Jacques Lefebvre to capture the capital of the English Province of Carolina, Charles Town, during Queen Anne's War (as the North American theater of the War of the Spanish Succession is sometimes known). Organized and funded primarily by the French and launched from Havana, Cuba, the expedition reached Charles Town in early September 1706 after stopping at St. Augustine to pick up reinforcements. After a brief encounter with a privateer the Brillant, one of the expedition's six ships, became separated from the rest of the fleet. Troops landed near Charles Town were quickly driven off by militia called out by Governor Nathaniel Johnson when word of the fleet's approach reached the area, and an improvised flotilla commanded by Colonel William Rhett successfully captured the Brillant, which arrived after the other five ships had already sailed away in defeat.

Battery No. 5 is a historic artillery battery located at James Island, Charleston, South Carolina. It was built in 1863, as part of the James Island Siege Line. At the close of the war it was armed with four guns. The earthen redoubt's left faces measuring about 200 feet and the center face about 100 feet. It has a 10 foot high parapet wall.It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Secessionville Historic District is a national historic district located near Folly Beach, Charleston County, South Carolina. It extends into the city of Charleston, South Carolina. The district encompasses six contributing buildings, one contributing site, and one contributing site in Secessionville. The district includes the summer homes of several leading James Island planters, the site of the American Civil War Battle of Secessionville, the unmarked grave of over 300 Union soldiers, and the remains of Fort Lamar, constructed about 1862. The houses include one Victorian and two antebellum Greek Revival residences.It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Tristram Hyde House is a historic two-story home in Charleston, South Carolina constructed in 1914 for Tristram Hyde, who soon after became mayor of Charleston in 1915. It was designed by local architect Albert Wheeler Todd.Designed in a Neoclassical Revival architecture style, the residence includes two-story Ionic columned portico. The features are also described as being Federal Style architecture, including a front entry bordered by trimmed fanlight and sidelights.

The Faber-Ward House is a historic three-story home in Charleston, South Carolina. Henry F. Faber built the house about 1832 in a Palladian style reminiscent of Southern plantations. The house was converted into a hotel for African-Americans after the American Civil War and then a middle-class residence. In 1964, the Historic Charleston Foundation bought the house and undertook a restoration of the then-abandoned building.

The Battle of Secessionville (or the First Battle of James Island) was fought on June 16, 1862, during the American Civil War. Confederate forces defeated the Union's only attempt to capture Charleston, South Carolina, by land. It's noted for the court martial of the Union Brig. Gen. Henry Benham for trying to take James Island, which was against the orders given.

White Point Garden is a 5.7 acre public park located in peninsular Charleston, South Carolina, at the tip of the peninsula. It is the southern terminus for the Battery, a defensive seawall and promenade. It is bounded by East Battery (to the east), Murray Blvd. (to the south), King St. (to the west), and South Battery (to the north).

The William Gibbes House is a historic house at 64 South Battery in Charleston, South Carolina. Built about 1772, it is one of the nation's finest examples of classical Georgian architecture. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1970.