Stroll through history

Standing beneath the wide arms of the Ittiwan Oak tree in Daniel Island Park near Ralston Creek, you may have never guessed that this island once launched warships, ferried travelers, and grew rice that fed Charleston.

 

Daniel Island’s history is indeed bountiful, but sometimes not easily seen. No antebellum mansions, no crumbling rice mills.

 

Yet, there are visible clues: a network of historical black-and-white markers – silent storytellers that reveal the island’s layered past.

Through the efforts of the Daniel Island Historical Society, these stories no longer live only in archives; they rise from the very ground we walk on.

 

“Since no original buildings remain standing on Daniel Island, yet the land holds such deep historical significance, we created the historical marker program to help residents and visitors connect with the stories of what once took place where they now stand,” said Lee Ann Bain, DIHS community outreach chair, who spearheads the marker program.

 

WALKING THROUGH THE ISLAND’S PAST

Since 2015, DIHS has installed 14 historical markers across the island, each tied to a site that once held lives, labor, or landmarks. Together, they form a kind of walking tour through centuries of stories, from Native American settlements and plantation life to industry, commerce, and community.

 

One marker recalls Daniel Island’s namesake, Robert Daniell, a colonial governor and naval officer whose homestead once overlooked the Wando River near today’s Children’s Park.

 

Nearby, the Codner Plantation marker remembers the 18th-century estate adjacent to what is now Bishop England High School, while another at Fairbank Plantation highlights indigo and naval stores once produced along the creeks. A short walk away, the Raven’s Creek marker tells of a tidal rice mill that once tied Daniel Island to Charleston’s rice economy.

 

“By reading Michael Dahlmon’s book (“Daniel Island”) on Daniel Island and Daniel Island’s archaeological reports, I was able to find the names of those who lived, worked, or owned land here,” Bain said. “I was also able to find what crops were grown here, such as rice and indigo, and what businesses were here, such as shipbuilding and cattle.”

 

Speaking of business, commerce thrived here, too. At the southern end of the island, Mitchell Pier once served as a hub for produce shipped to Charleston in the early 1900s.

 

Along the Cooper River, Prichard’s Shipyard turned out vessels, like Gunboat No. 9, during the Thomas Jefferson presidency.

 

“Two of my favorite little-known stories are about Prichard’s shipbuilding,” Bain said. “He built Gunboat No. 9 on Daniel Island and (the) frigate John Adams at his Cooper River shipyard. These boats were not made for usage here in Charleston, but they are an important part of America’s sailing history.”

 

And Daniel Island wouldn’t be an island if it were not surrounded by water, meaning ferries were the method of transport to surrounding communities. “One ferry stop was called Calis, and the other called Dover,” Bain said. “There were stones placed along the route to the ferry as to how far you had traveled.”

 

CEMETERIES AND LEGACY

The island’s story also includes those who built their own place here, from Native Americans honored at sites like the Ittiwan Oak and Smythe Park Live Oaks to pioneers like George Cunningham, a free Black man who purchased land after emancipation. Cemeteries and markers preserve their stories, connecting visitors to the lives that shaped the island.

 

Three of the markers preserve the memory of the island’s African American cemeteries: Alston, Grove, and Simmons. Each is a quiet reminder of families who lived, worked, and built their lives on Daniel Island.

 

“Each marker helps preserve the stories of Daniel Island’s rich history, whether it is at an archaeological site of former buildings and homes or at family cemeteries of some of Daniel Island’s first residents,” said Lisa Avant, associate community manager of the Daniel Island Property Owners’ Association. “The importance of Daniel Island’s history was not lost during the development of the island. Through extraordinary care and collaboration with a multitude of state and local agencies, Daniel Island’s historical legacy was preserved and can now be shared with residents and visitors.”

 

THE GUGGENHEIM CONNECTION 

Not all Daniel Island markers belong to DIHS. Around Guggenheim Terrace, a separate set was installed by the DI Development Company. These highlight Harry Frank Guggenheim, who bought the island in 1947 and whose foundation guided its transition from farmland to today’s master-planned community.

 

The signs note Guggenheim’s role in aeronautics research, his sponsorship of rocket pioneer Robert Goddard, and the foundation’s sale of the land to developers in 1997 – decisions that shaped the island’s modern future.

 

A SENSE OF PLACE

Residents often stumble upon the markers during walks or bike rides and are surprised by what they learn. 

 

“The most common reaction I hear is, ‘I never knew that happened here,’ or ‘I didn’t realize that person lived on or owned land on Daniel Island,’” Bain recalled. “The markers give people a true sense of place, connecting them to both the land and its past.”

 

Each marker has a QR code linking to expanded stories, and the DIHS website offers a PDF map with all marker locations and information.

 

Reflecting on the markers’ impact, DIHS co-founder Beth Bush said, “We are very proud of our historical marker program and hope that residents and visitors have found the markers to be helpful in their understanding of the area’s history.

 

“We remain committed to educating everyone we can about what was here before, in case they are not aware. I think we’re all looking to have a true ‘sense of place’ when it comes to where we live, and the historical markers are just one way we do that.”

 

HISTORY IN PROGRESS

Just because it’s history doesn’t mean the story is finished.

 

“Soon we will have one (marker) about Thomas Elfe, a famous cabinet maker, which will be placed on Nowell Creek,” Bain said. “We will also be working on historical markers for locations on Clements Ferry, which are part of the historical area the DIHS focuses on.”

 

The society is also working with Berkeley County 250, a commission dedicated to commemorating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Together, they plan to install American Revolution markers along Clements Ferry Road and Highway 41.

 

For Bain, the markers are as much about the future as the past. 

 

“I hope the markers will spark children’s curiosity,” she said. “Since each marker includes pictures, the goal is to catch their eye and encourage them to pause, even for just a moment, and want to learn more. The stories highlight the history of the land they live on, the people who once called it home, and the events that shaped the community around them.”