A Treasure by the Sea: The History of Hunting Island State Park

One of the few remaining undeveloped sea islands along the coast, over a million visitors flock to Hunting Island State Park each year.Photo byExplore Beaufort

Although there is no shortage of sweet spots in our stretch of the Southeastern Coast, one of the most popular spots here in the Lowcountry is undoubtedly Hunting Island State Park.

One of the few remaining undeveloped sea islands along the coast, the nearly five mile long slice of paradise along the Atlantic means so much to so many, with more than a million visitors from all over the world walking the sandy beaches every year, according to South Carolina State Parks.

Hunting Island is South Carolina’s single most popular state park and also attracts a vast array of land and marine wildlife including loggerhead turtles, American bald eagles, deer, alligators, raccoons, diamondback rattlesnakes, and hundreds of species of birds. The island has an abundance of pelicans, herons and egrets.

It’s home to some five miles of pristine beaches, thousands of acres of marsh and maritime forest, a historic lighthouse, a saltwater lagoon and ocean inlet…which all play their part in the park’s natural allure. Thanks to limited human development and lots of hard work by a dedicated staff, the island remains a very natural preserve for its abundant wildlife.

But, it wasn’t always the beautiful state park that it is today.

Originally a “Hunting Island,” the thick-forested barrier island served as a hunting preserve for Lowcountry planters and elite in the 19th and early 20th centuries, along with several other local sea islands. Deer, gators, wild boar and a variety of birds and other waterfowl were hunted on the island by locals.

During the Great Depression of the 1930′s, the island was developed into a state park by the Civilian Conservation Corps in an initiative to create jobs and provide employment to thousands of men during a time of dire need, while also addressing the nation’s needs for conservation and recreation.

The Corps also built the Harbor River Bridge so folks could get to Hunting Island, employing hundreds locally over a two year period for both projects.

Upon its completion, Hunting Island State Park was officially opened in 1935.

The lighthouse was first lit way back in July of 1859. Its unique design had it fitted with a Fresnel lens, a collection of glass prisms that was powerful enough to shine light from the oil lantern and cast a beam 17 miles into the darkness of the sea. It was also constructed out of cast iron plates that could be dismantled.

In 1861 during the Civil War, the original Hunting Island lighthouse was blown up by retreating Confederate forces to slow the Union Army down, and the lighthouse we enjoy today is actually the re-built lighthouse, completed in 1875.

Then, in August of 1887, a storm took away enough beach that the lighthouse stood just 152 feet away from the ocean. The lighthouse was disassembled, moved along a tramway, and then reassembled just over a mile inland…where it stands to this day.

Accordint to the South Carolina State Park Service, In 2016, Hurricane Matthew nearly completely destroyed the tiny 5,000 acre island, sweeping away all of its dunes and causing a great amount of damage to the parks campsites and infrastructure. After being closed and undergoing painstaking renovations, the park is reopened, restructured, and back to its old beautiful self again.

Today, Hunting Island is a Mecca for sun seekers, campers, beach goers, nature enthusiasts and vacationers; all wanting to experience the natural, pristine, unspoiled setting it offers. The lighthouse is open to the public and is the only one in South Carolina that you can climb to the top to catch the amazing view of the world below.

Hollywood has even visited the island. It served as the spot for the Vietnam War scenes in Forrest Gump and was also the setting for GI Jane, starring Demi Moore.

Getting it’s due notoriety, Hunting Island has also recently been named one of the top 25 beaches in the U.S. by TripAdvisor and one of the Best Beaches in the South by Southern Living Magazine.

The historic Hunting Island Lighthouse was first built way back in 1859.Photo byPhil Heim/BeaufortPics