| Kiawah Island, South Carolina | |
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
| Location of Kiawah Island in South Carolina |
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | South Carolina |
| County | Charleston |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Bill Wert |
| Area | |
| • Total | 13.5 sq mi (35.1 km2) |
| • Land | 11.2 sq mi (28.9 km2) |
| • Water | 2.4 sq mi (6.2 km2) |
| Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 1,163 |
| • Density | 104.1/sq mi (40.2/km2) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 29455 |
| Area code | 843 |
| FIPS code | 45-38162[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1253569[2] |
| Website | www.kiawahisland.org |
Kiawah is a sea island, or barrier island, on the Atlantic coast of the United States. Located 15 miles (24 km) south of Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina, it is operated today largely as a beach and golf resort — the Kiawah Island Golf Resort — with spacious villas, beaches, large and acclaimed golf courses, and other attractions. In the 2000 census, Kiawah Island's population was 1,163; as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and used by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes, the island is included within the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metropolitan area. Alternative spellings and variants of the name itself include "Kiawa," "Kittiwar" (in DuBose Heyward's novel Porgy), and "Kittiwah" (in George Gershwin's opera Porgy and Bess).
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According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 13.5 square miles (35 km2), of which, 11.2 square miles (29 km2) of it is land and 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2) of it (17.58%) is water.
Kiawah was named for the Kiawah Indians who were led by their head chieftain or cassique. In the year 1670, the Cassique of the Kiawah led English Colonists to settle at Charlestowne Landing.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,163 people, 557 households, and 474 families residing in the town. The population density was 104.2 people per square mile (40.2/km²). There were 3,070 housing units at an average density of 275.0 per square mile (106.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.19% White, 0.34% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.17% Asian, and 1.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.17% of the population.
There were 557 households out of which 6.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 82.9% were married couples living together, 1.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.9% were non-families. 13.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.25.
In the town the age distribution of the population shows 6.0% under the age of 18, 1.5% from 18 to 24, 6.4% from 25 to 44, 48.8% from 45 to 64, and 37.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 61 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $76,114, and the median income for a family was $83,829. Males had a median income of $60,938 versus $32,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $47,782. About 4.4% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.
The city is run by an elected Mayor-council government system. The current mayor is Bill Wert.
Kiawah Island is widely hailed as one of the premier golf destinations on the East Coast. The island features five award-winning golf courses designed by the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tom Fazio, and Pete Dye. The courses snake along the skinny island, moving from the dense wooded interior of the island to the breezy oceanfront.
Pete Dye designed the Ocean Course in 1991 and the course has since proved to be one of the toughest on the East Coast. [1] The Ocean Course was the home of the 1991 Ryder Cup, the World Cup of Golf in 1997, and the 2007 Senior PGA Championship, and will be the host of the 2012 PGA Championship, becoming only the fourth golf course in history to host each of the PGA of America's major championships [2]. The Ocean Course was featured in the 2000 movie The Legend of Bagger Vance, starring Will Smith, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron.
The Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (CCPRC) [3] operates numerous facilities within Charleston County.
Beach parks:
Fishing piers:
Marinas and boat landings:
Day parks:
Water parks:
Off-leash dog parks are offered at James Island, Palmetto Islands, and North Charleston Wannamaker County Park.
James Island County Park, features a 50-foot climbing wall and bouldering cave(with reported Bigfoot sightings); cabin, RV, and tent camping facilities; rental facilities, fishing dock, challenge course, kayaking programs, summer camps, paved trails, and many special events such as the Lowcountry Cajun Festival (usually the first weekend in April), East Coast Canoe and Kayak Festival (3rd weekend in April), Holiday Festival of Lights (mid-November through the first of the year), and the summer outdoor reggae concerts.
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