Dewees Island

Geography
Location Atlantic Ocean
Coordinates Coordinates: 32°50′25″N 79°42′59″W / 32.84028°N 79.71639°W
Adjacent bodies of water Copahee Sound
Area 485.623 ha (1,200.00 acres)
Coastline 2.6 m (8.5 ft)
Country
State South Carolina
County Charleston
Additional information
Official website http://deweesislandsc.com

Dewees Island is a barrier island about 11 miles north of Charleston. The inlet between it and the Isle of Palms is shown on early maps as Spence's Inlet, but is today called Dewees Inlet. The island is private and accessible only by ferry or private boat.

History

Probably one of five original hunting islands of the Sewee Indians, the island was under British proprietorship until it was eventually owned by Thomas Cary in 1700. In 1702 he sold Sessions Island (now Capers Island) to William Capers and in 1706 he sold Bull Island to John Collins. Dewees Island was then known as Timicau Island, and somewhere between those two sales, Thomas Cary sold the island to Roger Player, where it passed through a succession of owners, eventually conveying to Cornelius Dewees, perhaps as early as 1701. [1] Over time the island has been home to Indians, Revolutionary War soldiers, and Civil War blockades. It has a World War II submarine tower. Dewees Island residents during the 1800s were represented primarily as oystermen and farmers in census records. In the 1800s rice planters began farming on Dewees.

Before 1898 land ownership on Dewees Island was complicated by wars, legal disputes and uncertainty. In 1898 John Murphy, a Charleston contractor and alderman, purchased land on the island and became the single owner. On the island Murphy grew artichokes, cane for chairs and raised pigs. Contracted workers harvested oysters and clams. Murphy owned a steamship, Undine, which he used to visit the island.

In the 1970s a few vacation homes were built on the island. In 1991 Knott, a developer teamed with the Royalls, R. Kennedy IV and others to form an investment group aimed at developing and preserving the island.

Transportation

The Dewees Islander passenger-only ferry runs between the Isle of Palms and Dewees Island. The primary mode of transportation on Dewees is electric golf carts; the use of gas-powered vehicles is prohibited, with exceptions for some work vehicles used for construction and maintenance.

Governance

Dewees is a private island managed by the Dewees Island Property Owners Association.

Tourism

Approximately 2,000 people visit Dewees Island each year. The visitors include owners, owners' guests, renters and ecotourists on specially arranged tours.

References

  1. ↑ Cochrane, James (2007). Dewees: The Island and Its People. History Press. pp. 38–67. ISBN 978-1-59629-339-7.

External links