Hilton Head Island

Island in the Sea Islands group, situated in the Atlantic Ocean, 32 km/20 mi northeast of Savannah, Georgia. To its west is the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, while to its northeast lies Port Royal Sound. The island covers an area of 109 sq km/42 sq mi, and forms part of Beaufort County, in the extreme south of South Carolina. Hilton Head Island is also the name of the island's principal town (population 23,700).

European settlements on Hilton Head Island were attempted by the Spanish (1526), French, and English, but all were deterred by hostile natives and local pirates. Finally claimed for the English crown by William Hilton in 1663, it became a centre in the 18th century for the cultivation of indigo, rice, and Sea Island (long-staple) cotton. During the Civil War, the island was a Union base for blockading nearby Confederate ports. After the war, it was largely occupied by freed slaves, who developed their distinctive Gullah culture. A bridge to the mainland was built in 1956, and the island's development as a vacation centre began. Today there are four main resorts (plus many smaller ones), including major facilities for golf, tennis, boating, and other activities. During the peak season, the population swells with over 50,000 tourists. Wildlife preserves here include the Sea Pines Forest Preserve and Audubon Newhall Preserve.