Saint Helena Island, South Carolina
Encyclopedia
St. Helena Island is one of the Sea Islands
in Beaufort County
, South Carolina
that are historic sites of early European colonization of North America. St. Helena is also the center of African-American Gullah
culture and language. It is sometimes claimed to be the oldest settlement in the United States
. St. Helena is today connected to Beaufort
, the county seat, by U.S. Highway 21, and its largely rural population is included as part of the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan Area by the U.S. Census Bureau. The island has a land area of 165.212 km² (63.789 sq mi) and a population of 8,407 as of the 2000 census
.
explorer Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón around 1520, as part of the Spanish exploration and colonization of the sea islands. Deepwater Port Royal was established as the center of the area, and at one time was the capital of the entire Spanish colony of Florida
. The area was later colonized by the French
, the Spanish again, then finally fell into English
hands, who occupied it until the American Revolution
.
The Sea Islands were the sites of numerous early forts, One, Fort Fremont
is located at Lands End on the southern tip of St. Helena. Across Saint Helena Sound
is Parris Island
, site of several more historic forts that have been sites of extensive archaeological
digs. The forts were established to protect Port Royal
.
The area was noted to be similar to the rice
growing region of West Africa
and soon captured slave
s were brought to the Sea Islands, many from what is today Sierra Leone
. Rice, indigo
, cotton
and spices were grown by these slaves, as well as Native Americans
, and indentured servant
s from Europe. The mix of cultures, somewhat isolated from the mainland,
produced the Gullah culture.
In the War of 1812
, Saint Helena saw some British
naval presence.
The Civil War
began, when South Carolina fired on Fort Sumter
on April 12, 1861. After a number of setbacks for the Union
, the Battle of Port Royal became an important victory on November 7, 1861. Lincoln had called for a blockade of Confederate
port
s and Port Royal was considered one of the most important. A flotilla of Union ships commanded by Samuel F. Du Pont launched a furious assault on Fort Walker
, which defended Port Royal and the Sea Islands. The battle was so loud it was heard along the coast as far as present day Florida
.
After several hours, the fort surrendered and the islands fell into Union hands and were held throughout the war. Slaves were liberated and immediate steps were taken to help improve their lot. One of the most important was the establishment of Penn School to educate them. Another was grants of land to heads of households, from whence came the belief among the slaves that upon emancipation
, all would be given forty acre
s (16 hectare
s) and a mule.
Today the historic school, now known as Penn Center
is one of the nation's most historically significant African-American educational and cultural institutions. In recent times it was an important meeting center for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
whose Southern Christian Leadership Conference
met on the Penn campus. In 1974, the U.S. Department of the Interior named Penn Center a National Historic Landmark
.
The historic status helped restrict development which turned other Sea Islands like Hilton Head into resort areas. Condos and gated communities are not allowed on St. Helena. Some rural land has been preserved and much of the island is still owned by African-Americans.
Famous St. Helena natives include folk artist Sam Doyle
.
Sea Islands
The Sea Islands are a chain of tidal and barrier islands on the Atlantic Ocean coast of the United States. They number over 100, and are located between the mouths of the Santee and St. Johns Rivers along the coast of the U.S...
in Beaufort County
Beaufort County, South Carolina
-National protected areas:*Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge *Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 155,215 people, 45,532 households, and 33,056 families residing in the county. The population density was 206 people per...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
that are historic sites of early European colonization of North America. St. Helena is also the center of African-American Gullah
Gullah
The Gullah are African Americans who live in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina and Georgia, which includes both the coastal plain and the Sea Islands....
culture and language. It is sometimes claimed to be the oldest settlement in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. St. Helena is today connected to Beaufort
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,361 in the 2010 census. It is located in the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan...
, the county seat, by U.S. Highway 21, and its largely rural population is included as part of the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan Area by the U.S. Census Bureau. The island has a land area of 165.212 km² (63.789 sq mi) and a population of 8,407 as of the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
History
The first European to explore St. Helena was most likely SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
explorer Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón around 1520, as part of the Spanish exploration and colonization of the sea islands. Deepwater Port Royal was established as the center of the area, and at one time was the capital of the entire Spanish colony of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The area was later colonized by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the Spanish again, then finally fell into English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
hands, who occupied it until the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
.
The Sea Islands were the sites of numerous early forts, One, Fort Fremont
Fort Fremont
Fort Fremont was a military installation on Saint Helena Island, South Carolina.-Construction:Construction of coastal batteries was authorized by Congress under the $50 million Harbor Fortification Defense Act of 1898. Fort Fremont was built by the Corps of Engineers on condemned private property...
is located at Lands End on the southern tip of St. Helena. Across Saint Helena Sound
Saint Helena Sound
Saint Helena Sound is a coastal inlet in Beaufort and Colleton counties, South Carolina. The inlet is located East of Beaufort, between Edisto Island. and Hunting Island. Saint Helena Sound is 7.5 mi/12.1 km wide. The Combahee River empties from the Northwest and the Edisto River and...
is Parris Island
Parris Island, South Carolina
Parris Island is a former census-designated place , currently a portion of Port Royal in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,841 at the 2000 census. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Parris Island is included within the Beaufort Urban Cluster and the larger...
, site of several more historic forts that have been sites of extensive archaeological
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
digs. The forts were established to protect Port Royal
Port Royal, South Carolina
Port Royal is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Largely because of annexation of surrounding areas , the population of Port Royal rose from 3,950 in 2000 to 10,678 in 2010, a 170% increase. As defined by the U.S...
.
The area was noted to be similar to the rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
growing region of West Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and soon captured slave
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
s were brought to the Sea Islands, many from what is today Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
. Rice, indigo
Indigo
Indigo is a color named after the purple dye derived from the plant Indigofera tinctoria and related species. The color is placed on the electromagnetic spectrum between about 420 and 450 nm in wavelength, placing it between blue and violet...
, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
and spices were grown by these slaves, as well as Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, and indentured servant
Indentured servant
Indentured servitude refers to the historical practice of contracting to work for a fixed period of time, typically three to seven years, in exchange for transportation, food, clothing, lodging and other necessities during the term of indenture. Usually the father made the arrangements and signed...
s from Europe. The mix of cultures, somewhat isolated from the mainland,
produced the Gullah culture.
In the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, Saint Helena saw some British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
naval presence.
The Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
began, when South Carolina fired on Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter is a Third System masonry coastal fortification located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The fort is best known as the site upon which the shots initiating the American Civil War were fired, at the Battle of Fort Sumter.- Construction :...
on April 12, 1861. After a number of setbacks for the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
, the Battle of Port Royal became an important victory on November 7, 1861. Lincoln had called for a blockade of Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
s and Port Royal was considered one of the most important. A flotilla of Union ships commanded by Samuel F. Du Pont launched a furious assault on Fort Walker
Fort Walker
Fort Walker was a Civil War redoubt located on what is now the southeastern corner of Grant Park in Atlanta, Georgia.-History:The redoubt was built by Confederate forces in 1863....
, which defended Port Royal and the Sea Islands. The battle was so loud it was heard along the coast as far as present day Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
After several hours, the fort surrendered and the islands fell into Union hands and were held throughout the war. Slaves were liberated and immediate steps were taken to help improve their lot. One of the most important was the establishment of Penn School to educate them. Another was grants of land to heads of households, from whence came the belief among the slaves that upon emancipation
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War using his war powers. It proclaimed the freedom of 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves, and immediately freed 50,000 of them, with nearly...
, all would be given forty acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s (16 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s) and a mule.
Today the historic school, now known as Penn Center
Penn School Historic District
Penn School Historic District, known also as Penn School or Penn Center Historic District, is a historic district on St. Helena Island in South Carolina...
is one of the nation's most historically significant African-American educational and cultural institutions. In recent times it was an important meeting center for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
whose Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference is an African-American civil rights organization. SCLC was closely associated with its first president, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr...
met on the Penn campus. In 1974, the U.S. Department of the Interior named Penn Center a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
The historic status helped restrict development which turned other Sea Islands like Hilton Head into resort areas. Condos and gated communities are not allowed on St. Helena. Some rural land has been preserved and much of the island is still owned by African-Americans.
Famous St. Helena natives include folk artist Sam Doyle
Sam Doyle
Sam Doyle was a Gullah folk artist bornon Saint Helena Island, South Carolina. He painted on scraps of wood and metal, documenting both St. Helena firsts and prominent members of the island community....
.