Daufuskie Island, Historic island in Beaufort County, South Carolina.
Daufuskie Island is an island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, covering roughly 21 square kilometers (8 square miles) of lowcountry terrain between the Atlantic Ocean and several waterways. The shoreline runs for about 5 kilometers (3 miles) of sandy beach, backed by marshes, forests, and scattered small settlements with no bridge connection to the mainland.
Union troops took over the island in 1861, causing plantation owners to flee and leaving behind enslaved workers who formed the foundation of the Gullah community. The island remained largely isolated until the 20th century, when developers began building resorts and vacation homes along the coast.
The Gullah community preserves traditions such as basket weaving, net casting, and gospel singing that connect them to West African roots. Visitors can hear Gullah spoken in small chapels and see handmade crafts displayed along quiet lanes where families have lived for generations.
The island is reachable only by ferry or private boat from Hilton Head or Savannah, with no cars allowed on the land. Visitors move around by bicycle or golf cart that can be rented locally, and most paths are unpaved or sandy.
The island's name comes from the Muscogee word for sharp feather, inspired by its pointed shape on maps. Until the 1950s, schools on the island operated in isolated wooden buildings that later became important landmarks of African American education history.
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