Misplaced Pages

#568431

78-397: Marriott's acquisition of Hyatt Vacation Club marks a significant milestone in the hospitality industry. The merger between the two giants paves the way for the creation of a Universal Vacation Currency, revolutionizing the way people plan and enjoy their vacations. This strategic move positions Marriott as the world's largest Hotel and Leisure Real Estate operator, solidifying its dominance in

156-453: A 2012 estimated year-round population of 193,882. The racial makeup of the town was 82.9% White , 7.5% African American , 0.2% Native American , 0.9% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 7.3% from other races , and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.8% of the population. Of the 16,535 households, 18.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 6.8% had

234-466: A Marriott Vacation Club-controlled trust, and made available to owners who purchased under the Destinations program. Many properties have inventory of both weeks and points. It is important for owners to understand that these two inventories do not intermingle. For example, suppose an owner purchased 2,000 points at Property A, and wished to occupy a villa at Property B. Property B is an older property that

312-418: A barony to John Bayley of Ballingclough, County of Tipperary , Kingdom of Ireland. Another John Bayley, son of the first, appointed Alexander Trench as the island's first retail agent. For a time, Hilton Head was known as Trench's Island. In 1729, Trench sold some land to John Gascoine which Gascoine named "John's Island" after himself. The land later came to be known as Jenkin's Island after another owner. In

390-767: A budget of $ 74,753,260 for fiscal year 2006/2007. It consists of three separate fiscal accounting funds: the General Fund, the Capital Projects Fund, and the Debt Service Fund. The General Fund is the operating fund for the town and accounts for all financial resources of the town except the Capital Projects Fund and the Debt Service Fund. The Capital Projects Fund is used to acquire land and facilities, and improve public facilities, including roads, bike paths, fire stations, vehicle replacement, drainage improvements, and park development. The Debt Service Fund accounts for

468-429: A fee, into the Destinations program, effectively converting their week(s) into points on an annual basis. Marriott Vacation Club continues to sell weeks at some properties, particularly when they acquire weeks from owners wishing to sell them. Marriott Vacation Club has a contractual "right of first refusal" on all resales. If an owner obtains a purchase agreement for their week(s), Marriott Vacation Club can choose to pay

546-468: A female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.66. In the town, the population was spread out, with 18% under the age of 20, 4.4% from 20 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 28.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

624-544: A luxury fractional ownership offering. In 2001, Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI) opened its first Asia property called Marriott's Phuket Beach Club in Phuket, Thailand. In 2001, the first property of Marriott Grand Residence Club (Grand Residences by Marriott since 2006) opened in South Lake Tahoe. In 2007, Marriott Vacation Club International began to market its core timeshare brand as Marriott Vacation Club. In 2010,

702-489: A particular property, which can be "spent" to reserve a villa for a given number of nights during a given season. Villa "pricing," in points, differs based on the size of the unit and the season. Points can also be used to reserve villas at other properties, without having to exchange through II. "Points owners," as they are called, pay annual dues, which cover maintenance and refurbishment, much like maintenance fees for weeks owners. "Weeks" owners can "enroll" their week(s), for

780-525: A possible invasion by the Axis powers of World War II. Platforms like these can be found all along the Eastern Seaboard . The Mounted Beach Patrol and Dog Training Center on Hilton Head Island trained U.S. Coast Guard Beach Patrol personnel to use horses and dogs to protect the southeastern coastline of the U.S. In the early 1950s, three lumber mills contributed to the logging of 19,000 acres (77 km ) of

858-520: A private hunting preserve. On August 27, 1893, the Sea Islands Hurricane made landfall near Savannah , with a storm surge of 16 feet (5 m), and swept north across South Carolina, killing over 1,000 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless. An experimental steam cannon guarding Port Royal Sound was built around 1900, in what is now Port Royal Plantation. The cannon was fixed but its propulsion system allowed for long-range shots for

SECTION 10

#1732845582569

936-576: A small Episcopal church called the Zion Chapel of Ease was constructed for plantation owners. The chapel's old cemetery, located near the corner of William Hilton Parkway and Mathews Drive (Folly Field), is all that remains. Charles Davant, a prominent island planter during the Revolutionary War, is memorialized there. Davant was shot by Captain Martinangel of Daufuskie Island in 1781. This location

1014-465: A town ordinance stipulates that artificial lighting must be shielded so that it cannot be seen from the beach, or it must be turned off by 10:00 p.m. from May 1 to October 31 each year. The waters around Hilton Head Island are one of the few places on Earth where dolphins routinely use a technique called "strand feeding", whereby schools of fish are herded up onto mud banks, and the dolphins lie on their side while they feed before sliding back down into

1092-439: A two-bedroom lockoff, could split the unit itself and book each half as a separate reservation. Notably, owners cannot reserve villas at other properties without exchanging them through Interval International (II). "Weeks owners," as they are called, pay annual maintenance fees that cover maintenance and refurbishment at the resort. The Marriott Vacation Club Destinations program changed this structure. Owners now purchase points at

1170-468: A unique locality within the plantation, called Harbour Town, anchored by a recognizable lighthouse. Fraser was a committed environmentalist who changed the whole configuration of the marina at Harbour Town to save an ancient live oak . It came to be known as the Liberty Oak, known to generations of children who watched singer and songwriter Gregg Russell perform under the tree for over 25 years. Fraser

1248-476: Is a Lowcountry resort town and barrier island in Beaufort County, South Carolina , United States. It is 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Savannah, Georgia (as the crow flies), and 95 miles (153 km) southwest of Charleston . The year-round population was 37,661 at the 2020 census , although during the peak of summer vacation season the population can swell to 150,000. It is the principal city of

1326-543: Is a 15–60 km wide region within the Atlantic Coastal Plain province, along the inland margin of this province. The Carolina Sandhills are interpreted as eolian (wind-blown) sand sheets and dunes that were mobilized episodically approximately 75,000 to 6,000 years ago. Most of the published luminescence ages from the sand are coincident with the last glaciation, a time when the southeastern United States had colder air temperatures and stronger winds. The area above

1404-597: Is also home to the oldest intact structure on Hilton Head Island, the Baynard Mausoleum, which was built in 1846. William Elliott II of Myrtle Bank Plantation grew the first crop of Sea Island Cotton in South Carolina on Hilton Head Island in 1790. During the Civil War , Fort Walker was a Confederate fort in what is now Port Royal Plantation. The fort was a station for Confederate troops, and its guns helped protect

1482-525: Is in the Library of Congress . During the revolution there was only a very small population of farmers living on Hilton Head Island. This population was exclusively Loyalist, remaining allied to Parliament and the King throughout the entirety of the revolution. However, after the revolution they chose to simply "stay on" in South Carolina and make the best of living under the new republican form of government. In 1788,

1560-714: Is one of 4 brands that includes Marriott Vacation Club Pulse, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club and Grand Residences by Marriott. There are around 70 Marriott Vacation Club branded resorts throughout the world, including three resorts in Spain (Costa del Sol, Mallorca and Marbella) one in France (near Paris ) and three in Thailand (one in Bangkok and two in Phuket ). Originally, Marriott Vacation Club properties were sold as weeks. A "fixed week" granted

1638-561: Is only a half barrier island. The north end of the island is a sea island dating to the Pleistocene epoch , and the south end is a barrier island that appeared as recently as the Holocene epoch . Broad Creek, which is a land-locked tidal marsh, separates the two halves of the island. The terrain of a barrier island is determined by a dynamic beach system with offshore bars, pounding surf , and shifting beaches ; as well as grassy dunes behind

SECTION 20

#1732845582569

1716-451: The Adventure from Barbados to explore lands granted by King Charles II of England to the eight Lords Proprietor . In his travels, he identified a headland near the entrance to Port Royal Sound . He named it "Hilton's Head" after himself. He stayed for several days, making note of the trees, crops, "sweet water", and "clear sweet air". In 1698, Hilton Head Island was granted as part of

1794-714: The Atlantic Ocean and is a popular vacation destination. In 2004, an estimated 2.25 million visitors infused more than $ 1.5 billion into the local economy. Hilton Head Island offers an unusual number of cultural opportunities for a community its size , including plays at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, the 120-member full chorus of the Hilton Head Choral Society, the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra, an annual outdoor, tented wine tasting event on

1872-583: The Hilton Head Island–Bluffton–Port Royal metropolitan area , which had an estimated population of 232,523 in 2023. The island is named after Captain William Hilton , who in 1663 identified a headland near the entrance to Port Royal Sound , which mapmakers named "Hilton's Headland." The island has a rich history that started with seasonal occupation by Native Americans thousands of years ago and continued with European exploration and

1950-589: The National Register of Historic Places and are protected by law. Since the beginning of recorded history in the New World, the waters around Hilton Head Island have been known, occupied and fought for in turn by the English, Spanish, French, and Scots. A Spanish expedition led by Francisco Cordillo explored the area in 1521, initiating European contact with local tribes. In 1663, Captain William Hilton sailed on

2028-546: The Sea Islands . The region includes significant salt marshes and other coastal waterways, making it an important source of biodiversity in South Carolina. Once known for its slave-based agricultural wealth in rice and indigo , crops that flourished in the hot subtropical climate, the Lowcountry today is known for its historic cities and communities, natural environment , cultural heritage, and tourism industry. Demographically,

2106-571: The United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 69.13 square miles (179.0 km ), of which 41.35 square miles (107.1 km ) is land and 27.78 square miles (71.9 km ) (40.19%) is water. Hilton Head Island is sometimes referred to as the second largest barrier island on the Eastern Seaboard after Long Island (which is not a barrier island but two glacial moraines ). Technically, however, Hilton Head Island

2184-603: The "Rice Pharaohs" who would create generational wealth with them and their descendants dominating South Carolinian politics in an effort to preserve slavery at all costs. The center of the rice industry was based around the confluence of the Waccamaw , the Great Peedee and Black Rivers due to the abundance of sediment deposits, a region that was compared to the Nile river in Egypt . Due to

2262-745: The 2-mile wide (3 km) entrance to Port Royal Sound , which is fed by two slow-moving and navigable rivers, the Broad River and the Beaufort River. It was vital to the Sea Island Cotton trade and the southern economy. On October 29, 1861, the largest fleet ever assembled in North America moved south to seize it. In the Battle of Port Royal , the fort came under attack by the U.S. Navy, and on November 7, 1861, it fell to over 12,000 Union troops. The fort

2340-620: The 20th century. The tourism commission advertises both nature-based tourism and historic sites. The pressure of the tourism industry on the coast both encroaches on marshland and places pressure on African American communities. The industry tends to emphasize the Gullah Geechee cultural tradition as part of the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor . Important to this cultural tradition are traditional sweetgrass baskets. But, harvesting natural sweetgrass

2418-480: The Atlantic shoreline. Typically, stingrays avoid contact with humans unless they are accidentally stepped upon, a situation often ending in a stingray injury , where the stingray punctures the human with its poisonous barb. While these injuries are extremely painful, they are not usually life-threatening as long as they are properly attended to by a medical professional. The saltmarsh estuaries of Hilton Head Island are

Marriott Vacation Club - Misplaced Pages Continue

2496-570: The Broad" fought the development of off-shore oil platforms by Brown & Root (a division of Halliburton ) and ten-story tall liquefied natural gas shipping spheres by Chicago Bridge & Iron . These events helped to energize the community, and the Chamber of Commerce started drumming up support for the town to incorporate as a municipality. After the Four Seasons Resort (now Hilton Head Resort)

2574-771: The Freedmen's Bureau. Martin Delany , the only black officer to reach the rank of major in the United States military during the Civil War, was also stationed at Hilton Head during this time. The Leamington Lighthouse, also known as the Hilton Head Rear Range Lighthouse, was built in the 1870s on the southern edge of what is now Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort. In 1890, the wealthy shipping magnate William P. Clyde purchased 9,000 acres on Hilton Head Island for use as

2652-651: The Georgia schooner Norfolk by James Oglethorpe , founder of Georgia, and helped chase the Spanish back to St. Augustine after their failed 1742 invasion of St. Simons Island . After relocating to Savannah in 1746, he served two terms in the Georgia Commons House of Assembly while earning a living as a highly active privateer. He drew a well-known chart of the Florida Keys while on a privateering venture in 1756. The chart

2730-568: The Lowcountry is still heavily dominated by African American communities, such as the Gullah/Geechee people. As of the 2020 census, the population of the Lowcountry was 1,167,139. The term "Low Country" originally referred to all of the states below the Fall Line , or the Sandhills , which run the width of the states from Aiken County to Chesterfield County. The Sandhills, or Carolina Sandhills,

2808-770: The Marriott Vacation Club Destinations program was introduced. The Destinations program allows owners to redeem Vacation Club Points for stays at Marriott Vacation Club resorts, Marriott hotels, travel packages and resorts through Interval International. In 2016, Marriott Vacation Club introduced the Marriott Vacation Club Pulse brand. These properties, set in urban locations, are designed for shorter stays. The brand launched with locations in New York City , San Diego , South Beach , Washington, DC and Boston . As of 2018, Marriott Vacation Club

2886-747: The Peidmont gentry in the cause for secession . Following the Confederacy 's defeat in the American Civil War , many of the Lowcountry estates had been destroyed by the Union army , with the slaves on the remaining plantations begin emancipated, which finally broke the power of the Lowcountry gentry. Soon timber and phosphate mining became the primary economic power in the Lowcountry, as the remaining rice plantations struggled to compete with those in Texas. The deathblow to

2964-463: The Sandhills is known as "Upstate" or "Upcountry". These areas are different in geology, geography, and culture. There are several variations in the geographic extent of the "Lowcountry" area. The most commonly accepted definition includes Charleston , Dorchester , Beaufort , Georgetown , Colleton , Hampton , Berkeley , Jasper , and Williamsburg Counties, often described as the area encompassing

3042-663: The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, patrols the beaches from May through October as part of the Sea Turtle Protection Project. The purpose of the project is to inventory and monitor nesting locations, and if necessary, move them to more suitable locations. During the summer months, the museum sponsors the Turtle Talk & Walk, which is a special tour designed to educate the public about this endangered species. To protect loggerhead sea turtles,

3120-727: The Town Manager. The Mayor has the same powers, duties, and responsibilities as a member of the Town Council. Also, the Mayor establishes the agenda for Town Council meetings, calls special meetings, executes contracts, deeds, resolutions, and proclamations not designated to the Town Manager, and represents the town at ceremonial functions. Town departments include Building & Fire Codes, Business License, Code Enforcement, Finance, Fire & Rescue, Human Resources, Legal, Municipal Court, Planning, and Public Projects & Facilities. The town had

3198-588: The Zion Cemetery and Baynard Mausoleum, Cherry Hill School , Daufuskie Island Historic District , Fish Haul Archaeological Site , Green's Shell Enclosure , Hilton Head Range Rear Light , Sea Pines , Skull Creek , SS William Lawrence Shipwreck Site , and Stoney-Baynard Plantation are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Hilton Head Island is a shoe-shaped island that lies 20 miles (32 km) by air northeast of Savannah, Georgia , and 90 miles (140 km) south of Charleston . According to

Marriott Vacation Club - Misplaced Pages Continue

3276-444: The accumulation of resources and the payment of debt. On June 5, 2007, the Town Council approved a $ 93,154,110 budget for fiscal year 2007/2008 on the first reading with a vote of 6–0. The most recent budget, for the 2010/2011 fiscal year is $ 74,299,720 South Carolina Lowcountry The Lowcountry (sometimes Low Country or just low country ) is a geographic and cultural region along South Carolina 's coast, including

3354-507: The agreed-upon purchase price to obtain the week(s), effectively cancelling the sale. This approach can have the effect of keeping an owner from selling for below market value, since Marriott Vacation Club can effectively take the week(s) "off the market." Each Marriott Vacation Club property effectively has up to two inventories of villas. Older properties' inventories consist mainly of "weeks owners." Newer properties' inventories consist mainly of points, wherein all available points are owned by

3432-549: The basins of Cooper River , Santee River , ACE (Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto), Winyah Bay , and Savannah River . Some include Marion and Horry Counties. Dillon County is included in the Lowcountry by the largest group of healthcare executives in the state. Allendale is also occasionally included in the region. Four counties are covered by the Lowcountry Council of Governments , a regional governmental entity charged with regional and transportation planning, and are

3510-449: The beach, maritime forests with wetlands in the interiors, and salt or tidal marshes on the lee side, facing the mainland. A typical barrier island has a headland, a beach and surf zone, and a sand spit. The Hilton Head Island area is home to a vast array of wildlife, including alligators , deer , loggerhead sea turtles , manatees , hundreds of species of birds, and dolphins . The Coastal Discovery Museum, in conjunction with

3588-466: The black race are free citizens of the United States," whose rights must be respected accordingly. He issued an additional order while based in Hilton Head saying that any plantation owners who were found to have not informed African-Americans of their new status as free people would be "made liable to the pains and penalties of disloyalty, and their lands subject to confiscation" under the act establishing

3666-460: The coastal areas and the sea islands of North Carolina , South Carolina , Georgia and Florida —from Pender County, North Carolina , to St. Johns County, Florida . Coastal South Carolina’s half a million acres of salt marsh, which typifies the Lowcountry in particular, is underlain by plough mud or pluff mud , named for the traditional spelling of plow but now often pronounced to rhyme with rough . Once used to fertilize fields of cotton,

3744-676: The east coast, and several other annual community festivals. It also hosts the RBC Heritage , a PGA Tour tournament played on the Harbour Town Golf Links in Sea Pines Resort . Hilton Head Island was incorporated as a municipality in 1983 and is well known for its eco-friendly development. The town's Natural Resources Division enforces the Land Management Ordinance which minimizes the impact of development and governs

3822-622: The east entrance to the Sea Pines Forest Preserve. The ring, one of at least 50 known to exist, is 150 feet (46 m) in diameter and is believed to be over 4,000 years old. Archeologists believe that the ring was a refuse heap, created by Indians who lived in the interior of the ring, which was kept clear and used as a common area. Two other shell rings on Hilton Head were destroyed when the shells were removed and used to make tabby for roads and buildings. The Green's Shell Enclosure , Sea Pines, and Skull Creek shell rings are listed in

3900-419: The entire island except Mariner's Cove, Blue Heron Point, and Windmill Harbor. The Town of Hilton Head Island has a Council-Manager form of government. The Town Manager is the chief executive officer and head of the administrative branch and is responsible to the municipal council for the proper administration of all the affairs of the town. The Town Council exercises all powers not specifically delegated to

3978-419: The feeding grounds, breeding grounds, and nurseries for many saltwater species of game fish, sport fish, and marine mammals. The dense plankton population gives the coastal water its murky brown-green coloration. Plankton support marine life including oysters, shrimp and other invertebrates, and bait-fish species including menhaden and mullet , which in turn support larger fish and mammal species that populate

SECTION 50

#1732845582569

4056-743: The global market. Marriott Ownership Resorts, Inc. was established in 1984 (on April 17) on Hilton Head Island , South Carolina with the acquisition of American Resorts and its 184 villas on Hilton Head Island, which later became the Marriott's Monarch at Sea Pines resort. In 1987, Marriott Rewards (introduced in 1983) started a partnership with the Marriott Ownership Resorts. In 1990, Marriott begins an exchange partnership with Interval International ( ILG, Inc. ), allowing Owners to trade weeks at their home resort for access to other resort destinations worldwide. In 1995, Marriott Ownership Resorts, Inc.

4134-494: The harsh climate and labor intensive work required to harvest rice, planters at the time deemed it "impossible" to cultivate the region. The vast majority of slaves to South Carolina where imported for the rice plantations, and as such the rice pharaohs also become dominate players in the slave trade . Due to this Charleston rapidly grew to facilitate rice exports and slave imports. The rice pharaohs quickly surpassed and replaced other gentry, such as those who grew sugar, due to

4212-556: The hinterland, in an effort to preserve their economic dominance. Timothy Ford, a lawyer born in Trenton, New Jersey , moved to the Lowcountry in 1760 and criticized the gentry as having an "effeminate spirit of luxury and dissipation" and seemingly only cared about amusement, gambling, accumulation of wealth, and vanity. At the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War , a subgroup of Lowcountry gentry emerged to prominence,

4290-652: The island, it is not coterminous with it; there is a small part near the main access road from the mainland, William Hilton Parkway, which is not incorporated into the town. Hilton Head (the island) therefore has a slightly higher population (48,407 in Census 2000, defined as the Hilton Head Island Urban Cluster) and a larger land area (42.65 sq mi or 110.5 km ) than the town. The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area , which includes Beaufort and Jasper counties, had

4368-405: The island. The island population was only 300 residents. Before 1956, access to Hilton Head was limited to private boats and a state-operated ferry. The island's economy centered on shipbuilding, cotton, lumbering, and fishing. The James F. Byrnes Bridge was built in 1956. It was a two-lane toll swing bridge constructed at a cost of $ 1.5 million that opened the island to automobile traffic from

4446-508: The local waterways. Popular sport fish in the Hilton Head Island area include the red drum (or spot tail bass), spotted sea trout, sheepshead , cobia , tarpon , and various shark species. Hilton Head Island has a humid subtropical climate - Köppen climate classification Cfa, represented with humid, warm summers and mild winters. As of the 2020 census , there were 37,661 people, 17,513 households, and 11,692 families residing in

4524-705: The mainland. The swing bridge was hit by a barge in 1974, which shut down all vehicle traffic to the island until the Army Corps of Engineers built and manned a pontoon bridge while the bridge was being repaired. The swing bridge was replaced by the current four-lane bridge in 1982. The beginning of Hilton Head as a resort started in 1956 with Charles E. Fraser developing Sea Pines Resort . Soon, other developments followed, such as Hilton Head Plantation, Palmetto Dunes Plantation, Shipyard Plantation, and Port Royal Plantation, imitating Sea Pines' architecture and landscaping. Sea Pines, however, continued to stand out by creating

4602-616: The mid-1740s, the South Carolina provincial half-galley Beaufort was stationed in a cove at the southern tip of Hilton Head to guard against intrusions by the Spanish of St. Augustine . The point and cove are named after Captain David Cutler Braddock, commander of the Beaufort . Captain Braddock was a mariner and privateer of note in Colonial times. Earlier, he had been placed in command of

4680-448: The mud is pervaded by decaying organic matter and bacteria that feed on it, giving it a notoriously sulfurous stench. Historically the region was dominated by the Lowcountry gentry , a planter aristocracy that dominated most economic activities in the region through extensive plantations. These gentry quickly imported most of the early slaves to South Carolina, and made a concerted effort to outlaw further imports, especially into

4758-403: The ones included in the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism's "Lowcountry and Resort Islands" area. The area includes the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area . Technically, the Lowcountry is synonymous with the areas with a large population of Gullah Geechee peoples of the region. Gullah Geechee people have traditionally resided in

SECTION 60

#1732845582569

4836-543: The owner the right to use their villa during a specific week each year (such as week 52, which includes New Year's Eve), or the right to use their villa during a specific "season" (defined on a per-resort basis), which granted the owner the right to reserve their villa for any available week within that season. Weeks at some properties could be split, enabling a non-consecutive four-night stay and three-night stay. Weeks could be exchanged for Marriott Rewards (now Marriott Bonvoy ) points. Finally, owners of multi-room villas, such as

4914-416: The population were below the poverty line , including 16.9% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over. As of 2020, the largest self-reported ancestry groups in Hilton Head Island were: According to Hilton Head Island's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the town are: The Town of Hilton Head Island incorporated as a municipality in 1983 and has jurisdiction over

4992-408: The rice plantations would be a series of hurricanes from 1893 to 1911 which destroyed most of the remaining estates, with their owners being unable to afford to rebuild. Their lands where mostly bought by Northerners to turn into hunting preserves, with only 70,000 acres of rice impoundments existing by 1999. The tourism industry has been a vibrant part of the region's economy since the beginning of

5070-418: The rise of the "Piedmont gentry" who began to erode the economic dominance of the rice pharaohs and Lowcounty gentry as a whole and advocated for further expansions to slavery. In order to compete with inland plantations, the Lowcountry gentry began buying land from Alabama to Texas and advocating for the reopening of the slave trade. By the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 the Lowcountry gentry sided with

5148-458: The sea island cotton trade. It became an important base of operations for the Union blockade of the Southern ports during the Civil War . Once the island fell to Union troops, hundreds of ex-slaves flocked to Hilton Head, which is still home to many of their descendants, who are known as the Gullah (or Geechee). They have managed to hold on to much of their ethnic and cultural identity. The island features 12 miles (19 km) of beachfront on

5226-567: The style of buildings and how they are situated amongst existing trees. As a result, Hilton Head Island enjoys an unusual amount of tree cover relative to the amount of development. Approximately 70% of the island, including most of the tourist areas, is located inside gated communities . However, the town maintains several public beach access points, including one for the exclusive use of town residents, who have approved several multimillion-dollar land-buying bond referendums to control commercial growth. The Sea Pines shell ring can be seen near

5304-496: The sugar industry's reliance on British trade with the Caribbean , making most of them loyalists during the war. By 1787 the Lowcountry gentry argued in favor of abolishing the import of any new slaves to the United States, as their own plantations where self sufficient, and their slaves reproducing. However, with Eli Whitney 's invention of the cotton gin , South Carolina permitted the import of slaves from 1803 to 1808, almost exclusively to new inland cotton plantations, which saw

5382-404: The time. In 1931, Wall Street tycoon, physicist, and patron of scientific research Alfred Lee Loomis , along with his brother-in-law and partner Landon K. Thorne, purchased 17,000 acres (69 km ) on the island (over 63% of the total landmass) for about $ 120,000 to be used as a private game reserve. On the Atlantic coast of the island, large concrete gun platforms were built to defend against

5460-401: The town. At the 2010 census , there were 37,099 people, 16,535 households, and 10,700 families residing in the town, occupying a land area of 42.06 square miles (109 km ). The population density was 882.0 inhabitants per square mile (340.5/km ). There were 33,602 housing units at an average density of 798.9 per square mile (308.5/km ). Although the town occupies most of the land area of

5538-443: The water. Particularly prominent in the ocean waters surrounding Hilton Head Island, the stingray serves as a fascination and painful natural encounter for many beachgoers. Small stingrays inhabit the quieter, shallow region of ocean floor just beyond the break of the surf, typically buried beneath a thin layer of sand. Stingrays are a type of demersal, cartilaginous fish common to the South Carolina coast as well as other areas on

5616-537: Was 100% sold-out as weeks. The owner will probably be unsuccessful, because there is no "points inventory" at Property B from which to fulfill their request. It is important for prospective owners to fully understand the differences between the inventories and to ensure their purchase will afford them the occupancy they desire. The creation of the Destinations program has been controversial and resulted in lawsuits. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Hilton Head Island , often referred to as simply Hilton Head ,

5694-415: Was 50.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.5 males. According to a 2014 estimate, the median income for a household in the town was $ 68,437, and the median income for a family was $ 85,296. Males had a median income of $ 51,463 versus $ 36,743 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 45,116. About 5.4% of families and 9.3% of

5772-640: Was built along William Hilton Parkway, a referendum of incorporation was passed in May 1983, where Hilton Head Island became a town. The Land Management Ordinance was passed by the Town Council in 1987. Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort opened in 1996, and the Cross Island Parkway opened in January 1997. An indoor smoking ban in bars, restaurants, and public places took effect on May 1, 2007. Shelter Cove Towne Centre opened in 2014. Fort Howell , Fort Mitchel,

5850-577: Was buried next to the tree when he died in 2002. The Heritage Golf Classic was first played in Sea Pines Resort in 1969 and has been a regular stop on the PGA Tour ever since. Also in 1969, the Hilton Head Island Community Association successfully fought off the development of a BASF chemical complex on the shores of Victoria Bluff (now Colleton River Plantation). Soon after, the association and other concerned citizens "south of

5928-616: Was called the First Regiment of South Carolina Volunteers (although in the beginning, many were "recruited" at the point of a bayonet). A community called Mitchelville (in honor of General Ormsby M. Mitchel ) was constructed on the north end of the island to house them. In an order from May 15, 1865, Major General Quincy Adams Gillmore , who was commanding the Department of the South with headquarters at Hilton Head declared that "the people of

6006-774: Was renamed Fort Welles, in honor of Gideon Welles , the Secretary of the Navy. Hilton Head Island had tremendous significance in the Civil War and became an important base of operations for the Union blockade of the Southern ports, particularly Savannah and Charleston. The Union also built a military hospital on Hilton Head Island with a 1,200-foot (370 m) frontage and a floor area of 60,000 square feet (6,000 m ). Hundreds of ex-slaves flocked to Hilton Head Island, where they could buy land, go to school, live in government housing, and serve in what

6084-644: Was renamed, becoming Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI) reflecting the company's evolution from real estate development to vacations. In 1996, Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI) opened its first European property called Marriott's Marbella Beach Club in Costa del Sol, Spain. In 1997, Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI) opened its first Caribbean property called Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club in Palm Beach, Aruba . In 1999, Marriott introduced The Ritz-Carlton Club (Ritz-Carlton Destination Club since April 2009),

#568431