{"id":2648,"date":"2023-07-26T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-26T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/palmeravacationclub.com\/blog\/?p=2648"},"modified":"2023-07-24T18:36:51","modified_gmt":"2023-07-24T22:36:51","slug":"a-mini-hhi-history-lesson-who-was-william-hilton-jr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/palmeravacationclub.com\/blog\/2023\/07\/a-mini-hhi-history-lesson-who-was-william-hilton-jr\/","title":{"rendered":"A Mini HHI History Lesson: Who Was William Hilton Jr.?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An iconic summertime destination of which families return to year after year, Hilton Head Island\u2019s beauty and appeal is never second-guessed. The island\u2019s name, however, tends to leave people puzzled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And before you ask, no, the name is not affiliated with a well-known hotel brand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a>
Early evening, close to high tide in the tidal marshes off Port Royal Sound in Beaufort County, SC, near Hilton Head Island.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"
Map of William Hilton Jr.’s Expedition, Carolana.com<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Hilton Head Island is actually named after Captain William Hilton Jr., an English explorer who moved to New Plymouth as a child. Hilton is known to have previously captained the Adventure<\/em> from Charlestown, Massachusetts to Florida. Back then, they considered the southern geographical region up to the Carolinas to be Florida, therefore Hilton explored the Cape Fear region in 1662.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1663 Hilton sailed once more on the Adventure<\/em> from Spikes Bay, Barbados, and anchored in St. Helena Sound. In efforts to explore land in the Carolinas for sugar cane planters, or publicly documented as \u201cseveral Gentlemen and Merchants of the Island of Barbados,\u201d the headlands seen at the entrance to Port Royal Sound was then considered Hilton\u2019s Headland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So that was it, right? Hilton\u2019s Headland immediately just became forever known as Hilton Head Island? Well, not exactly. There\u2019s 320 years of history to account for, but we\u2019ll give you the summary version. If you\u2019d like to see the full island\u2019s timeline collected by the Coastal Discovery Museum, click here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The island\u2019s next name that\u2019s seen on 18th<\/sup> century maps, is Trench\u2019s Island. This is after Alexander Trench, the son of John Bayley of Ballyclough, Ireland, who was appointed most of the island\u2019s land by the Lords Proprietors. After never visiting the island, Trench was in charge of selling the land that would become plantations.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
“Head Quarters of the General Commanding, Dept. of the South. At Hilton Head, S.C.” (1863-1864) from SMU Central University Libraries, Wikimedia <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

During the Plantation Era, surrounding areas like Beaufort and Savannah were founded. The population in the region grew, but by 1860, the island was mostly inhabited by enslaved people on the various plantations. Two years later, the island was then considered Port Royal during the Civil War and its importance as a military installation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not until 1872 that the name reverts back to Hilton Head Island, and in 1983, the Town of Hilton Head Island is finally incorporated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve skipped over most of Hilton Head\u2019s incredible history that you\u2019ll definitely want to learn more of. Families will love exploring the grounds and exhibits at the Coastal Discovery Museum<\/a><\/strong>, and history buffs definitely need to reserve their seats on a Hilton Head History Tour<\/a><\/strong> to learn more about the island\u2019s native residents, infamous pirates, the story of Mitchelville<\/a><\/strong>, and more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
Traveling Through Time on a Hilton Head History Tour<\/a><\/blockquote>