Conference Location
Hilton Head Island is more than just another Resort or growing Town by the Sea. She is a Lady with a past; a Lady who is beautiful, sometimes sinful, always controversial. This makes her intriguing and causes people to return again and again, if they cannot linger for a lifetime.
Her rich History dates back 10,000 to 15,000 years when Paleo-Indians roamed the area which is today called the Low Country. The written History of Hilton Head Island began with the Spaniards in 1526, as they explored the coastal waters from Key West to the St. Lawrence, naming it "La Florida". They found Indian settlements and evidence of agriculture.
Captain Jean Ribaut, a French Huguenot, led an exposition to the area in 1562. He built a fort, named Port Royall near the present town of Port Royal in Beaufort County. In 1566, the Spanish again prevailed and established a Fort named Santa Elena on Paris Island (St. Helena), in what is now Beaufort County. From here they explored westward into the new world.
As the scale of power tipped in Europe, England's Elizabeth I sent Sir Francis Drake, in 1586, to drive the Spanish from "La Florida". English development did not commence until 1663, when then King Charles II granted the Coastal Area to 8 Lord Proprietors. They named their territory "Carolina". English Captain William Hilton, in August of 1663, while exploring the Port Royal Sound, sighted the high bluffs of the Island, and named it for himself, "Hilton Head." The word "Head" refers to the headlands visible to them as they sailed the uncharted waters. He lingered several days, making note of the trees, crops, and also the sweet water and clear sweet air.
1950 marked the beginning of the Modern Age of Hilton Head Island. Electricity arrived in 1951 and the first telephone was installed in 1960. In the fifties, Charles Fraser and Fred Hack led a group of Georgia natives in the purchase of 19,000 of the Island's 25,000 acres. These farsighted men ended the use of Land for timbering and hunting, and began selling the Land to developers. They brought a system of land use that became the prototype of many other successful developments by focusing on preserving the natural environment. Dirt roads gave way to paved ones. Beautiful bridges replaced Ferry boats accessing the Island. Residential Plantations were developed, often around original Plantation boundaries.
Rapid growth of the Island began in 1970, and the population has grown from 2,500 then to some 39,000+ in 2006. In 1983, the Town of Hilton Head was incorporated. Today, this beautiful sea island continues to offer Visitor and Resident alike a beautiful oasis featuring miles of pristine Atlantic Ocean beaches, World Class golf, tennis recreation and a renewal of spirit as one finds him or herself surrounded, and enriched by the peaceful beauty of nature.
We look forward to seeing you at the conference this year, and invite you to experience the southern beauty and charm of lovely Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
