by Loni Lueke

That is the response after asking residents: “What brought you here?”

I am deeply impressed about the stories from people who were on vacation with their parents when the lighthouse wasn’t even built. And I am keen to get to know how did they discover this place.

You may know that the history of Hilton Head Island goes a long way back and was named after Captain William Hilton in 1663 but I am thinking about how this Island became

the # 1 island in the USA and the #2 in the world. The success of Hilton Head Island starts with Sea Pines and the story of Sea Pines starts with Charles Fraser.

In 1950 Hilton Head Island had only one paved street and nothing else, not even electricity.

Charles Fraser saw potential in the dense forest leading to the ocean and had the vision of a

resort /retirement area. In his master plan for Sea Pines, he established a concept with strict land use and land-preservation covenants to preserve the environment. In 1958 the first deed was signed, $5,300 for a beachfront lot. It was sold for $9,600 in 1962!

BTW: Sea Pines Real Estate was founded in 1957, as the first real estate company on the island.  Some of our agents can tell first hand stories about that time!

For example how Charles Fraser turned down some buyers because they didn´t meet the high criteria.

In 1960 he build himself a home that was not only to live there and entertain guests but an example of his idea what a Sea Pines house and landscape should look like.

In the early 1960s, the first condominiums in Sea Pines were built and Sea Pines was no longer just a private residential community but was quickly becoming a resort destination. Visitors became buyers at a time when there was only a swing bridge, one supermarket, and one retired doctor who ran the Sea Pines Medical Center. What a life!

I wasn´t lucky enough to discover this extraordinary place as an “early adopter” – but I found it about 4 years ago and like so many people before me, I fell in love with the island and the Lowcountry. So much so that I moved here a few month later.

Since then I have been so very happy about my move. Maybe it´s the best decision of my life. I try to meet as many people as possible who can tell me more about the island, to explore all the places that tell a story and I am excited to share my experience and help people finding the right place when they decide to move.

Today taking a vacation or living in the Lowcountry is no longer an adventure, it´s a wonderful excursion to a unique place where history, activity, nature, culture, and a high quality of life come together. By flipping through the Hilton Head Island 2018 Official Vacation Planner you can see the progress this Island has made in many regards.

But one thing didn´t change: people come for vacation and stay for life! 

Click Here For the 2018 Official Vacation Planner!

 Vacation Planner

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