History of Parris Island, South Carolina – Including Charlesfort and Santa Elena

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Parris Island SC History

• Brief historical summary - 1715 - present
• Parris Island as a Marine Facility
  –  1891: First Marine presence on Parris Island
  –  1915: Parris Island designated a Marine Corps Depot
  –  1938: Last civilian residents leave Parris Island
  

Parris Island Historical Images, Maps

• Parris Island Driving Tour - detailed tour and base site information - requires Adobe Reader

• Charlesfort-Santa Elena National Historic Landmark - French and Spanish colonial sites located on Parris Island MCRD
  –  Artifacts - click title for picture
  –  Virtual tour - click image title to view picture
  
  –  Parris Island: SC's Buried Treasure - May 2008 SCIway News article
  –  Charles Forte National Historic Landmark - historic photos of excavations, moat, and Ribaut Monument - nomination form from SC Department of Archives
  –  Forging a Trail Toward History - Parris Island clears the way to a National Historic Landmark
  
  
• History of Charlesfort (French settlement)
  –  1562: Initial French Settlement
  –  1564: France's Return to Port Royal
  –  Archaeology: Finding the French at Port Royal
  –   A French Fort, Long Lost, Is Found in South Carolina - 1996 New York Times article on discovery of Charlesfort location
  
  
• History of Santa Elena (Spanish settlement)
  –  1566-1576 | 1577-1587
  –  Archaeology
  

Photographs of the Charlesfort-Santa Elena Site

Charlesfort Monument – © SCIway.net 2008

Santa Elena Historical Marker – © SCIway.net 2008

"In respectful tribute to the memory of those Spaniards who left their mark here between 1566 and 1587 while in quest of their country's glory and in grateful recognision to the distinguished Americans who today, with their work pay hommage to the memory of those heroes and the history shared by the two nations, Spain and the United States of America."

Tidal Creek Along Historic Site – © SCIway.net 2008

Moat – © SCIway.net 2008

Parris Island Walking Trail – © SCIway.net 2008

Parris Island "Carcass" – © SCIway.net 2008

"These are the remains of a Brewster Buccaneer. Not a good combat bomber, most were assigned to training. This plane, attached to Page Field, about a half-mile north, crashed in 1943. Parts worth salvaging were removed, and the remainder, now upside down, was towed here where it would not obstruct the airfield. Both crewmen survived."

Related Parris Island SC History Resources

• Genealogical resources for Beaufort County
• History of Beaufort County
• Libraries, archives, museums in Beaufort County