The Beauty Of Daniel Island






by Wymetto Barnard


It took many years of considerate thought and persistence to make the flourishing community of Daniel Island a realism. Not long ago, beautiful marsh land, which is part of the Charleston suburbs limits but also in a separate county, was nothing but acres of marshes, creeks, and farmland. Now a nationally recognized community engineered to provide its residents with a avowedly feel of community"a slow-paced, tiny Southern community in a modern setting. What is known as a self contained island with a gas station, bistros, and golf course; residents never have to leave this heaven on earth. Churches, schools, and it's own fire office tops off this exclusive part of South Carolina. This piece of Charleston real estate is easily my favorite part of the east coast.

Daniel Island's investors incorporated many historic design features of the areas of downtown Charleston. The property owners are set in close proximity to the quiet, rambling streets to meliorate the neighborly feel and feature giant covered porches, excellent for speaking with next door neighbors. Wide bike paths crisscross the island, making walking to parks, stores and schools a practical offering. Everything residents need, from dentists, cleaners to hair salons, is available on the island.

It has not always been like this. Named honoring Robert Daniel, an early governor of SC, the island was at one previous point made up of several massive plantations. Harry Frank Guggenheim bought the island to use for cattle farming and as a family fishing, camping, and hunting retreat in 1947. When he passed away in 1971, the land was passed on to the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation.

The history of the island was made from several giant historical plantations. Though Daniel Island is a accretion of meticulously planned communities, substantive work has gone into upholding the agricultural feel of the island. Huge thickets of live oaks, layered with Spanish moss, and lofty palmetto trees remain in the same position, giving the newly developed island a well-established look.

Daniel Island features 1 or 2 roomy parks with playing areas and open grassy spaces and is home to a golf course designed by Tom Fazio that is rapidly earning a name as one of the finest courses in the area. Each April, the planet's best female tennis players compete in the Family Circle Cup at Daniel Island's Family Circle Tennis Center. The stadium also hosts the Davis Cup matches and is a popular location for out of doors concerts. Blackbaud Stadium, one of the states premier soccer-specific stadiums and the home ground for the Charleston Battery, is also on Daniel Island.

Just minutes from the town of Mount Pleasant, downtown Charleston, area beaches and the Wando River, Daniel Island's prime location that offers residents about unlimited recreational and cultural opportunities. I pass over this perfect island heading out on Hwy 316 and just shake my head. What a life when you can work, play, and live in one area of a city and never need to leave. Just jump in your golf cart and head for dinner, groceries, or night life.




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