“The history of Daniel Island lies just beneath the surface. Revealed in half-buried artifacts and forgotten manuscripts, it is uncovered piece by piece in the stories and legacies of agriculture and industry, recreation and development. Occupied by Etiwan Indians long before the founding of nearby Charlestown in 1670, the land known as Ittiwan Island and its inhabitants were shaped by changes throughout the Lowcountry and the world beyond.”
Michael K. Dahlman and Michael K. Dahlman, Jr.
The Daniel Island Historical Society was founded in 2011, and officially incorporated in 2012, by Michael Dahlman and Beth Bush, two island residents who share a love of history.
The organization has since grown to more than 150 members and hosts a variety of special events and programs throughout the year, including outreach to local schools and the children who attend them.
All DIHS-sponsored gatherings are geared towards helping participants better understand the island’s past, as well as the history of other areas of the Lowcountry.
We have recently extended our focus up the Cainhoy Peninsula and the communities that live there.
History is defined as all that is preserved or remembered of the past. It is those events and experiences that have shaped life on Daniel Island for thousands of years. Today, that unique and special history offers us a true sense of place, as well as roots that connect us to the people who walked this land before us. There is indeed a rich story to tell about our island town, a community that did not see widespread development until the late 1990s. It is one of ingenuity and intrigue, of bravery and bravado, of great strength and even spiritual awakening. It is a land that gave much to those who called it home – bountiful harvests, beautiful landscapes, and protection when needed. It is the quest of the Daniel Island Historical Society to ensure these special stories are recorded and shared, so that all who are part of life on Daniel Island will understand and appreciate her past….and the important role history had in making the island the revered place it is today.