kiawah & Seabrook islands
Photo/Kiawah Island Golf Resort
Living On
Kiawah & Seabrook Islands “World-class golf, upscale homes and breathtaking views of the Lowcountry’s landscape.” 38
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INTRO
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iawah and Seabrook islands, two private resort communities south of Charleston, offer a quality of life that includes world-class golf, upscale homes and breathtaking views of the Lowcountry’s landscape. Pottery found on Kiawah Island dates as far back as 4,000 years. Ownership of the island changed many times through the years from the Indians to the British and then to some of the earliest “Charlestonians.” Its history is linked to names you may already be familiar with: Gibbes, Vanderhorst and Middleton, to name a few. Development of the island loosely began in the 1950s when C.C. Royal, who made his fortune in the lumber business, purchased the island. He built a home for
his wife and seven children and then sold 65 lots to friends. In 1974, the Kuwait Investment Co. purchased the island from Royal’s heirs and created a land plan that consisted of a resort and residential development. Kiawah Development Partners is currently the master developer of the island. Approximately 1,200 full-time residents inhabit the island, but the population swells in the spring and summer when about 600 of the island’s properties are rented. The island is also home to the Kiawah Island Golf Resort, which includes five public golf courses and two private courses; The Sanctuary, a AAA Five Diamond hotel; an award-winning spa; and several restaurants. In August 2012, the PGA Championship will come to Kiawah Island Golf