Kiawah Island is a thirteen-square-mile piece of land located off South Carolina's southern coast. It is about 15 square miles from Charleston, and is one of the state's biggest tourist draws. Families flock to the area each summer to stay in luxurious beach homes and resorts, and to swim at the island's many beaches. The biggest attraction on Kiawah, however, is its collection of golf courses.
The history of Kiawah Island begins as far back as 4,000 years ago, when the Kiawah Indians lived along the South Carolina coast. Pottery shards on Kiawah have been dated back to that time period, and are among the oldest ceramic artifacts discovered in North America. A wooden canoe dating to the 12th century has also been found on the island. During the 16th century, British colonists began to "claim" the lands they discovered in North America as property of the British empire. In 1684, many tribes near Kiawah were convinced or forced to sell and sometimes cede their lands, but the Kiawah remained on the island and in nearby coastal areas. By 1699, the Kiawah had sold the island in exchange for beads, cloth and tools.
In 1700, the British government granted ownership of the land to Captain George Raynor. Raynor was strongly suspected of being a pirate, but because of his great wealth, allegations were never followed through. Raynor sold half of his land to Captain William Davis by 1701, and when Raynor himself dies soon after, his share passed to his daughter. These two families lived on the island until 1737, when both sold their shares to John Stanyarne. Stanyarne used Kiawah as a cattle ranch, and established two grand plantations on the island, complete with nearly 300 slaves. Stanyarne's descendants would continue to inhabit the island through 1900, though the island would stay divided during that time.
One of Stanyarne's descendants, Adele Vanderhorst, bought out the island's other owners in 1900 to finally unite Kiawah under one owner. In 1911, daily boat service began operating from Charleston to Kiawah, bringing supplies to and from the island. By 1950, most of the Vanderhorst family had died off or moved away, and businessman C.C. Royal purchased the island for $125,000 to use for logging and timber. By 1954, Royal had recognized the island's potential as a summer retreat, and built a series of vacation homes on Kiawah.
The Royal family soon begins to realize that the island is much more valuable to vacationers than to use for logging. They sell Kiawah to the Kuwait Investment Company in 1974 for $18.2 million. Kuwait Investment immediately begins planning the island's development as a resort destination. Within two years, they have built and sold a large number of island homes. In 1976, the Kiawah Island Inn was opened, and was quite popular, as it was the only hotel on the island at the time. That same year, the Marsh Point (Cougar Point) Golf Course was opened, and serious golfers flocked to play this course designed by pro Gary Player.
The 1980s and 1990s saw the development of half a dozen world-class golf courses on the island. In 1988, the Kiawah area had grown large enough that it was incorporated as its own town. As the development on the island grows, Kuwait Investment sells its properties to investor William H. Goodwin. In 2004, a second hotel, the Sanctuary Hotel, was opened on the island to accommodate the golfers and beach goers that were eager to visit Kiawah. In 2007, the island's Ocean Golf Course was chosen to host the PGA Championships, cementing Kiawah's status as one of the world's top golf spots.
