Robert Kennedy Historic Trail
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Robert T. Kennedy, DAUFUSKIE ISLAND Founding President of the HISTORY Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation Daufuskie Island, tucked between Savannah, Georgia, and AUFUSKIE Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, was inhabited by numerous Robert T. Kennedy was born in Hartford, native tribes until the early 1700's when they were driven away D ISLAND Connecticut. Rob, a successful business man, from their land by explorers, traders and settlers. While under and his wife Dottie lived in many places British rule, plantations were developed, growing indigo and later including Hong Kong, Calcutta, New York Sea Island cotton. Slaves tilled the fields while plantation owners City, Seattle and Atlanta. They retired to and their families spent much of the year away. The slaves’ Daufuskie Island in 1991. An avid history isolation provided the setting for the retention of their African buff, Rob became a student of Daufuskie's culture. illustrious past. He served as island tour guide and became the first Plantation owners and slaves fled the island at the start of the president of the Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation when it Civil War. Union troops then occupied the island. After the war, was established in 2001. Rob was a natural raconteur and shared freed slaves (Gullah people) returned to the island, purchasing Daufuskie stories with visitors and locals alike until shortly before small plots of land or working for landowners. The boll weevil his death in 2009. destroyed the cotton fields in the early 1900's. Logging and the Rob Kennedy enjoyed a good laugh, a martini and his many Maggioni Oyster Canning Factory provided jobs for the friends. His compassion and dignity, and the grace with which he predominately Gullah populated island at the turn of the 20th lived, reside in our hearts. He was the finest of gentlemen. The century. Oysters continued to be harvested and shucked on the Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation dedicates this trail to his island after the cannery closed and were shipped elsewhere for memory. processing. Daufuskie Island oysters were sold world-wide. Life was hard, made more so by being cut off from the mainland. As a result, island residents created a caring, close-knit community, one The Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation crossing racial lines. Guide When pollution in the Savannah River closed the oyster beds The Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation was founded in 2001 in the 1950's, the island's economy declined. The Gullah began to to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of Daufuskie Island, leave the island for better opportunities. By the 1980's the South Carolina. To further public knowledge and appreciation of population of the island decreased from a high of around 2,000 to Daufuskie Island, the Foundation has acquired and restored less than 60. At that time developers came to the island, and Haig historic buildings, established an island history museum, created a Point, Melrose, Oakridge and Bloody Point were subsequently self-guided trail of historic island sites, and begun an island history built. The island's Historic District has retained its breathtaking archives. natural beauty. The entire island is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation is a 501(C)3 The history of Daufuskie Island is rich, diverse and charitable organization. Contributions may be sent to: fascinating. The fact that the island has no bridge to the mainland has allowed it to retain its Lowcountry mystique. We hope you will enjoy your historic tour down the dusty roads of Daufuskie Island's history. Box 52 • Daufuskie Island, SC 29915 The Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation. 1 Mt. Carmel Baptist Church No. 2 (Billie Burn Museum) Jane Hamilton School AUFUSKIE (Gullah Learning Center) D ISLAND 2 Tabby Ruin HISTORIC DISTRICT 3 Cooper River Cemetery 2 4 Haig Point 5 Melrose 6 Oyster Union Society Hall 3 FR EPORTE RD. 7 Hinson White Home MELROSE RD. DING LAN 8 Mary Field Cemetery 1 9 Sarah Grant Home 7 4 10 Public Dock HISTORIC DISTRICT 8 11 White School House 6 5 12 The Council Tree 13 First Union African Baptist Church 14 Mary Fields School 9 15 Moses Ficklin Cottage and Oak Tree 11 12 16 Mary Dunn Cemetery 13 14 17 The Railroad 18 Bloody Point K E . 10 A IDG O R AVE Bloody Point Cemetery 15 D BEA 19 R CH D 20 RIV NG E I ND 20 Bloody Point Lighthouse and Silver Dew Winery A L Y’S 16 P 17 AP P * Approximate time for the entire trail is 3 - 3.5 hrs. We ask that you do not enter the grounds * The trail may be started at any 19 of private residences and that you be trail marker. 18 respectful when exploring the cemeteries. Daufuskie Island Historic Sites 1 Mt. Carmel Baptist Church No. 2 14 Mary Fields School The two room Mary Fields School was built for the island's black (Billie Burn Museum) 7 Hinson White Home children in the early 1930s. Leftover The church building and its predecessor This charming 1916 house is wood was used to construct desks for the were built by the Cooper River residents representative of Daufuskie Island Gullah students. The school was integrated after of the north end of the island. The first architecture. Residences were enhanced by the last white child graduated from the church was destroyed by a hurricane in porches which provided cooling shade in White School House in 1962. The 1940. This building was built shortly the hot, muggy summer. Residents could school was immortalized by Pat Conroy after that. In time the declining rock on the porch and enjoy the breeze. This house was built by in his book, The Water is Wide. When the Daufuskie Island population of the island caused the church to close. In 2001 the Gullah craftsmen but always occupied by white families. House Elementary School was built in 1997, the Mary Fields School was Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation bought the property, trim often was painted blue to ward off the evil spirits or "haints" closed. The building was recently renovated and is used for church restored the building, and opened the Billie Burn Museum, named (the native pronunciation of "haunts"). This color is usually and civic activities. after long-time resident and island historian, Billie Burn. The referred to as "Haint Blue". Watch for blue trimmed homes as you museum contains artifacts illustrating periods of island history. tour the island. Private residence. 15 Moses Ficklin Cottage and Oak Tree Jane Hamilton School (Gullah Learning Center) 8 Mary Field Cemetery The enormous ancient live oak fronting this restored Gullah home Cooper River children attended school in Mary Field Cemetery is the largest is thought to have greeted Spanish the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church No.1 Gullah cemetery on the island. There are explorers when they first came to until it was destroyed by the hurricane grave markers dating from 1926 to the Daufuskie Island. The classic Gullah of 1940. The one room Jane Hamilton present. Earlier wooden markers have house was constructed under its shady, School was then built and was open for disintegrated from all the Gullah cool branches circa 1925. Moses Ficklin ten years. After that, transportation was cemeteries and the only indications of was a deacon of the First Union African provided to take the children to the Mary Fields School. In 2008 those graves are low areas where wooden Baptist Church and the Gullah undertaker, assisted by his wife the Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation leased the structure caskets have collapsed. Graves were usually dug by friends of the Grace. He always kept a supply of $100 caskets on hand. The from the Beaufort County Board of Education and restored it. family. Following the funeral service, mourners would walk behind old carriage that was used as a hearse can be viewed outside the This historic structure is currently home to the Gullah Learning the carriage bearing the casket, singing all the way to the cemetery. Mt. Carmel Baptist Church No. 2 at the Billie Burn Museum. Center and the island's community library. Please be respectful. Private residence. 16 Mary Dunn Cemetery 2 Tabby Ruin 9 Tabby is a building material made from Sarah Grant Home This cemetery is the only historic cemetery for white people on Daufuskie Island. Established in the a mixture of ground oyster shells, sand Sarah Grant was midwife, Sunday school 1700s, it borders the Mongin Creek on and water. This material was used for president, and PTA president during her land provided by Mary Dunn for a buildings on Daufuskie Island, especially influential life. She bought this 1910 family cemetery. In later years permission on Haig's Point Plantation. Many slave house from Fuller Fripp for $15 and had was given for white people who were not quarters were constructed of wood and it moved to its present location at a cost of $25, thereby paying relatives to be buried there. There are these have long since disintegrated, but remnants of structures $40 for her home. Sarah Grant was married to the island grave stones in this cemetery dating as far back as 1790. The made from the very durable tabby remain on Daufuskie Island, undertaker. When he passed away in 1962, she took his place. As cemetery is privately owned and still used today. Please be Hilton Head Island, and throughout the Lowcountry. she was already the island midwife, someone remarked that respectful. "Granny bring 'em 'n she take 'em away.” In recent times the 3 Cooper River Cemetery renovated house has served as the Daufuskie Island Art Gallery. Private residence.