Fish Haul Beach Park is adjacent to the historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, the site of the first self-governing town of formerly enslaved African Americans in the United States. Established in 1862, Mitchelville was a symbol of freedom and self-determination. Today, Fish Haul Beach Park offers a serene environment for reflection and connection to this significant heritage.
Read MoreLocated on the Hilton Head Plantation, this cemetery dates back to the Civil War era and was originally a Gullah burial ground. It features unique burial customs, including the placement of personal items on graves, reflecting West African traditions.
Read MoreOnce part of the Lawton Plantation, this cemetery includes the grave of Thomas Frazier, a member of the 21st U.S. Colored Infantry during the Civil War. It serves as a testament to the African American military service during that period.
Read MoreThe Hilton Head Blue Jays were a minor league baseball team based in the historic Baygall Gullah neighborhood on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where they played at Barker Field in the 1970s and early 1980s. The team played in the South Carolina Baseball League and is remembered for providing opportunities for players like Baseball Hall of Famer Dan Driessen to develop their skills.
Read MoreDaniel Driessen played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from 1973 to 1987, most notably as a member of the Cincinnati Reds dynasty that won three National League pennants and two World Series championships between 1973 and 1976.
Read MoreLocated next to Mitchelville Beach is Barker Field, a recreational park complete with an open multi-purpose field as well as three baseball fields. It’s a great place to get a little sunshine if you’re looking to get off the sandy shores and run around.
Read MoreFounded on August 17, 1862, First African Baptist Church is Hilton Head Island's oldest African American congregation. Led by Reverend Abraham Murchison, a formerly enslaved man from Savannah, the church began with 120 members, all of whom were freedmen. Reverend Murchison played a significant role in the community, not only as a spiritual leader but also by assisting Union forces during the Civil War and recruiting African American soldiers for the Union Army. After the Civil War, the church relocated to the Chaplin community and underwent several name changes before reclaiming its original name.
Read MoreQueen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church traces its origins to May 12, 1865, when AME missionaries, including Rev. Richard Harvey Cain, were forced to land on Hilton Head Island due to a storm while en route to Charleston. They established the church in the Cherry Hill area, providing a spiritual home for the newly freed African American community. The current church property was acquired in 1886, with the existing structure built or relocated there around 1892.
Read MoreSt. James Baptist Church was established in 1886 by former members of First African Baptist Church who wished to continue worshiping in the Mitchelville area after the original church relocated. As the only remaining institution from the historic town of Mitchelville, St. James has been a continuous presence in the community. The church has served as a caretaker for two native islander cemeteries—Union and Drayton—and the historic Cherry Hill School, a one-room schoolhouse built in 1937 for African American children. The current brick sanctuary was constructed in 1972 and renovated in 2005.
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