Edisto Island Museum

Edisto Island Museum The Edisto Island Museum is the place to visit if you want to learn more about the history of Edisto Island and the Lowcountry.

The Edisto Island Museum is the place to visit if you want to learn more about the history of Edisto Island and the surrounding area. We're located at the entrance to Middleton Plantation, 5.2 miles from the McKinley Washington Bridge. We're just past King's Farm Market on the right. In addition to numerous artifacts that tell Edisto's story, we also have a wonderful gift shop featuring a large va

riety of books about Edisto and the surrounding Lowcountry. We also have numerous books, puzzles and games for children as well as cookbooks featuring recipes that will allow you to recreate much of our local cuisine when you get back home. In addition, we feature beautiful handcrafted items made by many of our local artisans that will help you treasure and hold on to the memories you created here on Edisto. We do not charge any sales tax, so it's a great place to buy gifts for yourself or others. You can also shop through our website.

New John Jones paintings have arrived! We have 13 of John's paintings available in the gift shop. All paintings are 10x1...
08/05/2026

New John Jones paintings have arrived! We have 13 of John's paintings available in the gift shop. All paintings are 10x13 and retail for $250.00.

THIS WEEK'S HISTORY NUGGET IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE EDISTO ISLAND HISTORIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY:Did You Know…You may hav...
08/03/2026

THIS WEEK'S HISTORY NUGGET IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE EDISTO ISLAND HISTORIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY:

Did You Know…

You may have enjoyed lunch on the deck at Coot's, shopped for groceries at Food Lion or even frequented the gas station, but did you know that this area has been a draw for tourists and locals alike, since the 1940s?
In 1940, Edisto Beach had about 50 houses and one commercial establishment, The Pavilion. The Pavilion was located where Hwy. 174 meets Palmetto Blvd. The pavilion had a small store, called Tatum Gressette’s Store; there was also a duck pin bowling alley and a dance hall where live music was played on Saturday nights. The Edisto Island Museum has one of the original bowling pins on display.
The Edisto Beach Fishing Pier opened for business on May 15, 1954, with much fanfare. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, there were outboard motorboat races, water skiing, and other demonstrations. Prizes were awarded for the largest fish, the most fish caught, and several other categories. The pier was over 900 feet long when it opened, but was scheduled to be more than 1,000 feet long when completed, according to owner Dave Wheeler. There was a concession stand and a bathhouse on the pier.
In 1955, the Pavilion Hotel opened. It was a one-story, 10-room structure located behind the original pavilion and bowling alley. The area was a hub of tourist attractions.
Hurricane Gracie, a category 3 hurricane, hit in 1959, destroying a portion of the pier and the concession stand. The structures and pier were rebuilt soon afterward.
In 1960, Henry Collins and his brother, Durwood, purchased the pier, bowling alley, dance hall, and hotel. In an oral history conducted by Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society, Mr. Henry Collins recalled that many big-name acts performed while people danced. Fats Domino and The Tams were two of the performers he mentioned. In 1962, the Collins brothers opened the Collins restaurant and pavilion near the fishing pier. Live music and dancing were a big draw. There was also an arcade. In 1972, the hotel and dance hall were torn down to make room for the Horizon gas station
In 1979, Hurricane David destroyed the pier. In the same interview, Mr. Collins explained that insurance costs made it too expensive to rebuild the pier to its original length. When the restaurant and arcade reopened in March 1980, the deck was rebuilt to approximately the length you see today at Coot's.
In March 1984, a lightning strike caused a fire that destroyed the pier and restaurant. Strong winds and the rising tide made it impossible for firefighters to extinguish the blaze. Once again, the deck and buildings were lost. The pavilion was rebuilt, and although the names and businesses have changed many times over the years, it remains a favorite gathering place for both locals and visitors alike.

THIS WEEK'S HISTORY NUGGET:DID YOU KNOW…Most of you have been to Edisto Beach. But, did you know that it was once named...
07/27/2026

THIS WEEK'S HISTORY NUGGET:

DID YOU KNOW…Most of you have been to Edisto Beach. But, did you know that it was once named McConkey’s Island? That, of course, is where the McConkey’s Jungle Shack name comes from. John McConkey initially owned the island until he was brutally murdered in 1915. No-one was ever arrested for his killing. The island then went to George Washington Seabrook – better known as Washie – who was the owner of Seaside Plantation.

In 1925, an event occurred that changed the very face of the island’s land use, economy, population, governance, and social structure. Six businessmen from Sumter, South Carolina, invested $10,000 each and bought McConkey’s Island in its entirety. It was purchased from Seabrook.

Up and down the East Coast, beach resort development was booming. The Sumter investors looked all along the coast for a beach they could buy outright, and they quickly settled on McConkey’s. It was pristine, large enough for development and unlimited growth (1,100 acres of high land) into the foreseeable future. It was considered “the most accessible undeveloped beach property on the South Carolina coast.”

The property had four and a half miles of beachfront and another mile and a half of beach on St. Helena Sound. There was not a single house on all of this property. The island was completely covered with a maritime forest, better known by Edistonians as “the jungle.” To raise funds, the owners allowed a logging company to come in and cut cedar trees.

Money was scarce after the stock market crash in 1929, but a contractor from Orangeburg, SC agreed to build the precursor of Palmetto Boulevard in exchange for 32 oceanfront lots. Side streets were opened up and named for the investors’ wives, daughters and friends. So, now you know the genesis of the street names Matilda, Louise, Marianne, Dorothy and Charlotte.

Beachfront lots averaged 75’ by 125’ and were priced at $1,000! When sales dropped with the Depression, lots were reduced to $400, with second-row lots being even lower. The Edisto Beach Company donated the entire north end of the beach to the State of South Carolina for a state park. In return, the State agreed to pave Palmetto Boulevard. The Edisto Beach State Park opened in 1935, and the road paving projects were completed about 1937. The development of Edisto Beach began in earnest and grew into what we know today.

EDISTO & BEYOND TOUR OF HISTORIC PLANTATIONS, CHURCHES AND GRAVEYARDS TO TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2...
07/20/2026

EDISTO & BEYOND TOUR OF HISTORIC PLANTATIONS, CHURCHES AND GRAVEYARDS TO
TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24th

The Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society’s (EIHPS) annual tour will take place on October 23rd. Tour tickets go on sale to EIHPS members only, beginning on August 11th. If any tickets remain, they will go on sale to the public on September 8th. Tickets typically sell out to members only, so if you want to go on the tour, it is advised that you become a member of EIHPS before August 11th. You can join on our website (www.edistomuseum.org).

The tour will feature nine historic properties, including:
• Brick House Plantation Ruins
• Cypress Trees Plantation and Cemeteries (including a dowsing demonstration)
• Prospect Hill Plantation (grounds only)
• Seabrook Plantation
• Sunny Side Plantation
• Zion Reformed Episcopal Church
• Old First Baptist Church
• Trinity Church
• The Presbyterian Church on Edisto Island

The tour is self-guided and lasts from 10:00 until 5:00. Tickets are two at $75 and two at the discounted price of $70 and can be purchased on our website beginning on August 11th. Tickets are non-refundable, the tour is held rain or shine. Starting Sept. 8th, any remaining tickets will be $75.

THIS WEEK'S HISTORY NUGGET IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE EDISTO ISLAND HISTORIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY:DID YOU KNOW….It’s highl...
07/20/2026

THIS WEEK'S HISTORY NUGGET IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE EDISTO ISLAND HISTORIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY:

DID YOU KNOW….It’s highly likely that many of you have visited Botany Bay Wildlife Management Area, but do you know the story of how the State of South Carolina came to be the owners of this glorious property after the death of its owner?

Botany Bay Plantation is made up of 4,687 acres and was originally two plantations. Bleak Hall and Sea Cloud were united by John Ferrars Townsend under the name of Botany Bay in the 1850s. In 1968 the plantation was bought by a hotel magnate from Alabama named John (Jason) Meyer to use as a private sporting retreat for himself and his wife, Margaret. In his will, Botany Bay would become the property of the State of South Carolina, with his wife having the use of it during her lifetime. She later remarried and became widely known as “Mrs. Pepper.” She had full use of the plantation until her death in 2007. At that time, under the terms of Jason’s will, the land became the property of the State of South Carolina. Why? Was it for purely philanthropic reasons? Not entirely!

Meyer donated Botany Bay to the State in part to settle a permit violation he faced after building a d**e on the property without a permit. The d**e is the one that created what is known as “Jason’s Lake.” When he died in 1977, the State Budget and Control Board approved an agreement allowing Margaret Meyer to have the run of the property as long as she made improvements on the property in excess of $50,000. She pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into making Botany Bay the treasure that it is today.

Another thing you may not know about Botany Bay WMA is the part the Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society played in protecting this pristine property. As you probably are aware, there are a number of historic structures on Botany Bay that are now protected with fencing. But, that wasn’t always the case. There are 21 recognized historic structures including the chimney of a slave cabin, the Sea Cloud Plantation ruins, Bleak Hall’s ice house, and the gardener’s shed.

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is responsible for the management and oversight of Botany Bay of which they took control in 2007. We worked with them as they prepared to open the property to the public in the summer of 2008, and our main concerns were that the historic structures needed to be protected with fencing to prevent their degradation by the expected hordes of visitors that would be coming. We met several times with SCDNR representatives, including my trip to Columbia to meet with their director John Frampton to request approval and installation of protective fencing. Mr. Frampton was very cooperative, and our mission was accomplished. These structures are now under protection and no longer in danger of disappearing.

So, what began as a tale of legal wrangling ends up with a happy ending for the people of South Carolina and our many visitors.

JOB OPPORTUNITY: EXECUTIVE DIRECTORThe Executive Director of the Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society is fully...
07/17/2026

JOB OPPORTUNITY: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Executive Director of the Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society is fully responsible for the overall management of Society membership, Museum, community engagement, financial, and strategic goals and programs of the Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society (EIHPS). Under the direction of the EIHPS Board of Directors (the Board), the Executive Director is a full-time, salaried professional. The Executive Director is an ex officio, non-voting member of the Board of Directors.

The Director’s office is on the second floor of the Museum and is not handicap accessible.

Respond with a resume with contact information, including email address and three (3) references and their contact information to:

[email protected]
Director Search
Edisto Island Museum


This posting will be open until AUGUST 28, 2026.

The Executive Director is fully responsible for the overall management of Society membership, Museum, community engagement, financial, and strategic goals and programs of the Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society (EIHPS). Under the direction of the EIHPS Board of Directors (the Board), the Executive Director is a full-time, salaried professional. The Executive Director is an ex officio, non-voting member of the Board of Directors.

The Director’s office is on the second floor of the Museum and is not handicap accessible.

Salary Range: $50k - $70k, commensurate with education and/or experience.

Respond with a resume with contact information, including email address and three (3) references and their contact information to:

[email protected]
Director Search
Edisto Island Museum


This posting will be open until AUGUST 28, 2026.

Please do not use Facebook messenger. Use email only.

Several updates: Edisto & Beyond Tour tickets will go on sale to EIHPS members only on Tuesday, August 11th. They typic...
07/15/2026

Several updates: Edisto & Beyond Tour tickets will go on sale to EIHPS members only on Tuesday, August 11th. They typically sell out to members only, so if you are interested in going on this wonderful tour, you'll need to join the Edisto Island Historic Preservation Society, which you can do on our website. If you are already a member, be sure your membership is up to date.

We are offering quite a few books at 30% off in the Museum's Gift Shop. We are also featuring the beautiful works of Tom Boozer at a discount of 20%.

THIS WEEK'S HISTORY NUGGET IS SPONSORED BY THE EDISTO ISLAND HISTORIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY.Did you know....If you’ve bee...
07/13/2026

THIS WEEK'S HISTORY NUGGET IS SPONSORED BY THE EDISTO ISLAND HISTORIC PRESERVATION SOCIETY.

Did you know....

If you’ve been to Edisto Beach, you’ve seen the sign for Oyster Factory Road, but did you know that starting in 1922 an oyster factory was actually located at the end of the road?
John James Kwiatkowski was born in Poland in 1888. His family immigrated to the United States when he was nine months old. Upon arrival in Baltimore Maryland, the family changed their name to Flowers. Kwiatkowski means "flower" in Polish.
In the early 1900s, John took migrant labor crews from Baltimore to South Carolina each summer to work on the farms. He grew to love the Lowcountry’ where he learned about the oyster business. Around 1920, John opened his first oyster packing plant near Folly Beach, and he became familiar with Edisto Island. He soon purchased land on Fishing Creek, where he was joined by his wife and two sons, Stephen and John, Jr.
John Sr. built his Edisto Island packing plant in 1922, at the end of the road that was named for his business. It was a true family business with his two sons joining him in harvesting oysters from the creeks. The oysters were pulled from the water with steel tongs, loaded onto a large boat, and then unloaded at the factory. Some of the oysters were sold to local customers, but most were delivered wholesale to Charleston.
The Flowers Oyster Factory employed approximately 18 African American women who worked at a shucking table. They washed, shucked, and cleaned the oysters before packing them into one-gallon cans. The women worked eight-hour shifts from September through April and were paid by the gallon of shucked oysters. Many men from the island worked alongside John, his sons, and later his grandsons as oyster tongers, deckhands, or laborers in the factory.
John’s oldest son Steve expanded into other businesses, opening Flowers Garage and the Edistonian during the late 1930s. The Edistonian closed in the late 1960s, but was reopened in 1970 by Steve’s daughter Florence and her husband Wilbur Kizer.
During the months of May through August, when the oyster plant closed, John and his sons operated shrimp boats. They docked on Big Bay Creek, where the shrimp were sorted, iced, sold locally, and shipped wholesale. Flowers Shrimp House opened during the 1960s, on Big Bay Creek.
Steve Flowers continued the family business, and his son, Steve Jr., kept the oyster packing plant operating until 1986, when labor became too scarce to keep it going. Steve Jr. retired from the sh*****ng business in 2002. In 1986, his brother, Bernie opened a small shop that sold oysters by the bushel. He was in business until 2018. Vincent Flowers, Steve's youngest son, operated a shrimp boat until 2005. In 2006 Vincent and his son opened Flowers Seafood, which is still located on Highway 174.
For over 100 years, the Flowers family businesses have been an important part of the Edisto Island community.

THIS WEEK'S HISTORY NUGGET IS BROUGHT TO YOU BUY THE EDISTO ISLAND MUSEUM. ENJOY! DID YOU KNOW….Many of you have probab...
07/06/2026

THIS WEEK'S HISTORY NUGGET IS BROUGHT TO YOU BUY THE EDISTO ISLAND MUSEUM. ENJOY!

DID YOU KNOW….

Many of you have probably eaten at the Bluefin Cantina on Edisto, but did you know that the building has a long, rich history on Edisto and is built on land that was once part of a plantation? The building was originally built and owned by the Grant family, who bought the property from John Thorne (1842-1904). It was known for many years as Grant’s Store and later became Main’s Market, then the Edingsville Grocery before evolving into the Bluefin Cantina. You may remember that we mentioned John Thorne in our History Nugget about forty acres and a mule, so today you will learn more about this important figure in Edisto Island history and his connection to this plantation.

Thorne was born free into a prominent family in Charleston, and he was classified as a mulatto. His grandfather, John Stocks Thorne, was a White slave owner, and his grandmother was John Stocks Thorne’s slave mistress, whom he freed in 1811.

Thorne moved to Edisto by 1870 to build a cotton gin, which was the first Black-owned cotton gin on Edisto. In 1872, Thorne and 35 freedmen purchased Ephraim Baynard’s Seaside Plantation, paying $5,000 in cash. He made the purchase through a Declaration of Trust with former slaves that allowed them to buy land based on the amount each individual had invested in the Trust. Through his efforts, numerous freedmen were able to become property owners.

Thorne himself bought 160 acres, and most of the others received small farms of 10-25 acres. He later accumulated another 250 acres and was considered one of the Black Kings of Edisto, along with freedman Jim Hutchinson. In 1879, Thorne ginned 120,000 pounds of sea island cotton, twice the volume of Townsend Mikell’s Sunny Side gin.

As a prominent businessman, Thorne joined together with Jim Hutchinson and several other Edistonians to establish Toglio Ferry Company, which was chartered by the South Carolina State Legislature. The ferry provided transportation between Edisto Island and Charleston, as well as to Wadmalaw, James and Johns Islands, and served as a much needed benefit to Edistonians.

In circa 1875, Thorne built a house in the freedmen’s style (one and a half story home with dormers) on Edingsville Beach Road. It is located just behind the Bluefin Cantina and is still standing. It is the oldest freedman’s house in existence on Edisto Island (The Hutchinson House was built in 1885). Thorne died in this house in 1904, and the house was later bought by the Grant family. Doll Grant ran the store for many years and gave many Black youths job opportunities, including our dear friend, Chick Morrison who is now the pastor of New First Missionary Baptist Church. The Thorne house is still in the Grant family’s possession.

So, the next time you eat a meal at the Bluefin Cantina or just pass by, take time to consider the rich history that stands behind it. As is true for many sites on Edisto, there is often more to them than meets the eye.

07/06/2026

Hope to see many of you at 5:00 this evening at the ghost lecture. Free and open to the public. In the historic sanctuary of the New First Missionary Baptist Church. BOO!!!

Address

8123 Chisolm Plantation Road
Edisto Island, SC
29438

Telephone

+18438691954

Website

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