Archaeololgical dig on Daufuskie Island subject of National Geographic Channel show

Archaeololgical dig on Daufuskie Island subject of National Geographic Channel show

By Jenifer Andrews Published: Tuesday, August 20, 2013, 4:53 pm
Hilton Head Island, S.C.


Aug. 20, 2013, Daufuskie Island, S.C. – Haig Point and Bloody Point on Daufuskie Island will be the focus of a half-hour “Diggers” program beginning at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday (Aug. 21) on the National Geographic Channel. The episode entitled “Pirate Island Gold” is the result of archaeological diggers having visited the island for five days earlier in the year. They began their search at Rose Hill Plantation on Hilton Head Island. Tim “Ringy” Saylor and “King” George Wyant are the stars of the popular show that combines history and humor.

During the dig among the historic Tabby ruins, they uncovered buttons from Civil War troops and an antique brass lamp. Union troops camped on Daufuskie Island during the Civil War and historical records indicate that Blackbeard may have stored treasures on the Island. The show will re-air at 9:30 p.m. that same evening and again at 10:30 p.m. Friday. Daufuskie Island was inhabited by native tribes until the mid-1700s, when explorers and traders forced them from their land. Then, the turmoil of the Civil War in the 1860s forced both plantation owners and slaves from the Island.

After the War, freed slaves, known locally as Gullah people, returned to work or purchase land for farming until crop disease and industrialization ruin their economy, causing the population of the Island to fall from a high of about 2,000 to just 60. In the 1980s, the Island began to flourish again as developers created Lowcountry resorts and residential communities. All the while, the rich history of the Island has been preserved and appreciated with the help of the Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation.

Haig Point and Bloody Point are accessible only by boat from Hilton Head Island, S.C. Most residents drive electric carts throughout the communities. The private Haig Point community also offers a Rees Jones Signature golf course and equestrian facilities set among undisturbed natural settings and the beachfront of Calibogue Sound.

Haig Point is a charming sea island community just off the coast of South Carolina, between Hilton Head and Savannah, Ga. There is no bridge, so the island is accessible only by a private ferry system originating from Hilton Head Island. Residents and guests drive electric carts to the eclectic points of interest in and around the community, including the historic Haig Point Lighthouse (built in 1873), Strachan Mansion and the tabby ruins of 19th century slave quarters. The community is also home to a stunning Rees Jones Signature golf course. Amenities at Haig Point Club also include a full-service tennis center, equestrian center, two restaurants and a community park. For more information about the island or real estate opportunities, call (800) 686-3441, or visit www.HaigPoint.com.