Saint Helena Island: Gullah Culture, History and Nature

Saint Helena Island combines predominantly flat, largely rural terrain with an exceptionally rich cultural history. The area, which covers approximately 64 square miles, is bordered by St. Helena Sound to the north and Port Royal Sound to the south. For you, this means the trip can revolve around Gullah Geechee culture, historic sites, nature experiences or shared activities with children.

Gullah Geechee Culture at the Penn Center

A central point of interest is the Penn Center. It preserves and conveys the African American culture of the Sea Islands and the Lowcountry, known as Gullah Geechee. The 50-acre National Historic Landmark District can be explored on a self-guided tour of 25 historic buildings and structures of the Penn School. In addition, the nature trail, operated in partnership with the National Park Service, leads to a viewpoint.

At the York W. Bailey Museum, the “Education for Freedom” exhibition tells the 86-year history of the Penn School: from 1862 through the Reconstruction Era and the Penn Normal and Agricultural School to the civil rights movement at Penn Community Services. Darrah Hall houses temporary exhibitions about the origins of Reconstruction and education in the region. The museum currently lists opening hours from Tuesday to Saturday; docent-led tours take place daily at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. The Penn Center’s program also includes a presentation and demonstration on sweetgrass baskets, as well as an available workshop.

Historic Sites with Clear Visitor Guidelines

Brick Baptist Church offers a deep connection to the island’s history. Enslaved people built the building in 1855; their fingerprints are still visible in the bricks on some of the walls. In 1862, Laura Towne and Ellen Murray held the first lessons of what would later become the Penn School in the church. The interior still belongs to an active congregation and is normally not accessible to visitors.

Fort Fremont also combines history and landscape. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Historic Resources of St. Helena Island. It was completed in 1898 and remained active until 1912. The grounds on Port Royal Sound include a 900-foot stretch of beach. Fort Fremont Preserve is open daily from morning until evening and offers self-guided tours with an app during the day.

At the ruins of St. Helena Parish Chapel of Ease, you can see a relatively intact example of tabby construction from the mid-18th century. The oyster shells used in the construction are visible in the walls of the well-preserved Chapel of Ease.

Active Days and Local Cuisine

Saint Helena Island offers various ways to make your stay varied and enjoyable. Themed kayaking tours for adults and children cover topics including ecology, rice culture, old-growth forests and dolphins. Beaches as well as shady, moss-covered trails can be explored on horseback; pony rides and riding lessons are also available. Those who enjoy harvesting their own produce can pick strawberries, melons, leafy greens and pumpkins.

The Gullah Cooking School provides practical instruction in preparing Gullah dishes such as crispy yams and shrimp stew. The cooking classes also include stories and information about Gullah culture. Community events are regularly held in the park at The Corners; on the last Saturday of every month, it hosts the Saint Helena Island Community Market. Further local impressions can be found at the Gullah Campfire Supper and the “Stories and Songs” events at Morning Glory Homestead Farm. Macdonald Marketplace also houses a gallery for art and antiques at the site of a general store founded in 1877.

The Right Accommodation for Your Travel Itinerary

When looking for a vacation rental or holiday home on Saint Helena Island, it is worth using your preferred mix of daily activities as a starting point. Those interested in culture can focus on the Penn Center, museum and historic churches. For active days, the nature trail, Fort Fremont tour, kayaking excursions or horseback riding experiences can serve as focal points. The National Park Service route from Charleston to the Penn Center follows U.S. 17, U.S. 21 or Sea Island Parkway, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Choose your accommodation so that it suits your own rhythm between history, landscape, food and activity.

Other destinations nearby: Hilton Head Island, Beaufort, Bluffton, Port Royal, Okatie.

To the higher-level travel overview: Beaufort.