Harbor Island is a small residential barrier island located 14 miles (22 km) east of Beaufort, South Carolina. It is one of the Carolina Sea Islands. Most of the island is tidal marsh, though approximately 800 acres (3.2 km2) of upland acreage exists on the northeastern portions. The residential portion of the island was listed as a census-designated place in the 2020 census, with a population of 209.[5] The island is served by U.S. Route 21 (US 21), the only vehicular access route to the island and other nearby islands.
Harbor Island | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Harbor Island Location within South Carolina  Harbor Island Location within the United States | |
| Coordinates: 32°23′25″N 80°27′0″W / 32.39028°N 80.45000°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  South Carolina |
| County | Beaufort |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.52 sq mi (3.93 km2) |
| • Land | 1.03 sq mi (2.66 km2) |
| • Water | 0.49 sq mi (1.27 km2) |
| Elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 209 |
| • Density | 203.51/sq mi (78.58/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 29920[4] |
| Area code(s) | 843 and 854 |
| FIPS code | 45-32172 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2812934[2] |
| Website | www |
History
edit
The island was uninhabited and used primarily as hunting grounds until the 1930s, when US 21 was constructed to connect Saint Helena Island with Hunting Island. Development on Harbor Island remained scarce until The Fripp Company, developers of Fripp Island, purchased most of the land on the island and developed a gated residential and resort community. Small-scale commercial development exists along US 21.[6]
In November 2018, the South Carolina Environmental Law Project filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Harbor Island Owners Association, asking the Beaufort County Circuit Court to order the state to remove seven houses that, through rapid erosion, had ended up in the water on the beach below the mean high water mark.[7] The state was released from the action in 2018, leaving the homeowners and the association as parties to the suit.[8]
The original Harbor River Bridge, a swing-span bridge built in 1939, was narrow and structurally deficient and was replaced with a modern fixed-span bridge to ensure safer and reliable access. The new bridge opened to traffic on April 25, 2021.[9][10]
Nature
editHarbor Island is a certified Community Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.
Birds
editHarbor Island is part of the Beaufort Barrier Islands Important Bird Area. [11]
Sea Turtles
editHarbor Island has a Sea Turtle Nest Protection Program permitted by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and run by volunteers.
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 209 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[12] 2020[13][3] | |||
The residential portion of the island was listed as a census-designated place in 2020.[2] Per the 2020 census, the population was 209.[5]
2020 census
edit| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2020[13] | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 183 | 87.56% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 6 | 2.87% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 0.96% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 4 | 1.91% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 10 | 4.78% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4 | 1.91% |
| Total | 209 | 100.00% |
References
edit- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Harbor Island Census Designated Place". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ a b "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Oct 15, 2022.
- ^ "Harbor Island SC ZIP Code". zipdatamaps.com. 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
- ^ a b "Harbor Island CDP, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
- ^ "The Wonders of Harbor Island in SC - Visit Beaufort". Visit Beaufort SC. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ "Beached Houses Is What You Get" "South Carolina Environmental Law Project" - Accessed February 28, 2019
- ^ "These 3 beach houses were left abandoned in the water. The effect could ripple across SC".
- ^ Malijenovsky, Tess. "New, safer Harbor River Bridge opens". The Island News.
- ^ "Harbor River Bridge" "South Carolina Department of Transportation" - Accessed March 28, 2021
- ^ "Important Bird Area (IBA) – Frequently Asked Questions". Beaufort Barrier Islands Global IBA.
- ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
- ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Harbor Island CDP, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau.