Saving Sandy Island

Part of the Carolina Stories Series by SCETV, this film details the struggle to save an exceptional South Carolina island and its Gullah community from development. Home to endangered species and rare long leaf pine forests, Sandy Island is the largest undeveloped freshwater island on the east coast. The program tells the story of the unique coalition of conservationists, state agencies, businessmen and community residents that came together to save this extraordinary place and preserve a historic culture.

Early every weekday morning, a fleet of small motorboats launches from the Mount Arena landing on Sandy Island, taking residents to work along South Carolina’s Grand Strand. The children board the school boat, the Prince Washington, for the daily trip to mainland schools. However, residents do not seem to mind that there are no roads on or off the island. In fact, they fought to keep it this way.

Saving Sandy Island takes a multi-faceted look at the sensitive issue of environmental development along this stretch of South Carolina’s coastline. A year in the making, this program explores the complex issues surrounding the threat of development to Sandy Island, the residents and the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. Perspectives from all the main players in the debate, from the residents who are descended from freed slaves, to the environmentalists and to the developers themselves, are offered during this unflinching look.

The film is free to the public and will be shown at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 14, at the Horry County Museum, located at 805 Main Street in Conway.

The Horry County Museum Documentary Film Matinees will continue throughout 2022. For a full list of films, visit our website. 

For more information, call the Horry County Museum at (843) 915-5320 or e-mail hcgmuseum@horrycounty.org.