Editing Sullivan's Island, South Carolina

{{Distinguish|Sullivan Island}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Sullivan's Island, South Carolina
|motto                    = 
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|image_skyline            = Sullivan's Island viewed from Fort Moultrie.JPG
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Sullivan's Island viewed from [[Fort Moultrie]]
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 
|image_map                = 
|mapsize                  = 
|map_caption              = 
|incorporated             = 
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
| subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in South Carolina|County]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_name1        = [[South Carolina]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Charleston County, South Carolina|Charleston]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Patrick O'Neil
|established_date         = 17th century <small>(as O'Sullivan's Island)</small>
|established_title        = Settled 
|named_for                = Captain Florence O'Sullivan
|area_total_km2           = 8.91
|area_land_km2            = 6.47
|area_water_km2           = 2.44
|area_total_sq_mi         = 3.44
|area_land_sq_mi          = 2.50
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.94
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_total         = 1891
|population_density_km2   = 292.28
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|EST]]
|utc_offset = −5
|elevation_m              = 
|elevation_ft             = 9
|coordinates              = {{coord|32|45|48|N|79|50|16|W|region:US-SC_type:city_scale:50000|display=inline,title}}
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST = −4
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 29482
|area_code                = [[Area codes 843 and 854|843, 854]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 45-70090<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1231842<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|sullivansisland.sc.gov/}}
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_footnotes = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='45'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 15, 2022}}</ref>
|population_density_sq_mi = 757.01
|population_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
}}
'''Sullivan's Island''', historically known as '''O'Sullivan's Island''',<ref name=":0" /> is a town and island in [[Charleston County, South Carolina]], United States, at the entrance to [[Charleston Harbor]], with a population of 1,791 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]],<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4570090| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Sullivan's Island town, South Carolina |work=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=June 30, 2015| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213051023/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4570090| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> and 1,891 people in [[2020 United States census|2020]].<ref name=Census2020 /> The town is part of the [[Charleston, South Carolina metropolitan area|Charleston metropolitan area]] and is considered a very affluent suburb of [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]].

Sullivan's Island was the point of entry for approximately 40 to 50 percent of the 400,000 [[Slavery in the colonial history of the United States|enslaved Africans]] brought to [[Colonial history of the United States|Colonial America]], meaning that 99% of all African Americans have ancestors that came through the island.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Finkenbine |first=Roy E. |date=February 11, 2020|title=The Erasure of the History of Slavery at Sullivan's Island|url=https://ibw21.org/news/the-erasure-of-the-history-of-slavery-at-sullivans-island/|access-date=July 25, 2024|website=Institute of the Black World 21st Century|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Twitty |first=Michael W. |title=The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South |date=2017 |isbn=978-0-06-237929-0 |edition=First|location=New York |publisher=HarperCollins |oclc=971130586}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 5, 2018 |title=Nearly 1,000 Cargos: The Legacy of Importing Africans into Charleston|url=https://www.ccpl.org/charleston-time-machine/nearly-1000-cargos-legacy-importing-africans-charleston |access-date=July 13, 2021 |website=Charleston County Public Library|language=en}}</ref> It has been likened to [[Ellis Island]], the 19th-century reception point for immigrants in [[New York City]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/07/world/africa/gullah-geechee-africa-slavery-america/index.html |title=African Slave Traditions Live On in U.S. |work=[[CNN]] |orig-year=December 7, 2012 |date=May 25, 2018 |first1=Adeline |last1=Chin |first2=Teo |last2=Kermeliotis }}</ref> During the [[American Revolution]], the island was the site of a [[Battle of Sullivan's Island|major battle]] at Fort Sullivan on June 28, 1776, since renamed [[Fort Moultrie]] in honor of the American commander at the battle.

On September 23, 1989, [[Hurricane Hugo]] came ashore near Sullivan's Island; few people were prepared for the destruction that followed in its wake. The eye of the hurricane passed directly over Sullivan's Island. The [[Ben Sawyer Bridge]] was a casualty, breaking free of its locks. Before the storm was over, one end of the bridge was in the water and the other was pointing skyward. Sullivan's Island police chief, Jack Lilien, was the last person to leave the island before the bridge gave way.

==History==
[[File:Condos on Sullivans Island.jpg|thumb|Circa 1900 building on Sullivan's Island, renovated for use as condominiums]]

The island was known as '''O'Sullivan's Island''',<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |chapter=Chapter 5: Cultural Resources Element |title=Sullivan's Island Comprehensive Plan 2018-2028|chapter-url=https://sullivansisland.sc.gov/sites/sullivansisland/files/Documents/comprehensive%20plans/Comp%20Plan%20Chapter%20PDFs/Chapter%205%20-%20Cultural%20Resources%20Element.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108153055/https://sullivansisland.sc.gov/sites/sullivansisland/files/Documents/comprehensive%20plans/Comp%20Plan%20Chapter%20PDFs/Chapter%205%20-%20Cultural%20Resources%20Element.pdf |archive-date=January 8, 2023 |access-date=January 8, 2023 |website=sullivansisland.sc.gov}}</ref> named for Captain Florence O'Sullivan, who was stationed here as a lookout in the late 17th century. O'Sullivan was [[Captain (nautical)|captain]] of one of the ships in the first fleet to establish the colonial settlement of Charles Town. In 1671, he became [[surveyor general]]. He appears in the earliest record of [[Irish American#Irish immigration to the United States|Irish immigration to the Carolinas]], mentioned as being taken on "at Kingsayle ([[Kinsale]]) in [[Ireland]]".

Sullivan's Island was used as a quarantine station for enslaved Africans, who were housed in various "pest houses" on the island and checked for communicable diseases before they were transported to Charleston for sale at public auction.<ref name=Morekis>{{cite book|last=Morekis |first=Jim |title=Coastal Carolinas|isbn=978-1-64049-245-5|page=170|publisher=Avalon Travel (Moon) |url=https://www.amazon.com/Moon-Coastal-Carolinas-Charleston-Handbooks-ebook/dp/B071FZSR6Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542757359&sr=8-1&keywords=Coastal+Carolinas+morekis|date=February 2018 |access-date=November 20, 2018}}</ref> Sullivan's Island was the port of entry for over 40% of the estimated 400,000 [[Slavery in the colonial history of the United States|enslaved Africans]] transported to [[Colonial history of the United States|Colonial America]], making it the largest slave port in [[North America]]. It is estimated that more than half, if not all, of all African Americans have ancestors who passed through Sullivan's Island.<ref name=Morekis/>

<blockquote>"There is no suitable memorial, or plaque, or wreath or wall, or park or skyscraper lobby," writer [[Toni Morrison]] said in 1989.<ref>{{cite web|last=Morrison |first=Toni |url=http://www.uuworld.org/ideas/articles/117810.shtml?n |title=a bench by the road |publisher=uuworld.org |access-date=2014-04-15}}</ref> "There's no 300-foot tower, there's no small bench by the road."</blockquote>On July 26, 2008, the Toni Morrison Society dedicated a small, black, steel bench on Sullivan's Island to the memory of the Africans forced into slavery, one of several which are planned.<ref name=Morekis/> The memorial was privately funded.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/28/arts/design/28benc.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1 | work= [[The New York Times]] | first=Felicia R. | last=Lee | title=Bench of Memory at Slavery's Gateway | date= July 28, 2008}}</ref>

In 2009, the National Park Service installed a commemorative marker at Fort Moultrie describing the Sullivan's Island Quarantine Station. The text on the plaque reads:

{{blockquote|This is Sullivan's Island

A place where...Africans were brought to this country under extreme conditions of human bondage and degradation. Tens of thousands of captives arrived on Sullivan's Island from the West African shores between 1700 and 1775. Those who remained in the Charleston community and those who passed through this site account for a significant number of the African-Americans now residing in these United States. Only through God's blessings, a burning desire for justice, and persistent will to succeed against monumental odds, have African-Americans created a place for themselves in the American mosaic.

A place where...We commemorate this site as the entry of Africans who came and who contributed to the greatness of our country. The Africans who entered through this port have moved on to meet the challenges created by injustices, racial and economic discrimination, and withheld opportunities. Africans and African-Americans, through the sweat of their brow, have distinguished themselves in the Arts, Education, Medicine, Politics, Religion, Law, Athletics, Research, Artisans and Trades, Business, Industry, Economics, Science, Technology and Community and Social Services.

A place where...This memorial rekindles the memory of a dismal time in American history, but it also serves as a reminder for a people who – past and present, have retained the unique values, strength and potential that flow from our West African culture which came to this nation through the middle passage.

Erected in 1990 by the S.C. Department of Archives and History. The Charleston Club of S.C. and the Avery Research Center.

Pursuant to a request from the South Carolina General Assembly as Evidenced in concurrent resolution S. 719, Adopted June 3, 1990.<ref>{{cite web |title=What You Need to Know about Slavery and Sullivan's Island |url=https://blackthen.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-slavery-and-sullivans-island/ |website=Black Then |date=24 May 2018}}</ref>}}

[[Albert Wheeler Todd]], an architect from Charleston, designed a town hall for the island.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=GHBfBOdwsCkC&q=Albert+Wheeler+Todd&pg=PA693 The Buildings of Charleston]: A Guide to the City's Architecture By Jonathan H. Poston, page 316</ref> For most of its history, the town, located on the southwest half of the island, was known as "Moultrieville". Later, Atlanticville, a community on the north-east of the islands, merged with Moultrieville and together the two became the town of Sullivan's Island. In 1962, the new [[Charleston Light]] was built.

In May 2006, the Town of Sullivan's Island became the first municipality in South Carolina to [[smoking ban|ban smoking]] in all public places. The ordinance passed 4–2 and the ban went into effect in June.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://no-smoking.org/may06/05-18-06-1.html |title=Sullivan's Island Passes Area's 1st Smoking Ban &#91;05/18/06&#93; |access-date=November 10, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719131830/http://no-smoking.org/may06/05-18-06-1.html |archive-date=July 19, 2012 }}</ref>

The [[Atlanticville Historic District]], [[Battery Gadsden]], [[Battery Thomson]], [[Fort Moultrie National Monument|Fort Moultrie Quartermaster and Support Facilities Historic District]], [[Moultrieville Historic District]], [[Dr. John B. Patrick House]], [[Sullivan's Island Historic District]], and [[U.S. Coast Guard Historic District]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

===Fort Moultrie===
[[image:Battle of Sullivans Island.jpg|left|thumb|The [[Moultrie Flag]] (also known as the Liberty Flag) being raised over [[Fort Moultrie]], after the Patriot victory in the [[Battle of Sullivan's Island]].]]
On June 28, 1776, an incomplete fort was held by South Carolinian forces under [[Colonel]] [[William Moultrie]] against an invasion by a [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] force under the command of [[Henry Clinton (British Army officer, born 1730)|Henry Clinton]] sailing with [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]] [[Sir Peter Parker, 1st Baronet|Sir Peter Parker]]'s [[Royal Navy]] fleet. The British cannonade proved to have no effect on the sand-filled [[Sabal palmetto|palmetto log]] walls of the fort; the only fatalities were the result of those shots that carried over the walls.

During this battle, a flag designed by Moultrie flew over the fortress; it was dark blue with a crescent moon on it bearing the word "liberty". When this flag was shot down, Sergeant [[William Jasper]] reportedly picked it up and held it aloft, rallying the troops until a new standard could be provided. Because of the importance of this pivotal battle, that flag became symbolic of liberty in South Carolina, the South, and the nation as a whole.

The [[Battle of Sullivan's Island]] was commemorated by the addition of a white [[Sabal palmetto|palmetto tree]] to the flag used to rally that day, known as the [[Moultrie Flag]]. This was used as the basis of the state [[flag of South Carolina]]. The victory is celebrated and June 28 is known as [[Carolina Day]].

The history of the island has been dominated by Fort Moultrie, which, until its closure in the late 1940s, served as the base of command for the defense of Charleston. After World War II, the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]] concluded that such coastal defense installations were no longer needed, given current technology and style of war. It is now used as heritage tourism.

[[File:Breach Inlet Sullivan's Island.jpg|thumb|Breach Inlet between Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms]]

==Geography==
Sullivan's Island is located along the [[Atlantic Ocean]] near the center of Charleston County. The town is bordered to the west by the entrance to [[Charleston Harbor]], to the north by Cove Inlet and the [[Intracoastal Waterway]], and to the east by Breach Inlet and Swinton Creek. The Ben Sawyer Bridge connects Sullivan's Island to [[Mount Pleasant, South Carolina|Mount Pleasant]] to the north. A bridge spanning Breach Inlet connects it to [[Isle of Palms, South Carolina|Isle of Palms]] to the east. By road it is {{convert|9|mi|0}} north and then west into [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]].

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town of Sullivan's Island has a total area of {{convert|8.9|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|6.5|km2|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|2.4|km2|order=flip}}, or 27.36%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Climate==

According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Sullivan's Island has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Sullivan's Island was {{convert|105|F|C|1}} on June 26, 1952, while the coldest temperature recorded was {{convert|9|F|C|1}} on January 21, 1985.<ref name = NOWData />

{{Weather box
|location = Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1951–present
|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 78
|Feb record high F = 83
|Mar record high F = 90
|Apr record high F = 93
|May record high F = 99
|Jun record high F = 105
|Jul record high F = 101
|Aug record high F = 103
|Sep record high F = 99
|Oct record high F = 94
|Nov record high F = 89
|Dec record high F = 84

|Jan avg record high F = 72.3
|Feb avg record high F = 74.3
|Mar avg record high F = 79.8
|Apr avg record high F = 85.0
|May avg record high F = 91.1
|Jun avg record high F = 95.5
|Jul avg record high F = 97.8
|Aug avg record high F = 95.9
|Sep avg record high F = 92.8
|Oct avg record high F = 87.8
|Nov avg record high F = 81.0
|Dec avg record high F = 74.3
|year avg record high F = 98.7

|Jan high F = 59.2
|Feb high F = 61.4
|Mar high F = 67.1
|Apr high F = 74.8
|May high F = 82.2
|Jun high F = 87.9
|Jul high F = 91.1
|Aug high F = 90.0
|Sep high F = 85.9
|Oct high F = 78.3
|Nov high F = 69.2
|Dec high F = 62.1
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 47.8
|Feb mean F = 50.2
|Mar mean F = 55.9
|Apr mean F = 64.1
|May mean F = 72.7
|Jun mean F = 78.9
|Jul mean F = 82.0
|Aug mean F = 81.0
|Sep mean F = 76.8
|Oct mean F = 67.9
|Nov mean F = 58.1
|Dec mean F = 51.0
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 36.5
|Feb low F = 39.0
|Mar low F = 44.7
|Apr low F = 53.5
|May low F = 63.2
|Jun low F = 69.9
|Jul low F = 73.0
|Aug low F = 72.0
|Sep low F = 67.7
|Oct low F = 57.5
|Nov low F = 47.0
|Dec low F = 39.8
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = 23.2
|Feb avg record low F = 27.7
|Mar avg record low F = 31.6
|Apr avg record low F = 41.5
|May avg record low F = 51.9
|Jun avg record low F = 61.8
|Jul avg record low F = 67.6
|Aug avg record low F = 65.6
|Sep avg record low F = 58.7
|Oct avg record low F = 44.2
|Nov avg record low F = 34.5
|Dec avg record low F = 27.9
|year avg record low F = 21.1

|Jan record low F = 9
|Feb record low F = 12
|Mar record low F = 18
|Apr record low F = 23
|May record low F = 37
|Jun record low F = 49
|Jul record low F = 59
|Aug record low F = 55
|Sep record low F = 46
|Oct record low F = 22
|Nov record low F = 22
|Dec record low F = 11

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.81
|Feb precipitation inch = 3.30
|Mar precipitation inch = 3.49
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.59
|May precipitation inch = 3.33
|Jun precipitation inch = 5.36
|Jul precipitation inch = 5.97
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.72
|Sep precipitation inch = 5.47
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.94
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.00
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.62
|year precipitation inch = 51.60

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 10.4
|Feb precipitation days = 8.6
|Mar precipitation days = 8.2
|Apr precipitation days = 7.0
|May precipitation days = 6.1
|Jun precipitation days = 9.0
|Jul precipitation days = 10.5
|Aug precipitation days = 10.5
|Sep precipitation days = 7.9
|Oct precipitation days = 7.8
|Nov precipitation days = 8.0
|Dec precipitation days = 9.8

|source 1 = NOAA (precip days 1981&ndash;2010)<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00388405&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Sullivans IS, SC (1991&ndash;2020)
|access-date = March 8, 2023
}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly&stations=USC00388405&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Sullivans Island, SC
|access-date = March 8, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=chs
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Charleston
|access-date = March 8, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Airport==
The town of Sullivan's Island is served by the [[Charleston International Airport]]. It is located in the City of North Charleston and is about {{convert|12|mi|abbr=on}} northwest of Sullivan's Island. It is the busiest passenger airport in South Carolina {{airport codes|CHS|KCHS}}. The airport shares runways with the adjacent [[Charleston Air Force Base]]. [[Charleston Executive Airport]] is a smaller airport located in the John's Island section of the city of Charleston and is used by noncommercial aircraft. Both airports are owned and operated by the Charleston County Aviation Authority.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1960= 1358
|1970= 1426
|1980= 1867
|1990= 1623
|2000= 1911
|2010= 1791
|2020= 1891
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:45&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 15, 2022}}</ref>
}}
[[File:Sullivans Island in South Carolina.jpg|thumb|The beach at Sullivan's Island]]

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Sullivan's Island racial composition<ref name=Census2020>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4570090&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 15, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|1,770
|93.6%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|7
|0.37%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|16
|0.85%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|51
|2.7%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|47
|2.49%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,891 people, 821 households, and 619 families residing in the town.

===2000 census===
As of the census<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,911 people, 797 households, and 483 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|787.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,045 housing units at an average density of {{convert|430.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.74% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.63% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.05% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.16% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 0.42% from race were 0.84% of the population.   .

There were 797 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $72,955, and the median income for a family was $96,455. Males had a median income of $58,571 versus $41,029 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $49,427. About 1.4% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 0.9% of those age 65 or over.

Sullivan's Island has some of the highest per capita real estate costs in the United States. Although not the most expensive in the region, home values on Sullivan's Island, based on the small size of the island and number of regular residents, makes it one of the priciest locations.

===Ethnicity===
As of 2016 the largest self-reported ancestries/ethnicities in Sullivan's Island, South Carolina were:<ref>{{cite web |title=American FactFinder – Results |url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/16_5YR/DP02/1600000US4570090 |website=factfinder.census.gov |publisher=U. S. Census – Bureau |language=en |access-date=December 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213091303/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/16_5YR/DP02/1600000US4570090 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="font-size: 90%;"
|-
! Largest ancestries (2016) !! Percent 
|-
| [[English Americans|English]] || 19.5% 
|-
| [[German Americans|German]] || 14.0%
|-
| [[Irish Americans|Irish]] || 12.6%
|-
| [[American ancestry|"American"]] || 11.5% 
|-
| [[French American|French]] || 10.0% 
|-
| [[Scottish American|Scottish]] || 6.0% 
|-
| [[Italian American|Italian]] || 3.4% 
|-
| [[Russian American|Russian]] || 2.8% 
|-
| [[Polish American|Polish]] || 2.0% 
|-
| [[Dutch American|Dutch]] || 1.6% 
|}

==Education==
There is one school district in the county, [[Charleston County School District]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st45_sc/schooldistrict_maps/c45019_charleston/DC20SD_C45019.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Charleston County, SC|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=February 8, 2024}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st45_sc/schooldistrict_maps/c45019_charleston/DC20SD_C45019_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

It is zoned to Sullivan's Island Elementary School,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maps1webserver2.croppermap.com/arcgis/rest/directories/arcgisjobs/charleston/charlestonprinttemplate_gpserver/j75ca18b8498e4d05adab92ef6bf2b14f/scratch/6506b6e3d3a542d9ba758b188370cf9c.pdf|title=Elementary school for Sullivan's Island|publisher=[[Charleston County School District]]|access-date=February 8, 2024}} - [https://www.croppermap.com/charleston/ Generated from here].</ref> Moultrie Middle School,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maps1webserver2.croppermap.com/arcgis/rest/directories/arcgisjobs/charleston/charlestonprinttemplate_gpserver/je4def6d755d84905ad8d2c178608f096/scratch/0d5e186421cb47cab4b6ccdf8d25b372.pdf|title=Middle school for Sullivan's Island|publisher=[[Charleston County School District]]|access-date=February 8, 2024}} - [https://www.croppermap.com/charleston/ Generated from here].</ref> and [[Wando High School]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maps1webserver2.croppermap.com/arcgis/rest/directories/arcgisjobs/charleston/charlestonprinttemplate_gpserver/jfb3d9a6dad044c21a0601314afc7b34c/scratch/f46cc91f0f5249dcbefbac4981142220.pdf|title=High school for Sullivan's Island|publisher=[[Charleston County School District]]|access-date=February 8, 2024}} - [https://www.croppermap.com/charleston/ Generated from here].</ref>

==Literary references==
*The writer [[Edgar Allan Poe]] was stationed at Fort Moultrie from November 1827 to December 1828.<ref>Sova, Dawn B. ''Edgar Allan Poe: A to Z''. New York: Checkmark Books, 2001: 98. {{ISBN|0-8160-4161-X}}.</ref> The island is a setting for much of his short story "[[The Gold-Bug]]" (1843). In Poe's short story "[[The Balloon-Hoax]]", a [[gas balloon]] (forerunner of the [[dirigible]]) is piloted by eight men, two of them making independent diary entries, and describes a trip from Northern Wales to Fort Moultrie, Sullivan's Island over the course 75 hours. (Written in a dry, scientific style, Poe's account was published as fact in a New York City newspaper in 1844 and retracted three days later.) Today, the town library on Sullivan's Island, situated in a refurbished [[artillery battery|military battery]], is named after the poet, and streets such as Raven (after his [[narrative poem]] "[[The Raven]]" published in 1845) and Gold Bug avenues commemorate his works. His poem "[[Annabel Lee]]" is said to be written about a girl Poe fell in love with when stationed in Fort Moultrie in the early 1830s.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/travel/bs-tr-charleston-poe-20141007-story.html|title=Chasing Poe's ghost in Charleston|date=October 7, 2014|work=[[Baltimore Sun]]}}</ref>
*The novel ''Sullivan's Island'' by [[Dorothea Benton Frank]] is set here. 
*[[Pat Conroy]] set his semi-autobiographical [[memoir]] ''[[The Boo]]'' (1970) and the novel ''[[Beach Music (novel)|Beach Music]]'' (1995) here.  He also features Sullivan's Island in his novel ''[[South of Broad]]'' (2009).
*In [[Lawrence Hill]]'s novel ''[[The Book of Negroes (novel)|The Book of Negroes]]'', the main character, Aminata Diallo, passes through Sullivan's Island in 1757 at the age of 11 after being kidnapped in [[Mali]] and sold into slavery.

==Musical references==
Sullivan's Island is mentioned in the song ''Palmetto Rose'' by [[Jason Isbell]] in his 2015 album ''[[Something More Than Free]]''.

==Other references==
[[Image:Sullivans-Lighthouse.jpg|thumb|[[Charleston Light]]]]

[[E. Lee Spence]], a pioneer underwater [[archaeologist]], was a longtime resident of Sullivan's Island. In the 1960s and 1970s, he discovered many shipwrecks along its shores. Those discoveries included the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] [[blockade runner]]s ''[[SW Flora|Flora]]'', ''[[SW Beatrice|Beatrice]]'', ''[[USS Isaac Smith|Stono]]'', ''[[SW Flamingo|Flamingo]]'', ''[[SW Prince Albert|Prince Albert]]'', and the ''[[SW Celt|Celt]]'' (also known as the ''Colt'').

In 1981, [[adventure novel]]ist and [[marine archaeologist]] [[Clive Cussler]] and his organization, the [[National Underwater and Marine Agency]], discovered the wreck of the blockade runner ''[[SS Raccoon|Raccoon]]'' off Sullivan's Island.

Several districts and properties on Sullivans' Island have been listed in the [[National Register of Historic Places]]: Atlanticville Historic District,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/charleston/S10817710177/index.htm |title=SCDAH |publisher=Nationalregister.sc.gov |date=September 6, 2007 |access-date=April 15, 2014}}</ref> Moultrieville Historic District,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/charleston/S10817710179/index.htm |title=SCDAH |publisher=Nationalregister.sc.gov |date=September 6, 2007 |access-date=April 15, 2014}}</ref> Sullivans Island Historic District,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/charleston/S10817710180/index.htm |title=SCDAH |publisher=Nationalregister.sc.gov |date=September 6, 2007 |access-date=April 15, 2014}}</ref> Fort Moultrie Historic District,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/charleston/S10817710178/index.htm |title=SCDAH |publisher=Nationalregister.sc.gov |date=September 6, 2007 |access-date=April 15, 2014}}</ref> U. S. Coast Guard Historic District,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/charleston/S10817710059/index.htm |title=SCDAH |publisher=Nationalregister.sc.gov |date=June 19, 1973 |access-date=April 15, 2014}}</ref> Battery Gadsden<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/charleston/S10817710076/index.htm |title=SCDAH |publisher=Nationalregister.sc.gov |date=June 25, 1974 |access-date=April 15, 2014}}</ref> and Battery Thomson.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/charleston/S10817710077/index.htm |title=SCDAH |publisher=Nationalregister.sc.gov |date=June 25, 1974 |access-date=April 15, 2014}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal bar|South Carolina|Islands}}
* [[Battle of Sullivan's Island]]
* [[John Henry Devereux]], a South Carolina architect who had the largest mansion on the island
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
*{{cite book |title=Sullivan's Island/Images of America |author1=Gadsden Cultural Center |isbn=978-0-7385-1678-3 |page=128 |publisher=[[Arcadia Publishing]] |date=October 4, 2004 |first2=Make |last2=McMurphy |first3=Sullivan |last3=Williams |place=Charleston, South Carolina}}
* "Hurricane Hugo: A Landmark in Time" (2009). ''[[The Post and Courier]]'', Charleston, SC-Evening Post Publishing Company. p.&nbsp;31. {{ISBN|978-0-9825154-0-2}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website|https://sullivansisland.sc.gov/}}
*[http://islandeyenews.com/ ''The Island Eye News''], local Sullivan's Island publication
*[http://sullivansislandhomesforsale.info/ ''Real Estate Listings''], Homes On Sullivan's Island for Sale

{{Charleston County, South Carolina|state=collapsed}}
{{Immigration to the United States|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:American Revolution]]
[[Category:Edgar Allan Poe]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in South Carolina]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 17th century]]
[[Category:Towns in Charleston County, South Carolina]]
[[Category:Towns in South Carolina]]