Fripp Island is a 6.546 sq mi (16.954 km²)

barrier island Barrier islands are coastal landforms and a type of dune system that are exceptionally flat or lumpy areas of sand that form by wave and tidal action parallel to the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, suc ...

(CDP) located along the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

coast of the

lowcountry The Lowcountry (sometimes Low Country or just low country) is a geographic and cultural region along South Carolina's coast, including the Sea Islands. The region includes significant salt marshes and other coastal waterways, making it an impor ...

part of

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

. It was first listed as a CDP in the 2020 census with a population of 963. It is approximately 21 miles from

Beaufort Beaufort may refer to: People and titles * Beaufort (surname) * House of Beaufort, English nobility * Duke of Beaufort (England), a title in the peerage of England * Duke of Beaufort (France), a title in the French nobility Places Polar regions * ...

, 96 miles south of Charleston, and 65 miles north of

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Br ...

. Some of the neighboring islands include Hunting Island,

Harbor Island Harbor Island is an artificial island in the mouth of the Duwamish River in Seattle, Washington, US, where it empties into Elliott Bay. Built by the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company, it was completed in 1909 and was then the largest art ...

, Saint Helena Island, Lady's Island, and Pritchard's Island. The island mostly serves as a residential vacation resort, but several hundred residents make it their permanent home. It is also the most seaward of the South Carolina

Sea Islands The Sea Islands are a chain of tidal and barrier islands on the Atlantic Ocean coast of the Southeastern United States. Numbering over 100, they are located between the mouths of the Santee and St. Johns Rivers along the coast of South Caroli ...

. Fripp is renowned for its resort amenities and natural conservation.

History

Although it has had several names over its history, the island is presently named after Captain Johannes Fripp, a British sailor charged with protecting the Carolina colony from Spanish attacks. Local folklore history has long suspected Fripp to be the location where Edward Teach, the

pirate Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...

known as

Blackbeard Edward Teach (alternatively spelled Edward Thatch, – 22 November 1718), better known as Blackbeard, was an English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of Britain's North American colonies. Little is known abou ...

, had stowed away some of his treasures. There may have been pirates who stopped at the island, but treasure was seldom buried by 18th-century sea rovers. Due to its relatively remote location, the island was utilized primarily as a private hunting range for most of its history. In the mid-20th century, completion of bridges connecting Beaufort with nearby Hunting Island State Park, investors looked to develop a residential resort community on Fripp. Upon securing bonds and establishing a public service district, a bridge was built in 1961 that connected Fripp with Hunting Island, U.S. Highway 21, and nearby

and began to stimulate residential development. Within 10 years, developers had built the Ocean Point Golf Links, a Racquet Club for tennis, a

marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : ''marina'', "coast" or "shore") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or ...

and a variety of homes and condominium units that would serve as the benchmark for development for the next thirty years. In 1994, the island underwent its final major development phase on its southwestern end. Ocean Creek golf course designed by

Davis Love III Davis Milton Love III (born April 13, 1964) is an American professional golfer who has won 21 events on the PGA Tour, including one major championship: the 1997 PGA Championship. He won the Players Championship in 1992 and 2003. He was in the ...

was built, as well as a new amenities center. Additional housing styles were offered and the marina was expanded. Though the island will not undergo any future expansion, nearly one-third of the lots on the island remain undeveloped.

Island Services

Fire Department

The need for a fire department was determined in 1962 by legislation establishing the Fripp Island Public Service District. Originally, the fire department and first fire truck was housed in a three-sided building. The fire department started as a volunteer effort and was later recognized by South Carolina as a volunteer organization. In 1982, a new fire station was built to park the two trucks owned by the department. Four years later the Public Service District hired its first professional Fire Chief to operate the department on a daily basis. The fire station that serves as the island's current station was built in 1999. A full-time

paramedic A paramedic is a registered healthcare professional who works autonomously across a range of health and care settings and may specialise in clinical practice, as well as in education, leadership, and research. Not all ambulance personnel are p ...

was later hired by the county in 2001. The department is composed of 34 volunteers and 19 paid personnel. The department has owned two fire truck pumpers, a squad truck, a Quick Response Vehicle, and a 6-wheeled Beach Rescue ATV since 2006. The fire department's main services include Fire Suppression,

Search and Rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...

, Medical Emergency Response, Vehicle Extrication, Top Water Rescue, and

Fire Prevention Fire prevention is a function of many fire departments. The goal of fire prevention is to educate the public on the precautions which should be taken to prevent potentially harmful fires and how to survive these fires in the event that they do o ...

and Public Fire Education."History"
"Fripp Island Public Service District", 2008. Accessed June 7, 2013

Water System

In the early days of the island's population, all drinkable water had to be transported onto the island. St. Helena Island started to pump water into Fripp's central water tank by 1965. By 1980, all water was bought from the

Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority The Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (often shortened to BJWSA) is a public water system and non-profit corporation which handles water and wastewater operations for many areas in Beaufort and Jasper counties in the Lowcountry region of ...

and pumps an average 172 million gallons a year into the island for use by the public.

Fripp Inlet Bridge

The main bridge leading to Fripp Island was completed in 1964. The legislation authorizing the 2,067 foot bridge called for a two dollar toll; it is now toll-free. The bridge is owned and managed by the Fripp Island Public Service District.

Geography

Geologically speaking, Fripp Island is considered to be a barrier island. The island is the most seaward of the Sea Islands and forms a ''de facto'' cape. Located halfway between

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

and

along the coast, it is locally positioned between Hunting Island State Park to the north and Pritchards Island to the southwest. A wide marsh and estuarine system separates these islands from the larger St. Helena's Island to the northwest. The upland acreage of the island is approximately . Fripp has approximately three miles of beachfront along the Atlantic, though some parts of the beach are fully submerged at high tide. Fripp Island is located approximately 20 miles (30 km) from Beaufort and is connected with the city via U.S. 21. Savannah is approximately a 75-minute drive by car while Charleston is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes away.

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = "Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , es ...

lies 900 miles (1,450 km) due east of Fripp.

Population and governance

According to the 2000 census, Fripp Island has a year-round primary population of 887 residents. The realistic figure is likely higher than reported because many homeowners consider Fripp Island property as second homes and may spend weeks or months on the island, but do not consider it their primary residence. In summer months the island's population can rise to about 5,000 due to an increase in visitors. Fripp Island is a private, gated community, run by the Fripp Island Property Owners Association (FIPOA) since the mid-1980s. It is not a municipality though it maintains island operations via a public service district and property owners association. In addition to providing a security force and fire/rescue squad, the island also maintains its own bridges, roads, paths, parks, and beach access routes. Meetings and gatherings are typically held at the Fripp Island Community Centre. An all-faiths chapel is also located on the island.

Demographics

2020 census

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

Transportation

Although cars and trucks are allowed on roads and streets, golf carts are the prevailing method of transportation on the island. Bicycles are also popular and are used among residents and visitors alike, and several streets offer parallel bike trails to separate bicyclists from motor vehicles.

Amenities

All amenities are owned and operated by Fripp Resorts. These include all restaurants, golf courses, tennis courts, pools and stores. The initiation fee is $25,000. There are three levels of membership with an annual fee depending on the membership level.

Restaurants

*The Beach Club Restaurant *Ocean View Sports Bar *The Bonito Boathouse *The Ocean Point Grille *Cabana Club Restaurant *The Food Club *The Marina Deli *The 19th Hole

Golf

*Ocean Point Golf Links *Ocean Creek (designed by

)

Rentals

The island offers: *

stand up paddle surfing Standup paddleboarding (SUP) is a water sport born from surfing with modern roots in Hawaii. Stand up paddleboarders stand on boards that are floating on the water, and use a paddle to propel themselves through the water. The sport was doc ...

rentals and tours * bicycles * golf carts * mopeds * kayaks and canoes

Nature

Flora

Most of the island's trees are

loblolly pine ''Pinus taeda'', commonly known as loblolly pine, is one of several pines native to the Southeastern United States, from East Texas to Florida, and north to southern New Jersey. The wood industry classifies the species as a southern yellow pine. ...

, though there are some hardwood

live oak Live oak or evergreen oak is any of a number of oaks in several different sections of the genus ''Quercus'' that share the characteristic of evergreen foliage. These oaks are not more closely related to each other than they are to other oaks. ...

and

magnolia ''Magnolia'' is a large genus of about 210 to 340The number of species in the genus ''Magnolia'' depends on the taxonomic view that one takes up. Recent molecular and morphological research shows that former genera ''Talauma'', ''Dugandiodendr ...

stands located throughout the island. Spanish moss is a prevalent feature as well.

Fauna

Prior to human development, the island was fertile ground for several wild animals, including wild hogs. Development though has been carefully undertaken to preserve much of the wildlife habitat that existed beforehand. It is common to see

deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the re ...

in any area across the island, and population control of deer has been a major concern for the island. There are several small mammals that inhabit Fripp, including

squirrels Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrels. Squ ...

raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of ...

opossum Opossums () are members of the marsupial order Didelphimorphia () endemic to the Americas. The largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere, it comprises 93 species in 18 genera. Opossums originated in South America and entered No ...

s, bats, and

armadillos Armadillos (meaning "little armored ones" in Spanish) are New World placental mammals in the order Cingulata. The Chlamyphoridae and Dasypodidae are the only surviving families in the order, which is part of the superorder Xenarthra, along ...

. Most interior lagoons contain an

alligator An alligator is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus ''Alligator'' of the family Alligatoridae. The two extant species are the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') and the Chinese alligator (''A. sinensis''). Additional ...

population. Fripp and its surrounding areas are home to dozens of species of birds. Among the most striking include populations of

egrets Egrets ( ) are herons, generally long-legged wading birds, that have white or buff plumage, developing fine plumes (usually milky white) during the breeding season. Egrets are not a biologically distinct group from herons and have the same build ...

herons The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...

osprey The osprey (''Pandion haliaetus''), , also called sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor reaching more than in length and across the wings. It is brown o ...

, and

pelicans Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before s ...

, though

seagulls Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and skimmers and only distantly related to auks, and even more distantly to waders. Until the 21st century, ...

are the most common. Island residents established an

Audubon The National Audubon Society (Audubon; ) is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats. Located in the United States and incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such org ...

Club in 1978 and the entire island is an Audubon-designated bird preserve. The island is a major

loggerhead turtle The loggerhead sea turtle (''Caretta caretta'') is a species of oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around in carapace length when fully ...

hatchery and an active group of residents works to make the beaches safe for the laying turtles by observing outside lighting precautions during nesting seasons and protecting nests from predation by humans, raccoons and other animals. Numerous fish and crustacean species can be found in the waterways and estuaries that surround the island, and the island remains a popular destination for fishing and crabbing.

Fiddler crab The fiddler crab or calling crab may be any of more than one hundred species of semiterrestrial marine crabs in the family Ocypodidae, well known for their sexually dimorphic claws; the males' major claw is much larger than the minor claw, whil ...

is the most common of crab species, while blue crab is the most common species caught.

Media

*The

Pat Conroy Donald Patrick Conroy (October 26, 1945 – March 4, 2016) was an American author who wrote several acclaimed novels and memoirs; his books '' The Water is Wide'', '' The Lords of Discipline'', ''The Prince of Tides'' and ''The Great Santini'' w ...

novel ''

Beach Music Beach music, also known as Carolina beach music, and to a lesser extent, Beach pop, is a regional genre of music in the United States which developed from rock/ R&B and pop music of the 1950s and 1960s. Beach music is most closely associate ...

'' makes reference to the "Isle of Orion", which is a fictional stand-in for Fripp Island. Conroy was a full-time resident of the island for many years, but resided in

until his death in March 2016. *The Vietnam War scenes from the movie ''

Forrest Gump ''Forrest Gump'' is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth. It is based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom and stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson ...

'' (1994) were filmed on Fripp Island. Also, many other scenes were filmed in the Beaufort area. The Gay Seafood Company, right outside of Fripp, sold shrimp to the production and served as a real life prop for the shrimping boat scene."Movies Filmed in South Carolina - Forrest Gump"
"South Carolina's Information Highway" - Accessed June 7, 2013 * ''Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book'' was filmed on this island in 1994.

Jason Scott Lee Jason Scott Lee (; born November 19, 1966) is an American actor and martial artist. He played Mowgli in Disney's 1994 live-action adaptation of ''The Jungle Book'' and Bruce Lee in the 1993 martial arts film '' Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story''. He ...

starred as Mowgli. His scenes featuring wild animals were shot on the island near the present location of the Ocean Creek golf course as well as Fall Creek Falls State Park in Tennessee. *''

The Prince of Tides ''The Prince of Tides'' is a 1991 American romantic drama film directed and co-produced by Barbra Streisand, from a screenplay written by Pat Conroy and Becky Johnston, based on Conroy's 1986 novel ''The Prince of Tides''. It stars Streisand a ...

'' (1991), based on the

novel of the same name, was partially filmed on Fripp Island in 1990. The home of Tom (

Nick Nolte Nicholas King Nolte (born February 8, 1941) is an American actor. He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1991 film ''The Prince of Tides''. He received ...

) and Sally Wingo (

Blythe Danner Blythe Katherine Danner (born February 3, 1943) is an American actress. Accolades she has received include two Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Izzy Huffstodt on '' Huff'' (2004–2006), and ...

) and their children is located along the beach on the northern section of the island.

References

*Miller, Page Putnam. Fripp island: A History. The History Press, 2006. 190 pp.
Fripp Island: Block Group 2, Census Tract 12, Beaufort County, South Carolina
United States Census Bureau

External links

About Fripp IslandFripp Island Public Service DistrictFripp Island Audubon ClubFripp Island Turtle Nest Protection Program
{{authority control Barrier islands of South Carolina Populated places in Beaufort County, South Carolina Seaside resorts in the United States Populated coastal places in South Carolina Hilton Head Island–Beaufort micropolitan area Islands of Beaufort County, South Carolina Census-designated places in Beaufort County, South Carolina Census-designated places in South Carolina