From its discovery by the Spanish in 1514, historians have been enamored with Dataw Island’s allure.  The Spanish, French, and English battled for the land for more than 200 years prior to the Revolutionary War.  In the Plantation era, South Carolina’s sea islands became the “Newport of the South” and storied estates built from the wealth of indigo and sea island cotton dotted the landscape.  These grand manors, home to a privileged lifestyle, defined Dataw until the Civil War heralded the end of an era.  But Dataw still hummed with life as a quiet hunting preserve for the next century.

Today, the place where fertile soil hosted indigo and cotton on antebellum plantations is still home to rich experiences.  History lives in the foundations of the 18^th century structures made of local sand, lime, water, and oyster shells (called tabby) that still stand. 

The Master Plan prepared by EP/A for Dataw called for extensive and innovative site development to provide for a residential community of the highest quality geared toward a unique lifestyle.  Fifty percent of the land is devoted to recreational and open space areas with the balance devoted to residential uses composed of 430 single-family home sites, 643 cottage sites, and 512 cluster sites.  Amenities include two championship golf courses designed by Tom Fazio, a clubhouse complex, driving range, fishing village/marina, 12 tennis courts, a 25 meter junior Olympic size swimming pool, a network of pathways for pedestrian, golf cart, and bicycle uses, and a nature and wildlife preserve.  Of special interest is an historic interpretive area centered around the existing tabby ruins of the Sam's mansion and family cemetery.  The unique features of the area create an awareness of the bygone lifestyle of a Post-Revolutionary War Lowcountry cotton plantation.