Art Feature- Old Bridge to Hilton Head

Binya has some new artwork in stock! Introducing this piece depicting the Old Bridge to Hilton Head which was constructed in 1956.

The history behind this bridge helps to understand what Hilton Head Island used to be like (before the modernization that we know on the island) came into play. Before the bridge, folks from Savannah would mainly rely on ferries to get to Hilton Head, and once you were there, it was normal to not see any cars during your entire stay. Before the bridge, many residents of HHI had a rowboat they used to get to the mainland for supplies. Like travel, communication was no easy feat with the mainland either. Phone lines weren’t brought to the island until the late 1950s. Transportation was considered the Fish Camp, which was Charlie Simmons’ ferry that held six cars and was considered the only real way to the mainland. Simmons was known as “Mr. Transportation,” and served an instrumental role in connecting the two lands together. For over 80 years, the Gullah people had to survive on small farm crops, and hunting for food. They had no connection to the mainland for supplies, so they lived how it was necessary to live.

The bridge only came in 1956. It was a two-lane swing bridge and functioned as the only bridge until it was replaced in 1982. That year with the new bridge, 500,000 tourists are estimated to have traveled to Hilton Head. (By comparison, we see 56,000 vehicles per day crossing the bridge to Hilton Head in 2022!) The bridge that connects Bluffton to Hilton Head Island has been a modern savior for transportation of goods and of course having advancements just like the mainland does. Although the bridge now seems like an afterthought every time you drive over it, it wasn’t always there, and certainly wasn’t taken for granted when it was finally built.

The functional road and bridge that turned Hilton Head Island into a modern advanced island is a wonderful piece to have. The canvas stands for much more than two lands connecting, but stands for Hilton Head Island’s growth and modernization. It’s a piece of history!

Stop at Binya Hilton Head and get a canvas to display one of the most influential pieces of Hilton Head’s history.