Community Spotlight: James Island
Handsome Properties June 10, 2022
Handsome Properties June 10, 2022
Homebuyers who choose real estate on James Island can take advantage of a trifecta of attributes that not every Charleston-area community can claim. From scenic vistas of Folly beach to Lowcountry cuisine caught right off the dock, James Island community boast the best of coastal living.
James Island is just minutes away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Charleston via the James Island Expressway. Located the closest to Folly Beach, residents can enjoy one of Charleston County’s most popular and best-loved beaches.
The residents of James Island need never leave the community to find scenic beauty and essential amenities like grocery stores, schools, restaurants, and recreational opportunities. Just as an example, James Island grocery stores include Publix at Riverland Market and Merchants Village and three Harris Teeter grocery stores.
This James Island estate encompasses over 10 acres of live oaks and has some of the most beautiful and expansive views of Clark Sound.
A custom home and large separate guest house overlook the outdoor pool deck, the waterfront, and pristine marshes. This natural paradise sits in a small private cul de sac of four large estates in the historic James Island district of Secessionville, located close to downtown Charleston and Folly Beach.
James Island lies south of the Charleston peninsula and just east of Johns Island. Its southern boundary borders Folly Island where Folly Beach meets the Atlantic Ocean.
Rivers, bays, tidal creeks, and salt marshes define the landscape of James Island, creating scenic views framed by water and sky.
The winding Stono River makes up the community’s western border. Along the north, Wappoo Creek separates James Island from West Ashley. Clark Sound and Schooner Creek form a large part of James Island’s southern border.
The biggest and best-known tidal creek is James Island Creek. From its source in James Island County Park, it curves its way through the community before emptying into the Ashley River. Many homes along James Island Creek feature private docks.
Once a mostly rural area, James Island is today primarily a residential community. Annexation has brought parts of James Island into the City of Charleston limits, accounting for some 20,000 residents. The Town of James Island was incorporated in 2012 and includes a population of about 11,500. Another 6,000 residents on James Island are part of unincorporated Charleston County.
James Island public schools are part of the Charleston County School District. James Island Charter High School is the only high school in Charleston County that offers a full International Baccalaureate diploma program. U.S. News and World Report ranks the school as the fifth best high school in Charleston County School District and the 15th best high school in South Carolina.
Known as one of South Carolina’s most developed sea islands, James Island homes for sale range from homes on spacious lots developed within the past decade, luxury estates with docks, and charming ranch-style homes dating back to the 1950s.
A sweeping allée of live oaks flank the entrance to the main house at McLeod Plantation, a historic site in James Island located on Wappoo Creek. The grounds include the McLeod Oak, which is thought to be more than 600 years old.
Several James Island parks are major landmarks homebuyers should know about. Leading the list with 643 acres is James Island County Park. Perfect for families, the park offers a wide range activities including fishing and crabbing from docks along tidal creeks, hiking on four miles of paved trails, a dog park, a climbing wall, and the seasonal Splash Zone Waterpark. Visitors can rent bikes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards.
James Island is historic as well as scenic. One of its most important historic landmarks is the McLeod Plantation Historic Site, pictured above. Located on 37 acres along the Wappoo Creek, McLeod Plantation was established in 1851 and is one of just five antebellum plantations open to the public in the Charleston area.
McLeod Plantation is significant because it has been preserved as an important Gullah/Geechee heritage site. Visitors can learn about the enslaved people who lived there and whose labor raised sea island cotton, a staple of Low Country agriculture and the main crop at McLeod.
Interpretive tours included with admission cover sea island cotton cultivation, Gullah/Geechee culture, and organized and individual resistance to slavery and its legacy.
James Island is home to two major golf courses, one private and one public. Charleston Country Club is a private golf club with a course designed by the renowned golf course architect Seth Raynor. Following Hurricane Hugo, the course was restored by John LaFoy. Each year, the club hosts the Azalea Invitational.
Known locally as “The Muni,” Charleston Municipal Golf Course is a public course designed by Johnny Adams. Over 60,000 rounds are played there each year by golfers of all skill levels. Charleston Municipal Golf Course has hosted the South Carolina State Championship and is the home of the Charleston City Amateur.
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