Its Register listing is the Arnoldus Vander Horst House. Most of Kiawah Island was built recently: 0.2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1989. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1919 on, and the census since 1880.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Kiawah Island is more historic than 21% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Kiawah Island’s overall grade.
South Carolina towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical South Carolina town has 3.2 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Kiawah Island’s 4.3 sits near the middle of its state (54% of South Carolina towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on two of the three inputs, so a change in either one moves the letter more than it would with three. The pre-1940 share (±0.3 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: our sources. Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Kiawah Island’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Kiawah Island. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1919Wadmelaw Island sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Kiawah Island.
The Bass Pond Site and Arnoldus Vander Horst House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Kiawah was named for the Kiawah people, who were led by their head chieftain or cacique. In 1670, the Kiawah cacique led English colonists to settle at Charlestowne Landing.
In 1699, former pirate Captain George Raynor gained possession of Kiawah Island. On November 1, 1701, Raynor sold half of the island to Captain William Davis and left the other half in his will for his granddaughter. The half left to his will was passed through family members until John Stanyarne acquired the property. Stanyarne subsequently purchased the remaining half of the island from the family of Captain Davis.
Kiawah Island is more historic than 21% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Kiawah Island?
One place: the Arnoldus Vander Horst House (listed 1973).
How old are the homes in Kiawah Island?
0.2% of Kiawah Island’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 3.5% for a South Carolina town; the median home was built in 1989.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (17), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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