sdiamondriley
King of the Sea Islands
U.S. presidents come and go. But from 1790 until the 1920's, the Lowcountry Sea Islands had their very own king. All hail King Cotton! A...
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sdiamondriley
- Oct 13
- 3 min
In Search of Robber's Row
Don't let the quiet winding lanes, shaded by twisting live oaks dripping with spanish moss, fool you. Long before a bridge connected it...
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sdiamondriley
- Sep 22
- 3 min
A Touch of Magic
You might say that pure magic drew me to the Lowcountry, and you wouldn’t be wrong. On one of our family’s first visits to Hilton Head...
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sdiamondriley
- May 16
- 3 min
Decoration Day
Where better to start a tradition of honoring fallen soldiers than the place where the war that prompted it began? Shortly after the...
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sdiamondriley
- Apr 28
- 3 min
Tacky Talk
The Lowcountry plays host to some of the tackiest sights you'll ever see, and I'm not talking about socks with sandals or bikini-clad...
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sdiamondriley
- Mar 20
- 3 min
From Everyday to Extraordinary
Unknown to many who seek it, a favorite Lowcountry souvenir has a dark past. Although prized today by collectors the world over,...
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sdiamondriley
- Feb 25
- 3 min
Our Own Prince of Tides
“Love’s action. It isn’t talk and it never has been.” ~Pat Conroy, Beach Music Despite the controversies he often spurred, one Lowcountry...
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sdiamondriley
- Feb 1
- 4 min
The Day of the Big Gun Shoot
You think your neighborhood's got problems? Mine is the site of the largest naval battle ever fought in U.S. waters. Protecting the Sound...
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sdiamondriley
- Dec 7, 2022
- 3 min
No Snow? No Problem!
Despite--or perhaps thanks to--its mild December weather, the Lowcountry boasts its own unique twists on the usual holiday traditions....
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sdiamondriley
- Nov 8, 2022
- 3 min
The Forgotten Capital
Half a century before the pilgrims set foot on Plymouth Rock, a bustling European capital called the Lowcountry home. Forts, homes,...
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sdiamondriley
- Oct 19, 2022
- 3 min
Beware of Haints!
If you've ever awoken and still felt tired, you just may be the victim of a Lowcountry haint. Members of the Gullah community have long...
1,466 views0 comments
sdiamondriley
- Oct 5, 2022
- 3 min
Carolina's Blue Gold
There was a time when all of Europe was clamoring for what the Carolina Lowcountry had in spades. But then, just as quickly as it had...
1,227 views0 comments
sdiamondriley
- Aug 10, 2022
- 3 min
The Storm that Drowned the Sea Islands
Sixteen-foot storm surges. 120-mile-per-hour winds. No survivors remain of the most devastating hurricane to ever hit the South Carolina...
1,534 views0 comments
sdiamondriley
- Jul 27, 2022
- 3 min
Legends of the Moss
ZZ Top beards. Spiderwebs. Christmas tinsel. The Spanish moss that drapes swooping branches of Lowcountry live oaks has evoked images...
746 views1 comment
sdiamondriley
- Jul 12, 2022
- 3 min
An Island at Arms
Deep within the lushly landscaped confines of a gated Hilton Head Island residential community lie a couple of open acres of waterfront...
1,990 views0 comments
sdiamondriley
- Jun 14, 2022
- 3 min
No Small Victory
Prior to the end of legalized slavery in the South in 1865, there were many brave souls who took matters into their own hands to escape...
523 views3 comments
sdiamondriley
- May 18, 2022
- 3 min
A Skeleton in the Trees
About midway between Savannah and Charleston on Highway 17 ("Savannah Highway" if heading south, "Charleston Highway" if heading...
2,130 views2 comments
sdiamondriley
- Apr 20, 2022
- 3 min
The OTHER Hilton Head Lighthouse
For several days last week, the Goodyear Blimp hovered over my little Sea Island. If you happened to be watching national television...
1,210 views4 comments
sdiamondriley
- Apr 13, 2022
- 2 min
Greetings from the Lowcountry!
Welcome to the first post of my new blog celebrating the people, places, and things that make the Carolina Sea Islands and their...
628 views4 comments
Want new blog posts via email? Send a note to SusanDiamondRiley@gmail.com.
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