Over 4, 000 years old, the barrier islands of South Carolina's Lowcountry are ever-changing and hauntingly beautiful. Hunting Island's importance to Beaufort and the nation has always stemmed from its use as a recreational area. From the rice planters, who took their families here on week-long excursions to hunt and fish, to present-day naturalists, campers, and beachgoers, Hunting Island's unique ecology, terrain, and wildlife have always been enjoyed and valued on an international level. Through the eyes of photographers a century ago, the story of the island unfolds. Readers visit early planters, and meet shrimpers who spread their nets in the shoaled waters surrounding the island. We travel though marshes brimming with life and enjoy moments of solitude along quiet sandy beaches.