| Mosquito Beach Historic District | |
| Nrhp Type: | hd |
| Nocat: | yes |
| Location: | Mosquito Beach Road, Charleston, South Carolina. |
| Added: | September 23, 2019 |
| Refnum: | 100004409 |
The Mosquito Beach Historic District located on James Island, South Carolina was the weekend destination for thousands of African Americans during the height of Jim Crow. It was added to the National Historic Register on September 23, 2019.[1] The 8.36-acre site, located between two creeks, was formerly owned by a member of the Legare family. In the 1950s, African Americans began using the land, which was more akin to a dirt road on a creek rather than a natural beach, for recreation. The four structures and corresponding pavilions were a safe refuge for the community. Usage of Mosquito Beach declined after nearby Folly Beach was desegregated.[2] [3]
The owner of the Pine Tree Hotel, one of the remaining structures in the historic district, received a $490,000 grant for the restoration and renovation of the hotel from the National Park Service's African American History Civil Rights program in 2020.[4] The structure was going to be almost completely rebuilt and further lifted to avoid floods in the area.[5] However, on April 15, 2022, a fire destroyed the structure. Nonetheless, because the Historic Charleston Foundation was in the process of reconstructing it, "windows, roof trusses, and other materials" had already been removed and will be used for the reconstruction of the hotel.[6]