South Carolina tourists find remains that may be linked to ‘forgotten’ burial site

On May 23, 2025, tourists exploring Edisto Island, South Carolina, stumbled upon a chilling discovery: what they initially believed to be fossils turned out to be human skeletal remains. The Colleton County Sheriff’s Office responded to the report, and the remains—including a skull and separated bones—were recovered from the Jeremy Cay community near Legare Road. Preliminary assessments suggest these remains may originate from a long-forgotten burial site, possibly dating back to the Revolutionary or Civil War periods. The bones have been sent to the Medical University of South Carolina for forensic analysis to determine their age and origin.

This discovery is not the first of its kind on Edisto Island. In 2015, a tourist found bones protruding from the mud, which were later determined to date back to the mid-1800s. These findings underscore the island’s rich but somber history, particularly its connection to Edingsville Beach—a 19th-century settlement established in 1825 as a summer retreat for Charleston’s elite. The community was eventually abandoned due to coastal erosion, the Civil War, and devastating hurricanes in 1885 and 1893.

The recent discovery on Edisto Island highlights the broader issue of forgotten or neglected burial sites across South Carolina. For instance, in 2024, residents of Daufuskie Island reported the desecration of the Bloody Point cemetery, a historic Gullah burial ground. Heavy equipment was used to mow over the site, disturbing gravestones and raising concerns about the erasure of Gullah culture.

Similarly, in Darlington County, historian Brian Gandy helped uncover hundreds of mostly unmarked graves believed to date back as far as the Civil War. These graves were found on what is now the Clemson University Pee Dee Research and Education Center. The discovery included African-American cemeteries, a Revolutionary War-era family graveyard, and Native American burial mounds.

Efforts are underway to protect and honor these historic sites. In Charleston, a research project has mapped over 200 Black graves, aiming to inform planning and provide a platform for descendants to honor their ancestors. The city has also adopted a gravesite protection ordinance to prevent development impacts on such sites.

These discoveries and preservation efforts serve as poignant reminders of the importance of respecting and remembering the past. They underscore the need for continued vigilance and proactive measures to protect historic burial sites, ensuring that the stories and legacies of those who came before are not lost to time.