New Hilton Head trolley memorializes Sea Pines Clydesdale, island’s ‘official greeter’
A third trolley added to Hilton Head Island’s Palmetto Breeze trolley system will be named after famed island Clydesdale Harley, who died at 17 years old in March.
Palmetto Breeze announced the namesake Wednesday in a Facebook post.
“We were overwhelmed with the participation, which included thousands of interactions or comments and more than 1,000 votes — the majority of which were for Harley the Lawton Stables Clydesdale horse who was the ‘official greeter’ for countless families in The Sea Pines Resort,” the transportation company wrote.
The third trolley will be dedicated in Harley’s name at a small ceremony at 11 a.m. on May 20 at Lowcountry Celebration Park. It will offer free rides on routes that connect Shelter Cove Towne Centre with the Folly Field Beach area and the south end, including Coligny Beach.
Trolley service started on Hilton Head April 10.
The trolleys run from 1 to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 1 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The trolleys come to each stop approximately every 30 minutes.
About Harley the Clydesdale
A descendant of Budweiser’s famous Clydesdale team, Harley never marched or traveled with the group. But his massive presence and friendly demeanor made him loved by generations of visitors on Hilton Head.
He came to the island in March 2009 to pull a carriage through the Sea Pines Forest Preserve.
Harley marched in the Hilton Head Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade just once. After discovering he had arthritis, his caretakers moved him to a more ceremonial role, but one no less important: Official greeter.
He stationed himself at the entrance to Lawton Stables and greeted each visitor with a wet nose and confident acknowledgment: Yes, he was beautiful.
“He certainly knew he was the king. He was very well behaved, but he understood he was very important,” Lawton Stables general manager Haley Zimmerman said of Harley in March. “He was just so loved here.”
On March 15, Harley’s reign at Lawton Stables ended. The Clydesdale passed away after suffering from gastrointestinal issues commonly referred to as colic.
For a horse that weighed nearly a ton, Harley had incredible senses and showed care, even when interacting with the island’s tiniest visitors.
“So many carrots. So many kisses,” Chesnee resident Jessica Wilson said. “Watching my daughter grow next to him in annual photos was such a joy.”
