Rose Island, an island oasis, soon to be shared with others

Each new day on Rose Island brings something new for island owner John Murdaugh and his family.

The 560-acre island, hidden behind Lemon Island near the Broad River Bridge on the Broad River, is accessible only by boat.

Its only house, owned by the Murdaughs, is powered by solar panels, providing many modern conveniences.

But the family is frequently reminded of more primitive times.

An old horse and cattle stable is a reminder of the cattle company that used to operate on the island.

A herd of wild goats that call the island home and the occasional animal skeletons that wash ashore -- including one of a full dolphin they found several months ago -- are glimpses of the incredible wildlife that has existed on the island for generations.

And trips to the beach uncover artifacts such as arrowheads and broken pieces of pottery from the Native Americans who once used the island.

"The island really is so different from the mainland and you never know what to expect when you go out there. There's no telling," Murdaugh said. "It really looks like how you would have encountered it a hundred years ago."

While Murdaugh and his family have the island all to themselves now, visiting almost every week during the summer and every few weeks in the off seasons, he said he bought the island with future development in mind.

As many as 19 other homes could be built on the island soon, each with about five acres of land. The plan is to build simple, fish-camp style homes that would likely max out at about 2,000 square feet with a focus on outdoor-style living.

Murdaugh said his family already lives that way on their trips to the island, going out on their boat to trawl for shrimp, walking down to the beach to pick oysters and collecting wood for frequent Lowcountry boils.

"I would love to just keep it for myself," he said. "But I did buy it as an investment, to both preserve it and help others experience it."

Follow reporter Sarah Bowman on Twitter at twitter.com/IPBG_Sarah and on Facebook at facebook.com/IPBGSarah.

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This story was originally published July 2, 2015 at 9:25 PM with the headline "Rose Island, an island oasis, soon to be shared with others."