50 years down, forever to go: Stories we hope to write in the next 50 years
.png "The Island Packet’s first edition was published on July 9, 1970.")
The Island Packet has been chronicling the comings and goings in Beaufort County for 50 years, from traffic snarls to neighborhood expansions to businesses opening and closing.
What will the next 50 years bring? Perhaps no toll bridge, the extinction of palmetto bugs, and a massive oyster roast!
We put together 50 hopeful possibilities.
Second bridge onto island completed on time and under budget
South Carolina teachers become among highest paid in the nation
Twenty years later, COVID-19 is all but forgotten
Hospitality industry salaries become fastest-growing segment in county
Jasper Port’s first year going so well it looks to expand
Self-driving cars eliminate crashes on I-95, allowing the trees to grow back
Convenience centers are now open on Wednesdays
Zero fender benders on the Hilton Head Island bridge this summer. What can we expect next year?
Hilton Head has 49th record year of successful sea turtle nests
Did you know the Cross Island Bridge used to have a toll? 5 other little known facts about the road
Celebrating 30 years of Palmetto Bug extinction in the Lowcountry
Sea Pines’ gate fee abolished for visitors to the island’s iconic lighthouse
Parking at all Hilton Head beaches now free, and everyone is courteous about it somehow
Newly elected Town Council representative of Hilton Head’s population and demographics
All Beaufort County oyster roasts to combine this summer for massive, monster roast with bottomless wine
Beaufort County charities overwhelmed by generosity, able to contribute to reserves
Every single person in Beaufort County now lives within safe distance of a fire hydrant. How we got here
Hilton Head Native Islanders look back on 50 more years on historic land undisturbed by government or highway
In new trend, readers actually read stories posted to Facebook before commenting
May River ‘cleanest it’s been in years.’ Here’s how it happened
Success! Everyone in Old Town Bluffton now parks the correct direction
Hudson’s Seafood on the Docks extends storied Happy Hour indefinitely
Poseidon adds third story to create rooftop bar on top of rooftop bar
Coligny Beach on Memorial Day weekend is serene, enjoyable for all in attendance
How Mitchelville went from an ignored spot in the woods to one of South Carolina’s most celebrated historic spots.
Beach visitors leave 0 pounds of trash behind after holiday weekend. Town staff doesn’t know what to do with extra time
Town and County government leaders conduct all public business in public meetings with real transparency
Old Oyster Factory opens second location on Hilton Head, will call it New Oyster Factory
Traffic S.C. 170 in Okatie clear for a 500th straight morning rush hour
Trader Joe’s, Aldi and Costco celebrate 25th anniversaries in Beaufort County
It’s been 50 years since Hilton Head Island’s last pedestrian or bicyclist death. Here’s what changed
Bluffton and Beaufort to add public tennis and pickleball courts
Golf carts are now the leading form of transportation in Hilton Head, Bluffton
Sun City has officially been deemed its own municipality. What took so long?
Ohio has rebranded itself to ‘South CarOHIO’ in an effort to promote staycations rather than Hilton Head road trips
Offshore drilling permanently banned off the East Coast
The Spanish Moss Trail extends to connect Beaufort and Bluffton
Biopic of Beaufort hero Robert Smalls a Hollywood blockbuster
Developer plans something fun for kids in Beaufort
Reconstruction Era National Park is SC’s most-visited attraction
Tiger Woods returns to Hilton Head for Heritage golf tournament
No more kittens? Jasper JARM clears the shelter
CJ Cummings wins Olympic gold
SC State Parks Service announces Bay Point Island will be added to the state parks system.
Beaufort County wins international recognition for successfully dealing with sea level rise.
Achievement gap disappears in Beaufort County School District
Service industry on Hilton Head becomes an industry model for employee pay and benefits
Bluffton and Hardeeville look back on 1,000-acre park purchase as lifesaver for Lowcountry way of life
2070 hurricane season could bring first threat to Beaufort County in decades
Packet celebrates 100th birthday with silly listicle
This story was originally published July 9, 2020 at 5:00 AM.