In an eyebrow-raising discovery, unsuspecting tourists stumbled upon a bombshell find on Edisto Island.
Specifically, these troutists accidentally uncovered a disturbing piece of American history: human remains dating back 200 years.
While authorities scramble to identify these remains, many wonder what other parts of American heritage are still beneath our feet.
Tourists staying at a beach house in the Jeremy Cay community near Legare Road on Edisto Island, South Carolina, stumbled upon what they initially thought were fossils.
Upon closer inspection, they realized they had discovered human remains and immediately contacted local authorities.
The Colleton County Sheriff’s Office and Edisto Beach Police Department responded to the scene and confirmed the remains were indeed human.
Preliminary investigations indicate these remains could be about 200 years old, potentially dating back to America’s formative years.
Coroner Rich Harvey described the discovery as “rare” and suggested the remains, which include a skull and separated bones, “could be from [the] Revolutionary War [or] Civil War.”
This timing would place the remains during the early days of the constitutional republic or during the nation’s most significant internal conflict, both periods of profound significance to Americans.
The location holds historical significance as the former site of Edingsville Beach, a 19th-century settlement that once thrived as a popular destination for wealthy Charleston families.
The settlement included 60 houses, churches, a billiard saloon, a schoolhouse, and facilities for fishing and boating.
Tragically, like many aspects of American history, the settlement faced decline due to erosion and the devastating effects of the Civil War.
After the war, the area was inhabited by Black sharecroppers and farmers until a hurricane in 1885 destroyed most of the remaining homes, leading to the settlement’s abandonment.
The remains have been sent to the Medical University of South Carolina for forensic analysis and identification.
The Colleton County Coroner’s Office is actively involved in the recovery and analysis process.
As the investigation continues, authorities are working diligently to determine more about these forgotten Americans and the circumstances surrounding their burial.
For now, the investigation remains active, with further updates expected as more information becomes available.
Meanwhile, the identity of the individual and the circumstances of their death remain unknown.
