Johns Island, South Carolina

Johns Island, also spelled John's Island, is an island in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States, and is the largest island in the state of South Carolina. Johns Island is bordered by the Wadmalaw, Seabrook, Kiawah, Edisto, Folly, and James islands; the Stono and Kiawah rivers separate Johns Island from its border islands. It is the fourth largest island on the US east coast, surpassed only by Long Island, Mount Desert Island and Martha's Vineyard. Johns Island is in area, with a population of 14,000 people.Johns Island was named after Saint John Parish in Barbados by the first settlers on the island.WildlifeThe island is home to scores of wildlife species, including deer, alligators, raccoons, coyotes, bobcats, otters and wild hogs. The rivers and marshes abound with fish and shellfish, especially oysters, and dolphins. The number of bird species is in the hundreds. They include bald eagles, osprey, wild turkeys, owls, hawks, herons, egrets and ducks. The flora is also abundant with many native and imported species as well as agricultural crops.HistoryColonial era (1670–1776)Johns Island was originally inhabited by nomadic tribes of Native Americans such as the Kiawah, who survived by hunting. By the time Europeans arrived in the area, these tribes were already settled and farming off the land. Native American tribes in this area included the Stono and the Bohicket. Initially, the Stono and European settlers had good relations. However, after the Stono killed some of the Europeans' livestock, the whites murdered several Indians in retaliation.