Current Status Introducing Body:House Bill Number:4962 Primary Sponsor:Keyserling Type of Legislation:HR Subject:Port Royal, 120-Year Incorporation Day Date Bill Passed both Bodies:19940323 Computer Document Number:CYY/15937AC.94 Introduced Date:19940323 Last History Body:House Last History Date:19940323 Last History Type:Introduced, adopted Scope of Legislation:Statewide All Sponsors:Keyserling Type of Legislation:House Resolution
Bill Body Date Action Description CMN Leg Involved ____ ______ ____________ ______________________________ ___ ____________ 4962 House 19940323 Introduced, adoptedView additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
TO RECOGNIZE MARCH 26, 1994, AS THE 120-YEAR INCORPORATION DAY CELEBRATION OF THE TOWN OF PORT ROYAL, SOUTH CAROLINA.
Whereas, records of the earliest explorers establish that the site of the present Town of Port Royal has been occupied with very few breaks in continuity by white settlers from 1566 up to the present; and
Whereas, according to these records, beginning in 1566 Port Royal was the site of the Spanish forts of San Felipe (1566-76) and San Marcos (1577-on) with a continuous existence up to 1674; and
Whereas, while there are many other historical references to Port Royal Harbor over the next two hundred years, the Town of Port Royal was not as prominent during that time as in the early settlement days when the government of the Carolina colony was not by township or county but was centralized at the seat of the colony which had moved in the late 1670's to Charles Town; and
Whereas, William Sayle arrived with two ships at Port Royal in 1670, was appointed Governor of this English colony, and began the first settlement of the English proprietors in the Province of South Carolina at Port Royal; and
Whereas, in 1674 under the leadership of Sir John Yeamans, the Province of South Carolina was divided into four counties one of which was Colleton which contained Port Royal; and
Whereas, the Town of Port Royal as it is known today began to emerge in 1869, when Stephen Caldwell Millett started a railroad in southeastern South Carolina named Port Royal because it crossed the entire island of Port Royal from Coosaw River to Battery River; and Whereas, the terminus of the railroad was to be built on Cedar Grove Plantation which extended from the present U. S. Naval Hospital to the Battery River and this land was sold for taxes after the Civil War to the Port Royal Railroad Company for the terminus; and
Whereas, it is from this tract of land that the present day town called Port Royal grew and was incorporated on March 9, 1874. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the members of the House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize March 26, 1994, as the 120-Year Incorporation Day celebration in Port Royal, South Carolina.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Honorable Henry Robinson, Mayor, Port Royal, South Carolina.