In this fourth edition of Local and Uncommon, host Robert Vingi visits the Kiawah Island home of Bill, Betty, and Ashton Cobb to explore the island's transformation from a wild hunting ground to a modern community. The conversation spans three centuries of local lore, including the arrival of the English in 1670 , the long-standing reign of the Vanderhorst family , and the eventual sale of the land to CC Royal in 1950. The podcast highlights fascinating historical details, such as a 200-year-old legal battle between the Shubrick and Vanderhorst families over oyster beds that eventually required a court-ordered plat to resolve.

The discussion also delves into the island's diverse heritage, specifically the story of Quash Stevens, the half-brother of the aristocratic Vanderhorsts who managed the island for decades before becoming a prominent landowner on Johns Island. Furthermore, the episode explores Civil War strategy through the presence of the 55th Massachusetts, a Black Union regiment stationed on the island's eastern end to build a naval signal system. These deep historical roots are balanced by personal memories from the 1950s, a time when property owners used private keys to cross iron gates and navigated the rugged terrain in World War II-era jeeps.

Featured guest Ashton Cobb is a historian and the author of the definitive history of the island, which can be found at this link: https://www.amazon.com/Kiawah-Island-History-Ashton-Cobb/dp/1540203700