Return of the Missing Mosquito Beach sign
The iconic “Welcome to Mosquito Beach” sign that disappeared from its location in James Island, Charleston, is reportedly on its way back home. The bright blue surfboard, adorned with pink and yellow stripes, has been welcoming visitors to Mosquito Beach since 1953 for the past two decades. In a surprising turn of events, this well-known symbol of local heritage seems to have made an unexpected journey to an Upstate dorm room.
Cubby Wilder, a local resident and former James Island Public Service District Commissioner, alerted the Charleston County Sheriff Office about the sign’s absence on April 5, indicating it was last seen at the intersection of Mosquito Beach and Sol Legare roads the previous day. Wilder, who once served as the president of the Mosquito Beach Business Association, assured that the sign was discovered in a university student’s dorm room at Clemson and was being returned to Charleston County.
The Legacy of Mosquito Beach
The beach is entwined with Charleston’s history as a gathering place for African American residents and visitors during the period of segregation. Its role as a hub for the James Island community during the civil rights movement was documented with the help of a 2017 grant from the National Park Service, as revealed by the Historic Charleston Foundation.
Among the five historical ‘black beaches’ in Charleston County, Mosquito Beach has maintained its authenticity, serving as a tangible reminder of a time when public beaches were segregated in the American South. Its historical significance led to it being listed in the National Register of Historic Places in September 2019.
A Community’s Sentiment
Ernest Parks, the curator of the Seashore Farmers Lodge Museum and Cultural Center on Sol Legare Road, noted the transformation of the once-isolated community. With the influx of outsiders, community treasures such as Mosquito Beach are coming under threat. Parks contended that it wasn’t likely that the sign’s perpetrator hailed from the local community, arguing that a Sol Legare resident “would not steal or desecrate one of the gems of Sol Legare.”
Restoration of Pride
The surfboard sign bestowed on the community two decades ago by a Follow Beach artist stands as an emblem of community pride. Its unexpected disappearance and the subsequent efforts to return it underscores not only its sentimental value but the importance of preserving historical artifacts that bear testimony to significant periods in local history. With the imminent return of the sign from Clemson, the community looks forward to restoring its vibrant symbol of historical pride.
