With a history of Native Americans and farming, Daniel Island is still in its early years of development. Not until the late 1990s was the 4,000-acre property sold to the Daniel Island Company, which began developing the island into the desirable residential location it is today.

Originally home to the Etiwan tribe, Daniel Island was later used by English settlers for farming. In 1740, the island was named after Robert Daniel, who eventually became governor of Carolina. The island was passed down through several families and eventually fell into the hands of Harry Frank Guggenheim, who purchased the land in 1947 mainly for his family's cattle ranching and hunting and fishing excursions.

After his death in 1971, the Guggenheim Foundation sought after top developers from around the country to build up the island responsibly. The island was eventually sold to the Daniel Island Company in 1997. The Company has been working with the nation's best developers since to create the master-planned community based on traditional housing styles, pedestrian-friendly designs and mixed-use space. In fact, the Best in American Living Awards recently named Daniel Island the "Nation's Top Suburban Smart Growth Community."

For those who want to live in neighborhoods with many recreational parks, streets lined with trees and houses with big front porches, all while still having the modern amenities of the city close by, Daniel Island is the perfect location.

The island offers a range of real estate options, from traditional single-family homes, townhomes, apartments and condominiums.

There are eight defined neighborhoods on Daniel Island with each one named after its own park. Houses on the island range from the $300s to around $6 million, and homesites range from the $200s to around $1 million. Condominiums and townhomes range from around $200,000 to just over $1 million.

More than 400 acres are reserved for parks. Additionally, a Riverwalk along the Wando River is currently being built in stages, and a nature preserve for local wildlife is also in the works.

The island's resident population as of the spring of 2006 was approximately 5,800 but the daytime population is over 8,500. Daniel Island's downtown provides services that most would need on a day-to-day basis such as medical clinics, legal offices and schools. The downtown also includes clothing stores, hair salons, restaurants, shops, churches and clubs. Once development is complete, Daniel Island will be home to around 15,000 residents.

Just 20 minutes from downtown and still considered a part of the city of Charleston, the island is served by Charleston's finest. In the center of the town is a new municipal building for both the fire and police departments for 24-hour emergency medical services.

With 23 miles of shoreline, Daniel Island has become a major destination for recreational activities. Boarding the west and east of the island are the Cooper and Wando rivers and on the north Beresford Creek. All neighborhoods make sure to allow enough dock space for all of its residents to enjoy the water at any time.

The island even has its own private country club, the Daniel Island Club, with two spectacular 18-hole golf courses designed by Tom Fazio and Rees Jones. Travel & Leisure Golf magazine named Daniel Island a "Top 100 Golf Community."

Located on the northern end of island, the Daniel Island Club includes homesites designed for those wishing to live the private club lifestyle, with full access to the club's golf courses, clubhouse and swimming, tennis and fitness facilities.

Daniel Island is one of the first in the nation to be completely served by direct broadband fiber-optic lines. This service allows everyone on the island to have the best in technology for communications and entertainment.

The Daniel Island Academy, an early childhood development center, serves children ages 1 through 4. The facility has the ability accommodate up to 300 children and is the only school in the region to have met the National Association for the Education of Young Children standards from the very beginning. The school has 17 classrooms and outdoor learning labs.

Children from kindergarten through eighth grade on the island can attend the brand-new Daniel Island School which opened in 2006. This 190,000-square-foot community school is located on 34 acres. The school shares its campus with a public library and a 12-acre park.

Bishop England High School is a Roman Catholic co-educational secondary school operating with the support of Diocese of Charleston. The school seeks to promote the spiritual, intellectual and physical growth of the individual through combined efforts of parents/guardians and faculty by establishing the best possible environment for learning. Boys and girls can participate in 14 different varsity sports.

Located on the island is the Daniel Island Medical Center, a member of the Trident Medical Center. The hospital offers state-of-the-art services and both primary care physicians and specialists.

Also located on Daniel Island are the Island Eye Care Center, Coastal Eye Care of Daniel Island and the Daniel Island Hearing Center. The Island Eye Care Center covers eye health care all the way from pediatrics through adulthood. The Coastal Eye Care of Daniel Island offers convenient hours for its patients and an alternative environment from traditional doctor offices. At the Daniel Island Hearing Center, patients can be sure their hearing is being tested and treated by the newest technologies offered.

Daniel Island is home to the A-League National Championship soccer team, the Charleston Battery. Its home, Blackbaud Stadium, was styled after English soccer experience with an English-styled pub, The Three Lions, attached. For 60 minutes before kickoff, the stadium's "Moe's Fun Zone" is open for all children. The interactive soccer theme park has activities such as human foosball, a penalty kick game and face painting. Throughout the year, Blackbaud holds other special events in addition to the soccer games.

With 16 courts and a center court seating up to 10,000, the Family Circle Tennis Center hosts the Family Circle Cup every April. As one of the longest-running all-women Tier 1 events in the world, the Cup continues to showcase the best of women's tennis. Beyond the tennis matches throughout the week, there are also other festivities created for fans of all age groups.

In October 2007, Charleston will celebrate its 14th annual Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure on Daniel Island. In November, the island features the Pre-Turkey Day Tiny Tot Olympics, an event targeted at an earlier age than normal athletic events for ages 1 through 4.