The islands and Lowcountry history are virtually synonymous. Here were the earliest watchtowers of the 1670s when pirates roamed the coastline. Here rang out the sounds of the great Revolutionary War victories won from the palmetto parapets of Fort Sullivan. It was from the inlet that separates the two islands that the Hunley sailed on its fateful mission against the Housatonic and into legend. And here, in the glory days of the late nineteenth century, the trolley line brought visitors from the world over to the islands' majestic resort hotels. Indeed, Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms are unparalleled for the role they have played in the development of the Lowcountry and of our nation. Here are hurricanes, wars, the famous and the infamous--presented delightfully, sometimes with poignancy, and always with a reverence for the history of these extraordinary islands.