Then vs. Now: Beachfront parking was permitted on Front Beach

Visitors to the Isle of Palms are quite familiar with the challenge of finding parking when they arrive for their day in the sun. Fortunately, along Front Beach, there are some options available, with metered parking on Ocean Boulevard as well as a few all-day lots. Isle of Palms County Park offers a great alternative, too. But for real convenience, there is now the CARTA bus that provides shuttle service back and forth to the beach from Mount Pleasant Towne Center on weekends throughout the summer. It drops off beachgoers on Ocean Boulevard at 14th Avenue – and it’s free! Who could ask for anything more convenient than that?

That relatively new bus service is reminiscent of the commute to the island in the early 20th century when an electric trolley left Mount Pleasant’s Old Village and brought visitors to the beach for the day. The trolley passed through Sullivan’s Island and stopped at specific “stations” along Middle Street. Many of the streets in this area are named for the trolley stops that once existed there.

But there was only one stop on the Isle of Palms. And what a stop it was! Front Beach boasted a bath house, restaurant, dance hall and even a grand hotel for those who wished to stay longer than just the day. When you think about it, it’s kind of like what can be found there today.

When the automobile came into use, the trolley system became obsolete. As convenient and exciting as the trip to the island had been on the trolley, people viewed the new invention as even more convenient and exciting. The trolley tracks were replaced with a paved road, Charleston Boulevard, and the trolley station on Front Beach was removed.

But with the jungle that was the Isle of Palms in those days, the only access to the ocean for the next several decades was still at Front Beach. And visitors drove right onto the beach itself to park. They could also drive on the sand along the shoreline as far as they wanted – or dared. Once homes were built on the island in the mid-20th century, automobiles were no longer permitted on the beach.

Today, the automobile has perhaps become more of an inconvenience than a convenience. With frequent traffic and parking challenges, the return of the trolley in the form of CARTA’s air-conditioned buses might offer a better remedy.

By Mary Coy