Daniel Island is a 4,000-acre island located in the city of Charleston, South Carolina. Named after its former inhabitant, the colonial governor of the Carolinas, Robert Daniell, the island is located in Berkeley County and situated between the Cooper and Wando Rivers . As of July 2012 it is currently being developed as a master-planned community complete with residential neighborhoods, parks, trails, recreational amenities and a downtown that is home to shops, restaurants, schools, churches and offices for businesses.
Formerly owned by the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation and used primarily for farming, cattle ranching, and as a private hunting retreat, the island remained undeveloped until the early 1990s when the newly constructed I-526 expressway was completed. At that time, the Guggenheim Foundation sponsored the development of a master plan that would guide the island’s development as a natural extension of this affluent suburb of Charleston. Development of the first residential properties began in 1996, and in 1997 the island was purchased by the Daniel Island Company, a developer of master-planned communities. Hundreds of acres of parks have been created. Two professional sports facilities – the Family Circle Tennis Center and Blackbaud Stadium – are located on the island, along with a private country club, the Daniel Island Club, with golf courses by Tom Fazio and Rees Jones. The club hosts the Nationwide Tour Championship, the final event of the Nationwide Tour. There are also two churches and three schools on the island. The community and its developers have been nationally recognized for responsible planning and "smart growth" practices with numerous awards and accolades. It was a 2007 recipient of an "Award for Excellence" from the Urban Land Institute.
Daniel Island is home to eight main parks, with each neighborhood on the island having its own park. The eight parks are Barfield Park, Center Park, Cochran Park, Codner's Ferry Park, Daniel Island Park, Etiwan Park, Pierce Park and Smythe Park. Daniel Island also has a downtown area where many businesses, restaurants, doctors' offices, shops and condominiums are located.
There are three schools located on Daniel Island: the DI Academy (pre-K), Daniel Island School (K–8) and Bishop England High School (9–12), a private Roman Catholic high school that has an estimated student body of 900 students. The Daniel Island School was constructed in 2006.