DAUFUSKIE ISLAND HISTORY TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Through a Sixth‑Generation Voice: Sallie Ann’s Authentic Gullah Tour on Daufuskie Island
A 3‑hour, small‑group history tour led by sixth‑generation native Sallie Ann Robinson that visits Daufuskie’s museum, church, Mary Field School and cemetery — this guide explains what to expect and the practicalities.
Through a Sixth‑Generation Voice: Sallie Ann’s Authentic Gullah Tour on Daufuskie Island.
A short boat ride delivers you to Daufuskie Island, where Sallie Ann Robinson — a sixth‑generation Gullah native — meets visitors at Melrose Dock and leads a three‑hour tour that threads island history, memory and landscape. Expect stops at the Daufuskie Museum and Library and Oyster Hall, the 138‑year‑old First Union African Baptist Church, the Mary Field School (built in 1934) and the Mary Field Cemetery, plus a drive along the island’s original winding dirt roads under live oaks draped in moss. The outing, run by the Daufuskie Island Gullah Heritage Society, runs rain or shine aboard Sallie Ann’s heated/air‑conditioned 14‑passenger bus, and finishes with a return to the ferry for the ride back to Bluffton and a shuttle to the Visitor Center.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Sallie Ann — a sixth‑generation storyteller
Sallie Ann Robinson grew up on Daufuskie and shares a lifetime of family memory and island knowledge, interpreting Gullah ways of life — living off gardens, woods and the ocean — for visitors on tours she has led for many years.
Museum, church, school and cemetery
The tour visits the Daufuskie Museum and Library and Oyster Hall, the 138‑year‑old First Union African Baptist Church, the Mary Field School built in 1934 (where Pat Conroy taught Sallie Ann in 1969/70) and the Mary Field Cemetery, the island’s largest Gullah graveyard with burials dating to the early 1800s.
A compact island circuit
After a relaxing boat ride to Daufuskie and a meet at Melrose Dock, the tour continues by Sallie Ann’s 14‑passenger heated/air‑conditioned bus — rain or shine — taking visitors along the island’s winding dirt roads beneath huge live oaks before returning to the ferry back to Bluffton.
What the day feels like
What the tour feels like
The day begins with a short boat transfer to Daufuskie and a welcome at Melrose Dock by Sallie Ann. From there you board a compact, climate‑controlled bus and move at a quiet island pace: museum exhibits and historic halls, a stop at the old Union church and the island school tied to Sallie Ann’s own story, and a visit to the Mary Field Cemetery — all woven with first‑hand recollection. The drive itself is part of the lesson, along original dirt roads and moss‑draped live oaks, before Sallie Ann returns you to the ferry for the ride back to Bluffton and a shuttle to the Visitor Center.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this small‑group history tour suits best.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Ferry tickets are not included and must be purchased separately.
The tour uses a heated/air‑conditioned 14‑passenger bus and operates rain or shine.
The tour is run by a nonprofit organization.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the Sallie Ann Authentic Gullah Tour?
The tour lasts three hours.
Where do we meet the guide?
Guests meet on Daufuskie Island and are greeted at Melrose Dock by Sallie Ann Robinson.
Are ferry tickets included?
No — ferry tickets are not included and must be purchased separately.
What is the minimum age for participants?
Participants must be age 12 or older.
How many people are on each tour?
Tours are limited to up to 14 people.
Is the tour affected by weather?
The tour operates rain or shine and uses a heated/air‑conditioned 14‑passenger bus for comfort.