5:30–6:30 pm: Talk & Q&A
2026 SCHEDULE
Tuesday, October 6
Frederick C. Hack, Jr.
Frederick Hack, Jr. moved with his family to Honey Horn in June 1950, when he was not yet three years old. His memories span one of the most remarkable periods in Hilton Head Island’s history—from an isolated rural island of farms, forests, and dirt roads to the beginnings of the community we know today. Drawing on his childhood and his family’s experiences, Frederick will offer a firsthand account of life on Hilton Head before the bridge and during the island’s earliest years of modern development. Part family story, part island history, Frederick’s reflections offer a rare window into a Hilton Head that has largely disappeared—and into the extraordinary transformation he witnessed firsthand.
Tuesday, October 13
Collins Doughtie
Collins Doughtie is a longtime Lowcountry resident, writer, outdoorsman, and advocate for the region’s natural and cultural heritage. After his family moved to Hilton Head Island in 1961, the island became his playground—a small, wild place where freedom, adventure, and unforgettable memories shaped his childhood.
Over the years, Collins chronicled the Lowcountry’s growth through his writing for The Island Packet, The Beaufort Gazette, and other regional publications. His work celebrates the area’s wildlife, traditions, waterways, and unique people, reflecting his lifelong commitment to preserving the character and beauty of the Lowcountry for future generations.
Tuesday, October 27
Landon Thorne III
Landon Thorne’s love affair with the Lowcountry began when he was a small child. At age 7, his parents brought him to Honey Horn, their island home, where he got his first whiff of pluff mud. A poet, journalist, film producer, pilot, Yale graduate, retired Marine Corps Reserve colonel, decorated combat veteran and business leader, Landon brings a wide-ranging life and a multigenerational connection to the South Carolina Lowcountry to his work and storytelling. His debut novel, The Mud Bone Squabble, is scheduled for release in early summer 2027.
Tuesday, November 3
Charlotte Pazant-Brown
Charlotte Pazant-Brown grew up in a family whose history is deeply connected to Hilton Head Island’s Gullah community. Her grandfather, William Bradford Frazier, was born on Hilton Head Island in 1895 and was a musician and educator. Her mother, Rosalie Pazant, was a pioneering educator and founder of the original Gullah Festival. Charlotte and her sisters were involved in establishing the festival in 1986, continuing a family tradition of preserving and sharing Gullah history and culture. Charlotte later served as president of the Gullah Festival.
Tuesday, November 10
Stan Smith
In 1971, Charles Fraser, Sea Pines founder, invited Stan Smith to Hilton Head Island to become Sea Pines’ touring professional. Smith arrived as one of the world’s top tennis players and went on to win the U.S. Open that year and Wimbledon in 1972. He eventually made Hilton Head Island his home, raising his family here and becoming part of the island’s tennis community. In 2002, he teamed with Billy Stearns to establish the Smith Stearns Tennis Academy, helping to introduce generations of young players to the sport.
Tuesday, November 17
David Ames
David Ames arrived on Hilton Head Island in 1973 and joined Charles Fraser’s Sea Pines Company. Over the next five decades, he played a role in the island’s development, including helping develop Hilton Head Plantation and later co-developing Long Cove Club. As a land planner and developer, Ames has firsthand knowledge of the decisions that shaped the island’s communities and landscape. He also served on Hilton Head Island Town Council from 2016 to 2024 and has remained active in civic and community affairs.