Sunrises paint the sky with vibrant hues over Demetre Park. This is Charleston’s only city-owned waterfront park on James Island. Locals affectionately call it Sunrise Park. Its panoramic views are breathtaking. You can see the Battery Patriots Point the Ravenel Bridge Mount Pleasant Sullivan’s Island and Fort Johnson.
Demetre Park wasn’t always a park. It began as a waterfront lot owned by Melton Peter Demetre. In the 1960s Demetre filled the land. This was later prohibited. A legal battle ensued. The Army Corps of Engineers ordered him to stop. A federal judge eventually ruled that the fill could stay. The land’s use was restricted to Demetre’s stated plan: a marina.
But Demetre had a different vision. In 1990 he donated the land to the city. He had a condition. The land must become a park within ten years. It needed specific amenities. The park would then be named in his honor. When the deadline neared the city was not fully compliant. Demetre sued to get his land back.
The lawsuit settled in 2007. The city agreed to finish the park. A 190-foot fishing pier was built. Two sandy beaches opened. A covered picnic area welcomed visitors. A small hiking trail wound through the park. The park was officially dedicated and renamed Melton Peter Demetre Park in 2007.
Today Demetre Park thrives. Its fishing pier extends into the harbor. It has a floating dock. Visitors walk down steps to the beaches. An automatic gate controls access. The park is a haven for locals. It’s a place to enjoy stunning views. It’s a place to hunt for fossilized shark teeth. Melton Peter Demetre’s legacy lives on in this beautiful waterfront park a true jewel of Charleston’s park system.