Bluffton, SC

Today we decided to check out the nearby town of Bluffton.  We started at the Welcome Center, which is called the Heyward House.  It was the summer residence of John Cole, a local plantation owner.  It still has the original materials inside and out.  The girl at the welcome center said it was common for homes to be built slightly elevated, and then left open underneath, mostly for air circulation.

We picked up a map for the walking tour of the historic district, and set off!

This is the Fripp House, originally built in the late 1830's.

This is called the Card House.  Local legends say high-stakes poker games took place here, leading to the loss of land out on Hilton Head Island.

The original Pritchard House was burned during the Civil War.  The son of the original owners rebuilt this one.

This house is called The Bluff.

Squire Pope Carriage House 

The Church of the Cross, built in 1854.

Huger-Gordon house, built before 1855.

Seven Oaks, built in 1860.  The owners did not return after the Civil War, and the house served as a rooming house for salesmen and summer visitors in the 1920's.

Graves House, built in 1915.

Colcock-Teel house, built in 1890.

Cedar Bluff, built in 1890.

Bluffton Oyster Factory, an oyster-processing and seafood business.  This building was constructed in 1940 to replace the previous building, and is the oldest cannery factory still in operation in South Carolina.

Orange Cottage, originally built in 1930.  Later owners added vinyl siding and soffits, but that has been removed now to expose the original pine lap siding and the rafter tails.

"The Store", built in 1904.

And look what I saw hanging out front... The same sign I saw at Jekyll Island!

John Seabrook House, built in 1850.  Mr Seabrook was a plantation owner.

Basel Heywood, Sr house, built 1914.

Patz Brothers' house, originally built as a duplex in 1892, although now the center wall is gone and a central stairway was added.

Next to the Patz Brothers' house is the dry goods store they opened, even before building their house.

Cordray House, built in 1910.

Bruin House, built in 1915.

Campbell Chapel AME Church, originally built in 1853, then repaired after being damaged by fire in 1863.

Many of the historic homes on the tour were built after the Civil War.  That is because most of the town of Bluffton was burned in 1863, with only 15 houses and 2 churches surviving.

An interesting day, and we got lots of walking in!