Area Information
Bluffton was a summer destination for plantation owners seeking to escape the heat. It, too, was a hot bed for secession. Some eight antebellum homes, large and small, survived Civil War shelling and fire. They, as well as the famous and very active Church of the Cross, are historic landmarks, which either have been restored or currently are under restoration.
Bluffton, which borders on the wide May and Colleton Rivers, also has some grand older and very new homes along the water as well as collections of picturesque and colorful beach cottages. Some of Bluffton’s modern plantation communities, often gated, offer some of the best golfing in this golf-saturated area. The town area is developing as an art colony with a charming growing number of galleries and shops. The Bluffton Oyster Factory at the bottom of Wharf Street is the last shucking and canning oyster house on the east coast. It, and the adjoining public boat ramp, are now a public park. Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge, and island accessed between the two bridges connecting Bluffton to Hilton Head Island, has 14 miles of hiking an cycling trails, bird rookeries that literally turn white with percing egrets, very private beachlets and an occasional wandering alligator.
The island, once owned by the Charles Pinckney, signer of the U.S. Constitution, is believed to have been inhabited at one time by prehistoric cavemen. Located just west of the Hilton Head bridge, Bluffton recently extended its boundaries to include large tracts of land formerly cultivated for pine trees.
New communities growing there include, Hampton Hall, Hampton Lake, Pinecrest, Berkeley Hall, Belfair Plantation, Eagle’s Point, Cresent Point, Island West, Rose Dhu Creek, Palmetto Bluff and Westbury Park to name just a few. Along US Highway 278, the shopping is amazing, with two immense outlet areas offering upscale brand names in every kind of merchandise and all the major retail stores have located in the area.
From Bluffton, it is about 30 minutes to I-95, 50 minutes to the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport or 15 minutes to the Hilton Head Island Airport.
BLUFFTON AND HILTON HEAD ISLAND AREA LINKS
Welcome to Bluffton, South Carolina - A link to the Bluffton Town Hall website. The site includes local emergency phone numbers, local school information, town regulations and the master plan for Old Town Bluffton redevelopment.
Town of Hilton Head Island - Hilton Head Island’s official site
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce - Offers vacationer’s guides, a local business directory, area information and lists of upcoming events.
Beaufort County Municipal - Includes information on property tax, emergency services, the county council and area maps.
Beaufort County School District - Deatils about the public shools in all of Beaufort County.
Stacey Macioszek
843-301-2454