Bluffton Historic Walk
Walk the Streets of Living History
Old Town Bluffton offers an eclectic blend of arts, cultural and nature-based experiences. Plus some delicious options sure to please any appetite! Best enjoyed by strolling down the shaded sidewalks, explore the one-square mile of historic downtown with the Bluffton Walking Tour Map or join a tour at the Heyward House Historic Center.
Oak trees draped with Spanish moss and charming buildings with big front porches beckon you to slow down and enjoy the present moment. You’ll be transported to a time of days gone by when local store owners and artists chat with friends just stopping by or visitors discovering Bluffton for the first time.
Historic Tours
The Heyward House, Bluffton’s official welcome center, is a great place to start your ventures around this historic riverfront town. The tour features sites that date from the 1820s to the World War I period and welcomes visitors Monday-Friday from 10am-3pm, or Saturday from 11am-2pm.
Pre and Post Civil War
By the early 19th-century, Bluffton had become both a commercial center and a summer haven from the heat and isolation of South Carolina plantations. Located on the May River between Savannah, GA, and Charleston, SC, it became a hotspot for trade and, increasingly, political rhetoric during the Civil War era. Impassioned debate and cries of secession were heard from Bluffton as early as 1844.
As the Civil War raged, Hilton Head Island was occupied by Union forces, and Lieutenant Commander Bacon pillaged and burned Bluffton on June 4, 1863. After the war had ended, Bluffton recovered and once again became a distribution center for exporting local crops and importing needed farm supplies. This steady commerce brought permanent residents who fell in love with the Lowcountry lifestyle.
Read more about the fascinating history of Bluffton, and visit the Heyward House, the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce headquarters or the Chamber’s Bluffton office to receive a Bluffton Walking Tour Map.
