The American Revolution in Bluffton

Begin your day with breakfast in charming Old Town Bluffton at The Cottage Café, Bakery & Tea Room. Enjoy fresh pastries or a classic Lowcountry breakfast before heading to Buckwalter Place Veterans Memorial Park.

On July 2, 2026, attend the America 250 Flag Ceremony hosted by the Sons of the American Revolution. This community gathering honors the ideals of independence and reflects Bluffton’s continued commitment to remembering its Revolutionary roots.

After the ceremony, explore the Old Town Bluffton Historic District. Stop at the Heyward House Museum to deepen your understanding of the Lowcountry’s colonial period and the families who shaped — and were divided by — the Revolution.

Continue to Montpelier Cemetery, the site of the Revolutionary War home of the Pendarvis family. Here, in 1781, Loyalists Richard Pendarvis and William Patterson were killed by members of the Hilton Head Island Bloody Legion. The quiet cemetery offers a powerful reminder that the war in the Lowcountry was deeply personal, often pitting neighbors and relatives against one another.
 

Enjoy lunch at The Bluffton Oyster Company, a refined yet welcoming setting in Old Town known for thoughtful coastal cuisine.

Afterward, stroll along Oyster Factory Park and the banks of the May River. Discuss how these waterways once served as vital corridors for communication, trade, and military movement — shaping both Patriot and Loyalist strategies.

Visitors may opt for a guided kayak experience on the May River to better understand how Bluffton’s tidal geography influenced daily life and Revolutionary activity.

Return to your resort at Montage Palmetto Bluff for pool time, a bike ride along scenic pathways, or relaxation overlooking the river.

Dinner at FARM Bluffton, where locally sourced ingredients and Lowcountry flavors connect past and present. Seasonal seafood, heirloom vegetables, and Southern hospitality create an experience rooted in place.

As night settles over the May River, reflect on how this peaceful waterway once connected communities divided by allegiance. Today, it offers a place of restoration — and an opportunity to experience history in a setting defined by resilience, beauty, and enduring spirit.