--- title: "Old Town Bluffton" url: https://www.herehiltonhead.com/old-town-bluffton/ date: 2026-05-18T19:06:21-04:00 modified: 2026-05-18T21:00:16-04:00 author: "" site: "HERE Hilton Head" attribution: "HERE Hilton Head" --- # Old Town Bluffton *Source: [HERE Hilton Head](https://www.herehiltonhead.com/old-town-bluffton/) — May 18, 2026 by * # Old Town Bluffton The historic core of Bluffton centered on Calhoun Street and the May River bluff. Old Town is a mile-square National Register historic district known for the Church of the Cross, the Bluffton Oyster Company, art galleries, and locally-owned restaurants. Antebellum cottages line streets shaded by Spanish-moss-draped live oaks. Calhoun Street Church of the Cross Bluffton Oyster Company May River bluff ### Quick Facts Median Home Value$1,100,000 -10.0% YoY Price Range$500,000 – $5,000,000 Home Size800 – 5,000 sq ft National RegisterListed 1996 · 46 properties POA / HOANo POA or HOA for Old Town historic district residential properties. Individual Village at Olde Town condo complex has annual dues of $1,642/yr. Most Old Town single-family parcels have no mandatory association. ZIP29910 ### At A Glance ### Got A Tip? News, real estate moves, or business happenings in Old Town Bluffton? Send a tip — anonymous OK. [Submit a Tip](/submit-a-tip/) ### Own This Neighborhood Your Name Here Your Brokerage · Hilton Head Island, SC 📞(864) 555-0100 ✉you@yoursite.com 🌐yoursite.com $149/mo · Sponsor Old Town Bluffton [Become The Sponsor →](/sponsor-a-neighborhood/) ## History Old Town Bluffton's recorded history begins around 1825, when Lowcountry planters chose the high bluff above the May River as a summer refuge from the heat and disease of coastal rice plantations. A small village of planter's cottages, church, and tavern grew along Calhoun Street and the bluff, and Bluffton was formally incorporated in 1852. The Civil War arrived dramatically on June 4, 1863, when Union forces torched most of the town in reprisal; the Church of the Cross (1854), which had served as a Union hospital, and a handful of other structures survived. Reconstruction and the late-19th-century commercial era slowly revived the town as a fishing and agricultural center. The Bluffton Historic District — encompassing 46 contributing buildings spanning 1815–1945 — was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 21, 1996. Today, 80+ historic contributing structures survive, and the Town of Bluffton's 2006 Old Town Master Plan guides preservation-compatible growth. ## Architecture & Housing Stock ★ Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1996 · 46 contributing properties) Old Town Bluffton is a rare surviving antebellum village — a 1-square-mile historic district on the May River bluff, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996 (46 contributing buildings, 1815–1945). Much of the original antebellum town was burned by Union forces in June 1863, but a remarkable number of structures survived: the Church of the Cross (1854), the Heyward House (c. 1840s), the Fripp House, and several planter's cottages. Today the district is bounded by Calhoun Street (the commercial main street), the May River bluff, and historic residential lanes shaded by cathedral live oaks. New restaurants, galleries, and boutiques have transformed Old Town into a thriving destination while maintaining its architectural character. Short-term rentals are permitted in some zones, attracting investor buyers at the upper price range. Active and recently sold homes in Old Town Bluffton range from **$500,000** to **$5,000,000**, with floor plans spanning **800–5,000 square feet**. [View current listings →](https://www.redfin.com/neighborhood/766229/SC/Bluffton/Old-Town/housing-market) - **Antebellum Lowcountry Cottage** One- to two-story frame structures with full-width porches, brick pier foundations, weatherboard clapboard siding, and minimal ornament — surviving structures largely date from 1825–1900 and reflect antebellum resort and post-Civil War vernacular. - **Craftsman Bungalow** Early-20th-century residential style present on several Old Town streets; characterized by low-pitched rooflines, exposed rafters, and broad front porches. - **New-Traditional Infill** Custom new construction designed in keeping with the historic district's architectural vocabulary — wood siding, elevated porches, natural materials, and setbacks consistent with historic lots. Median value sourced from [primary data provider](https://www.redfin.com/neighborhood/766229/SC/Bluffton/Old-Town/housing-market). Your Featured Sponsor Your Name Here Your Brokerage · Realtor® **📞** (864) 555-0100 **✉** you@yourbrokerage.com **🌐** yourbrokerage.com [Visit My Site →](/advertise/) ### Own Old Town Bluffton — Just $149/month Exclusive sponsorship · one realtor or local business per neighborhood - **Top-of-page featured card** with your photo, name, brokerage, phone, email, and website - **Route every Old Town Bluffton search visitor** directly to your site — not Zillow, not Realtor.com - **Hyperlocal SEO juice** — backlink from a high-authority HERE Hilton Head neighborhood page - **Click-to-call and click-to-email** built in for mobile leads - **Lock out competitors** — only one sponsor at a time, month-to-month - **Cancel anytime** — no contract, no setup fee [Claim Old Town Bluffton →](/sponsor-a-neighborhood/) [See vs Zillow & Redfin](/sponsor-a-neighborhood/#compare) ## Nearby Retail & Dining - **The Pearl Kitchen and Bar** — exceptional contemporary American and Lowcountry seafood; consistently rated top restaurant in Bluffton *(in district)* - **The Bluffton Room** — award-winning contemporary American fine dining on Calhoun Street *(in district)* - **Bluffton Barbeque** — authentic Southern slow-cooked BBQ with a rustic live-oak courtyard *(in district)* - **The Cottage Restaurant** — afternoon tea and pastries in a charming 1868 cottage, dog-friendly patio *(in district)* - **Nectar Farm Kitchen** — award-winning farm-to-table Southern cuisine and cocktail bar *(0.5 mi)* - **Husk Bluffton** — James Beard-affiliated Southern cuisine honoring heritage grains and Lowcountry farming traditions (Husk brand) *(in district)* - **The Store (Calhoun Street)** — neighborhood boutique gifts, local art, and home goods *(in district)* - **FLOW Gallery + Workshop** — Lowcountry-inspired local artisan gallery and workshop space *(in district)* - **Bluffton Oyster Company / Oyster Factory Park** — historic May River oyster harvesting operation and waterfront park *(in district)* - **Lowcountry Produce Bluffton** — farm produce market and cafe satellite location *(1 mi)* ## Healthcare & Essentials - **Novant Health Hilton Head Medical Center** Hospital (93-bed acute care, 24/7 ER) *(12 mi)* - **Beaufort Memorial Hospital** Hospital (regional) *(20 mi)* - **Doctors Care Bluffton** Urgent Care *(1 mi)* - **St. Joseph's/Candler Immediate Care Bluffton** Urgent Care *(1 mi)* - **MUSC Health at Beaufort Memorial Okatie Medical Pavilion** Primary Care / Specialty *(5 mi)* - **CVS Pharmacy Bluffton** Pharmacy *(1 mi)* - **Walgreens Pharmacy Bluffton** Pharmacy *(1 mi)* - **Coastal Pediatric Dentistry Bluffton** Pediatric Dentist *(2 mi)* - **Novant Health Coastal Carolina Medical Center (Hardeeville)** Hospital *(10 mi)* - **Beaufort Memorial Emergency & Urgent Care (opening Fall 2026)** ER / Urgent Care (24/7 hybrid) *(13 mi)* **Run a business near Old Town Bluffton?** Join the HERE Hilton Head Business Directory and we'll link your name from neighborhood pages like this one — driving local search traffic straight to your site. [Join Our Business Directory →](/advertise/) School data from the [SC Department of Education Report Card](https://screportcards.com). Page maintained by HERE Hilton Head.