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

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 →

• 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.