Bluffton, South Carolina
Encyclopedia
The weather in the Bluffton, SC area is typical of the Southeast with generally mild temperatures from Fall through Spring and a warm and humid Summer. There can be occasionally snow flurries in the winter but that is quite unusual.
The acknowledged hurricane season goes from June 1 to November 30th each year. Somehow, the Savannah/Hilton Head area seems to avoid direct hurricane hits although there is no scientific reason why this happens. There was a Category 3 Hurricane 1893 Sea Islands hurricane
that struck the Savannah and Beaufort area in 1893 and there was a recent close call with Hurricane Hugo
in 1989.
Indians had established ten towns with over 1,200 inhabitants in that area, it was considered "Indian Lands". In 1715, the Yemassee War broke out, and after several years of fighting, the Yemassee migrated to Florida, opening the "Indian Lands" to European settlement. In 1718, the Lords Proprietors carved the area into several new baronies, including the Devil’s Elbow Barony that contained the future town of Bluffton.
The Town of Bluffton was eventually built on two adjoining parcels in the Devil’s Elbow Barony purchased by Benjamin Walls and James Kirk. The first homes were constructed during the early 19th century by area plantation owners seeking the high ground and cool river breezes as an escape from the unhealthy conditions present on Lowcountry rice and cotton plantations. Easy access by water provided more incentive for expansion, and the many tidal coves afforded excellent locations for residences. The first streets were formally laid out during the mid-19th century, and the name of "Bluffton" was decided upon during the same period.
In 1844 the planters around Bluffton became angered by federal tariff
s which were making the goods they imported from abroad excessively expensive. Out of this discontent grew the "Bluffton Movement". Incensed planters gathered beneath what became known as the "Secession Oak" and the secession
ist movement was born. Sixteen years later, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union.
In 1852 the town was officially incorporated by an act of the South Carolina General Assembly
and comprised approximately one square mile. A steamboat
landing was constructed at the end of Calhoun Street at this time, which allowed the town to be a stopover for travelers between Savannah
and Beaufort
or Charleston
.
Within one year of the capture of Fort Sumter
, Bluffton became a safe haven for residents fleeing Union
occupation of the South Carolina barrier islands. Bluffton was a headquarters for Confederate
forces until Union forces on Hilton Head Island ordered the town's destruction in 1863. Approximately 60 structures were in the town before the attack, but only the town's two churches and fifteen residences remained standing afterwards.
On June 4, 1863, several Union gunboat
s and a transport carrying 1,000 infantry
men steamed up the river to Bluffton because, as the officer in charge wrote in his report, "This town has been the headquarters for the rebels for a long time in this vicinity." Troops were landed with orders to fire the town. Confederate soldiers attacked but were outnumbered and outgunned. When shelling and torching ended and the Union forces withdrew, 34 or more homes, churches and other buildings had been destroyed. This, of course, was a severe blow to the town which took years to overcome.
Rebuilding came slowly as few local landowners could still afford the luxury of a summer home in Bluffton. The town did not experience a true rebuilding until the 1880s, when it emerged as a commercial center for Beaufort County. The town remained a commercial center until the Coastal Highway (US 17
) and the bridge at Port Wentworth, Georgia
, over the Savannah River
were completed, making riverboat trade and travel less attractive. The Great Depression
, beginning shortly thereafter, brought the closure of the town’s prosperity and commercial importance. The popularity of the town as a vacation spot remained even after its loss of commercial stature.
The development of Hilton Head Island, nearby Sun City, and related development have caused a resurgence of commercial activity in the town. By 1974, off-island development began with Moss Creek. William A. Fischel’s concept of “incomplete assignment of property rights” relates to the off-island development pressure occurring in the Hilton Head/Bluffton area. In the case of Hilton Head Island, active growth management (1980s) tried to restrict further development in order to protect the island's amenities. Hilton Head limited development by successfully restricting the number of units and number of bedrooms one could build. Hence, the result of these restrictions is off-island development. Once communities place restrictions on development, the development itself often spills over into surrounding communities, shifting growth inland. In this case, the "spillover development" from Hilton Head Island directly affects Bluffton.
contained in its headwaters. In 2009, oyster
shell beds began closing and some of the impetus for expanding the town limits was negated. Upon closer look, many have noticed that the annexed areas contain higher densities than would have been allowed under county zoning, thus further negating logic for annexation. According to a Clemson University
study development agreements of this type generally produce $1.00 of income for every $1.50 - $2.40 required to support new growth.
of 2000, in greater Bluffton there were 37,000 people, 8,210 households, and 341 families residing in the town. The population density
was132.5 people per square mile (14.5/km²). There were 501 housing units at an average density of 14.7 per square mile (5.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 63.22% White, 32.47% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 3.14% from other races
, and 0.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.96% of the population.
There were 8,210 households out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples
living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $44,281, and the median income for a family was $48,611. Males had a median income of $35,139 versus $24,444 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $17,327. About 8.6% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.9% of those under age 18 and 26.2% of those age 65 or over.
is the second high school in southern Beaufort County and is one of eight high schools total in the county. Total enrollment is approximately 1,300 students grades ten through twelve. The geographical area served extends from Okatie to the gateway to Hilton Head Island.
's new Gateway campus and the Technical College of the Lowcountry
's New River campus are located along the U.S. Highway 278
corridor, halfway between Bluffton and Hardeeville
in the Sun City vicinity.
The acknowledged hurricane season goes from June 1 to November 30th each year. Somehow, the Savannah/Hilton Head area seems to avoid direct hurricane hits although there is no scientific reason why this happens. There was a Category 3 Hurricane 1893 Sea Islands hurricane
1893 Sea Islands Hurricane
On August 27, 1893 a major hurricane which came to be known as the Sea Islands Hurricane struck the United States near Savannah, Georgia. It was one of two deadly hurricanes during the 1893 Atlantic hurricane season; the storm killed an estimated 1,000–2,000 people, mostly from storm surge...
that struck the Savannah and Beaufort area in 1893 and there was a recent close call with Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo was a classical, destructive and rare Cape Verde-type hurricane which struck the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the USA mainland in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane during September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season...
in 1989.
History
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the area comprising southern Beaufort County was known as Granville County of St. Luke’s Parish. As the YemasseeYamasee
The Yamasee were a multiethnic confederation of Native Americans that lived in the coastal region of present-day northern coastal Georgia near the Savannah River and later in northeastern Florida.-History:...
Indians had established ten towns with over 1,200 inhabitants in that area, it was considered "Indian Lands". In 1715, the Yemassee War broke out, and after several years of fighting, the Yemassee migrated to Florida, opening the "Indian Lands" to European settlement. In 1718, the Lords Proprietors carved the area into several new baronies, including the Devil’s Elbow Barony that contained the future town of Bluffton.
The Town of Bluffton was eventually built on two adjoining parcels in the Devil’s Elbow Barony purchased by Benjamin Walls and James Kirk. The first homes were constructed during the early 19th century by area plantation owners seeking the high ground and cool river breezes as an escape from the unhealthy conditions present on Lowcountry rice and cotton plantations. Easy access by water provided more incentive for expansion, and the many tidal coves afforded excellent locations for residences. The first streets were formally laid out during the mid-19th century, and the name of "Bluffton" was decided upon during the same period.
In 1844 the planters around Bluffton became angered by federal tariff
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
s which were making the goods they imported from abroad excessively expensive. Out of this discontent grew the "Bluffton Movement". Incensed planters gathered beneath what became known as the "Secession Oak" and the secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
ist movement was born. Sixteen years later, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union.
In 1852 the town was officially incorporated by an act of the South Carolina General Assembly
South Carolina General Assembly
The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower South Carolina House of Representatives and the upper South Carolina Senate. Altogether, the General...
and comprised approximately one square mile. A steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
landing was constructed at the end of Calhoun Street at this time, which allowed the town to be a stopover for travelers between Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
and Beaufort
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,361 in the 2010 census. It is located in the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan...
or Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
.
Within one year of the capture of Fort Sumter
Battle of Fort Sumter
The Battle of Fort Sumter was the bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter, near Charleston, South Carolina, that started the American Civil War. Following declarations of secession by seven Southern states, South Carolina demanded that the U.S. Army abandon its facilities in Charleston Harbor. On...
, Bluffton became a safe haven for residents fleeing Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
occupation of the South Carolina barrier islands. Bluffton was a headquarters for Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
forces until Union forces on Hilton Head Island ordered the town's destruction in 1863. Approximately 60 structures were in the town before the attack, but only the town's two churches and fifteen residences remained standing afterwards.
On June 4, 1863, several Union gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
s and a transport carrying 1,000 infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
men steamed up the river to Bluffton because, as the officer in charge wrote in his report, "This town has been the headquarters for the rebels for a long time in this vicinity." Troops were landed with orders to fire the town. Confederate soldiers attacked but were outnumbered and outgunned. When shelling and torching ended and the Union forces withdrew, 34 or more homes, churches and other buildings had been destroyed. This, of course, was a severe blow to the town which took years to overcome.
Rebuilding came slowly as few local landowners could still afford the luxury of a summer home in Bluffton. The town did not experience a true rebuilding until the 1880s, when it emerged as a commercial center for Beaufort County. The town remained a commercial center until the Coastal Highway (US 17
U.S. Route 17 in South Carolina
In the U.S. state of South Carolina, U.S. Route 17 is a north–south highway located near the Atlantic Ocean. The route enters the state from Georgia at the Savannah River and serves Charleston and Myrtle Beach before entering North Carolina near Calabash.-Route description:US 17 enters into...
) and the bridge at Port Wentworth, Georgia
Port Wentworth, Georgia
Port Wentworth is a city in Chatham County, Georgia, USA. The population was 5,359 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Port Wentworth is located at...
, over the Savannah River
Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the northernmost part of the border...
were completed, making riverboat trade and travel less attractive. The Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, beginning shortly thereafter, brought the closure of the town’s prosperity and commercial importance. The popularity of the town as a vacation spot remained even after its loss of commercial stature.
The development of Hilton Head Island, nearby Sun City, and related development have caused a resurgence of commercial activity in the town. By 1974, off-island development began with Moss Creek. William A. Fischel’s concept of “incomplete assignment of property rights” relates to the off-island development pressure occurring in the Hilton Head/Bluffton area. In the case of Hilton Head Island, active growth management (1980s) tried to restrict further development in order to protect the island's amenities. Hilton Head limited development by successfully restricting the number of units and number of bedrooms one could build. Hence, the result of these restrictions is off-island development. Once communities place restrictions on development, the development itself often spills over into surrounding communities, shifting growth inland. In this case, the "spillover development" from Hilton Head Island directly affects Bluffton.
Neighborhoods and annexations
Once Hilton Head Island began to reach the “build-out” stage of development, Bluffton officials began to recognize the enormous amount of growth that would soon face the town. All of the land outside the original “one square mile” of the town was in the jurisdiction of Beaufort County. Instead of working with Beaufort County and following the Beaufort County Comprehensive Plan, the town began to annex land in order to possess more local control over future development. One of their main concerns was the May River and the delicate estuaryEstuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
contained in its headwaters. In 2009, oyster
Oyster
The word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
shell beds began closing and some of the impetus for expanding the town limits was negated. Upon closer look, many have noticed that the annexed areas contain higher densities than would have been allowed under county zoning, thus further negating logic for annexation. According to a Clemson University
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
study development agreements of this type generally produce $1.00 of income for every $1.50 - $2.40 required to support new growth.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, in greater Bluffton there were 37,000 people, 8,210 households, and 341 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was132.5 people per square mile (14.5/km²). There were 501 housing units at an average density of 14.7 per square mile (5.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 63.22% White, 32.47% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 3.14% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.96% of the population.
There were 8,210 households out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the town the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $44,281, and the median income for a family was $48,611. Males had a median income of $35,139 versus $24,444 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $17,327. About 8.6% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.9% of those under age 18 and 26.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Public education in Bluffton is under the authority of the Beaufort County School District. Children in the town attend the following schools:| Public schools | Private schools |
|---|---|
| Bluffton Elementary School | May River Montessori School |
| M.C. Riley Elementary School | Cross Episcopal School |
| Okatie Elementary School | St. Gregory Catholic School |
| Pritchardville Elementary School | Thomas Heyward Academy |
| Red Cedar Elementary School | Hilton Head Preparatory (Hilton Head) |
| Bluffton Middle School | Hilton Head Christian Academy (Hilton Head) |
| H.E. McCracken Middle School | Heritage Academy (Hilton Head) |
| Bluffton High School |
Bluffton High School
Opened in August, 2004, Bluffton High SchoolBluffton High School (Bluffton, South Carolina)
Bluffton High School is a 3A public high school located in Bluffton, South Carolina. It was opened in August of 2004 and is one of 4 high schools in Beaufort County School District. It had an enrollment of 1,439 for the 2009–2010 school year. The Bluffton High mascot is a bobcat and its rival high...
is the second high school in southern Beaufort County and is one of eight high schools total in the county. Total enrollment is approximately 1,300 students grades ten through twelve. The geographical area served extends from Okatie to the gateway to Hilton Head Island.
Higher education
Higher education facilities are located just outside the town limits. The University of South Carolina BeaufortUniversity of South Carolina Beaufort
Located in the heart of the Carolina Sea Islands, the University of South Carolina Beaufort is a senior institution of the University of South Carolina system serving the southeast coast of Georgia and South Carolina...
's new Gateway campus and the Technical College of the Lowcountry
Technical College of the Lowcountry
The Technical College of the Lowcountry is a comprehensive, two-year community college serving the Lowcountry region of South Carolina. The main campus is located in Beaufort along Ribaut Road...
's New River campus are located along the U.S. Highway 278
U.S. Route 278
U.S. Route 278 is a parallel route of U.S. Route 78. It currently runs for 1,074 miles from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina to Wickes, Arkansas at U.S. Highway 71/U.S. Highway 59. It might be notable that it is longer than its parent highway, US Hwy-78. US Hwy-278 passes through the states of...
corridor, halfway between Bluffton and Hardeeville
Hardeeville, South Carolina
Hardeeville is a city in Jasper County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,952 at the 2010 census, a 64 percent increase from its recorded population of 1,793 from the 2000 Census...
in the Sun City vicinity.