A Bluffton day trip will charm you with a mix of Southern hospitality and all the fruits of a rapidly growing community. There's a reason you will hear the phrase "A Bluffton State of Mind" again & again...
Bluffton, South Carolina is just over the bridge from Hilton Head Island, the eclectic Town of Bluffton boasts a fast growing population and is a must-see for Hilton Head tourists.
Like many other cities and towns across South Carolina, Bluffton has a plentiful history dating back hundreds of years. As the name implies, the town is located atop a high bluff that overlooks the May River, in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
A Hilton Head Day Trip Can Lead to...
A Bluffton State of Mind
Time Marches On...
The town was officially incorporated in 1852. By this time, the area had expanded thanks to the easy access by waterways and coves, which made excellent locations for homes.
During the Civil War, a steamboat landing was built. Visitors could now stop in Bluffton on their way between Savannah, Charleston, and Beaufort. It was not long before nearby Fort Sumter was surrendered and the Civil War had begun.
Southerners fleeing from Charleston found a safe haven in this area. However, Bluffton, which became a Confederate headquarters, was nearly destroyed in 1863. Union soldiers burned everything but two churches and fifteen residents, while originally there were over sixty buildings and residences.
The town was not rebuilt until the 1880s, when it again became popular as a commercial riverboat stop. However, as riverboat travel became less important, the commercialism of Bluffton died down by the time of the Great Depression.
It was not until the 1950’s when Hilton Head was emerging as a tourist location, that Bluffton started seeing a resurgence in tourism and a Bluffton day trip became increasingly popular ...
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Today, the town stretches across 32,000 acres, though it was not long ago that the town occupied just one square mile of land.
The History
Here's a good way to prep for a Bluffton day trip - let's delve into a bit of basic Bluffton history...
All of Beaufort County, including Bluffton, was originally part of the Yemassee Native American Tribe. In 1715, the Yemassee War broke out. By 1718, the Yemassee Tribe had migrated south to Florida. At this time, Beaufort County was split up into baronies by the Lords Proprietors.
Bluffton was apart of the Devil’s Elbow Barony. Two parcels of land that were adjoining in Devil’s Elbow, were purchased by two men, Benjamin Walls and James Kirk. It was during the early 1800’s when the first homes were built on this land, providing the first homesteads in what is now known as Bluffton.
