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Historic Bluffton, SC
"From a King's Grant...."
Located on the High Bluff overlooking the beautiful May River, Bluffton was originally settled by Native American tribes who harvested oysters, clams and shrimp in local waterways for food, as the present day residents still do. The town of Bluffton as we know it today has a rich and fascinating history, and was originally part of a royal land parcel awarded to Lord Proprietor Colleton as part of a King's Grant.
Bluffton's beauty was discovered by wealthy Savannah plantation owners in the early 1800's and served as an important summer destination, where the families of the rice and cotton planters of the surrounding Low Country could escape the heat, insects and malaria of the near sea-level plantations. Bluffton's growth was stimulated by the rise of the great Lowcountry plantations.
Travel between the coastal towns in the early days was mainly by water. With easy access to Savannah to the south and to the north Beaufort and Charleston, Bluffton soon became an important distribution center, shipping valuable crops across the Southeast and beyond. Eventually, this active commerce brought year-round residents to Bluffton.
Cries of secession were first voiced in Bluffton, and South Carolina on Dec. 20, 1860 became the first state to secede from the Union. During the Civil War, the town of Bluffton suffered major losses which took years to overcome.
Bluffton has grown to become one of the most vibrant metropolitan areas along the South Carolina coast. Many of Bluffton's historic homes and churches still stand today, offering a fascinating window into the area's past. With more and more people moving to the Bluffton area each year, the town continues to grow. Bluffton offers a taste of the Old South and is a great place to live!
The information about Bluffton, SC was complied from many resources on the Internet. We hope you take the time to learn more about this historic community.