Bluffton earns state preservation award for second straight year

The Town of Bluffton has received the 2025 South Carolina Historic Preservation Award for its Historic Preservation Grant Program, marking the second consecutive year the town has been recognized for its efforts to safeguard local heritage.

The award, presented June 18th at the South Carolina State House in Columbia, was one of 16 statewide honors issued by the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Preservation South Carolina, and the Office of the Governor. Bluffton received the Preservation Service Award, which highlights exemplary contributions to the preservation, rehabilitation, or interpretation of the state’s architectural and cultural history.

Town officials accepted the award during the ceremony, which acknowledged projects and activities that strengthen South Carolina’s preservation landscape. Bluffton’s program was cited for its targeted grant assistance to owners of historic properties within the Old Town Bluffton Historic District.

Launched in January 2022, the grant program supports the preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of “Contributing Resources,” a designation applied to structures and sites that help define Bluffton’s historic character. These include homes, churches, schools, and cultural landscapes such as the Heyward and Huger coves.

“Bluffton’s ‘sense of place’ is what sets it apart—it’s why so many people choose to live here,” Mayor Larry Toomer said. “That uniqueness is rooted in the historic structures and stories that have been preserved through the shared investment of our residents and the Town.”

Since its creation, nearly $300,000 in grants have been awarded to aid in preserving 10 designated resources. The town currently recognizes 86 such properties within the district. Grant amounts may reach up to $30,000 for residential buildings and $20,000 for commercial or non-residential properties.

Toomer said the grant program allows Bluffton to honor its heritage and serve as an example to other municipalities. “This program allows public and private funds to honor Bluffton’s heritage, character, and especially the stories which connect us to our past neighbors,” he said.

In 2024, former Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka received the South Carolina Elected Official Award for her preservation advocacy, further underscoring the town’s leadership in historic conservation.

For more information about the grant program, contact Glen Umberger, Bluffton’s historic preservationist, at gumberger@townofbluffton.com.