Town of Bluffton awards 13th Historic Preservation Grant

The Town awarded its 13th Historic Preservation Grant to the homeowners of “the Bluff” in June towards the cost of exterior painting as part of a larger rehabilitation project of the historic residence located at 130 Pritchard Street.

This one-story residence, known as “The Bluff,” was constructed by John Guerard Heyward c. 1880 as a two-story summer cottage with a wide wraparound front porch facing the May River. The second floor was destroyed in the Sea Island Hurricane of 1893 and the house was later expanded in the 1920s.

“The Bluff” is a contributing building to the Bluffton Historic District, listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1996 and is a “Contributing Resource” to the Old Town Bluffton Historic District.

The $30,000.00 grant was awarded to the homeowners to help to cover the cost of exterior painting as part of a larger rehabilitation project.
Mayor Larry Toomer said this preservation project is crucial to Bluffton’s collective history since it is a rare example of a late nineteenth century riverfront summer cottage that remains in the possession of the Heyward family.

“This house stands as a witness to life along the May River in Old Town Bluffton,” Mayor Larry Toomer said. “Since its construction, the cottage has weathered hurricanes and other natural disasters, serving several generations of the Heyward family, first as a summer cottage and now as a year-round family home. Preserving this cottage and its story is of utmost importance.”

The Town’s Historic Preservation Grant Program, which launched in January 2022, is available to owners of “Contributing Resources” to the Old Town Bluffton Historic District to financially assistin the preservation, restoration, or rehabilitation of these structures so, collectively, these will continue to represent the history of Bluffton. Since the program began, the Town has awarded $297,839.52 in grants to further preserve eight individual Contributing Resources.

Bluffton currently has 86 designated “Contributing Resources” within the Old Town Bluffton Historic District, which means that these homes, churches, schools, and other resources (i.e., non-structures which include the Heyward and Huger coves,) significantly contribute to the Bluffton’s history and tell the stories from our collective past. Without these resources, meaningful components of Bluffton’s rich diverse history would be lost.

Owners of qualifying structures in the Old Town Bluffton Historic District can apply for grants up to $30,000 for residential structures and for up to $20,000 for non- residential/commercial structures.
The Town of Bluffton has been honored with a 2025 South Carolina Historic Preservation Award for its Historic Preservation Grant Program—marking the second consecutive year the Town has received statewide recognition for its preservation efforts.

Bluffton’s Historic Preservation Grant Program, launched in 2022, provides financial assistance for the preservation, restoration, or rehabilitation of “Contributing Resources” within the Old Town Bluffton Historic District. These include historic homes, churches, schools, and cultural landscapes such as the Heyward and Huger coves.

“This grant program is a powerful example of our community’s commitment to protecting what makes Bluffton special,” Mayor Larry Toomer said. “Bluffton is honored to receive this award and provide a template for other communities looking to preserve their historic assets.”