Bluffton is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an o ...

in southern Beaufort County,

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

. The population as of the 2020 census was 27,716, an increase of over 120% since 2010, making it one of the fastest growing municipalities in South Carolina. Bluffton is the fifth largest municipality in South Carolina by land area."Southeastdiscovery"
'Southeast Discovery'', Accessed June 12, 2012. It is primarily located around

U.S. Route 278 U.S. Route 278 (US 278) is a parallel route of US 78. It currently runs for from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, to Wickes, Arkansas at US 71/ US 59, passing through five states in the process. Landmarks along its route inclu ...

, between

Hilton Head Island Hilton Head Island, sometimes referred to as simply Hilton Head, is a Lowcountry resort town and barrier island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is northeast of Savannah, Georgia, and southwest of Charleston. The island is ...

and

Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...

. The Lowcountry town's original one square mile area, now known as Old Town, is situated on a bluff along the May River. The town is a primary city within the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort metropolitan area. After the

Tariff of 1842 The Tariff of 1842, or Black Tariff as it became known, was a protectionist tariff schedule adopted in the United States. It reversed the effects of the Compromise Tariff of 1833, which contained a provision that successively lowered the tariff ...

, Bluffton became a hotbed of separatist sentiment, which in turn led to a protest against federal taxes called the

Bluffton Movement The Bluffton Movement was spawned during a political rally held under the "Secession Oak" in the village of Bluffton, South Carolina, on July 31, 1844.Jeff Fulgham, ''The Bluffton Expedition: The Burning of Bluffton, South Carolina, During the ...

in 1844. Even though the movement quickly died out, it somewhat contributed to the secession movement that led to South Carolina being the first state to leave the Union. In the Antebellum Period, Bluffton became a popular location for wealthy merchants and plantation owners. During the Civil War, two thirds of the town was destroyed by fire during the Union's Bluffton Expedition on June 4, 1863.Jeff Fulgham, ''The Bluffton Expedition: The Burning of Bluffton, South Carolina, During the Civil War'' (Bluffton, S.C.: Jeff Fulgham, 2012), 155.

History

Colonial era (1670–1776)

During the 17th and the 18th centuries, the area comprising southern Beaufort County was known as Granville County of St. Luke's Parish. The Yamasee people were invited to settle in the area by Lord Cardoss, leader of the nearby Scottish settlement in Beaufort. The Yamasee established ten towns with over 1,200 inhabitants in the area. In 1715, the

Yamasee War The Yamasee War (also spelled Yamassee or Yemassee) was a conflict fought in South Carolina from 1715 to 1717 between British settlers from the Province of Carolina and the Yamasee and a number of other allied Native American peoples, incl ...

broke out, and after several years of fighting, the Yamasee migrated to

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...

, 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 first titled owner of the land was the Barbadian planter Sir John Colleton. Following the departure of the Yamasee people, colonists began building plantations in the Bluffton area in 1728. The Colletons prospered by growing cotton, corn and

indigo Indigo is a deep color close to the color wheel blue (a primary color in the RGB color space), as well as to some variants of ultramarine, based on the ancient dye of the same name. The word "indigo" comes from the Latin word ''indicum'', ...

.Rose Hill Mansio
rosehillmansion.com
/ref>

American Revolution (1776–1785)

Before his death in 1776, Sir John Colleton (grandson of the original owner) developed plantations near Victoria Bluff - Foot Point areas and later disposed of much of his barony, much of it bought by the Rose and Kirk families. These plantations were destroyed by the British under General Prévost in 1779. During the 18th century, much of the land south of the May River (now known as Palmetto Bluff) was covered with

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...

fields.Island Packet articl
islandpacket.com
Rice became a lucrative crop and a part of lowcountry culture until the early 20th century when it was disrupted by a series of devastating storms.Island Packet article stor
islandpacket.com
/ref>

Antebellum era (1785–1861)

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 1800s 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 community was originally known as "Kirk's Landing" or "Kirk's Bluff" as shown in Mill's Atlas of 1825. The first streets were formally laid out during the 1830s and the name of Bluffton decided upon in the early 1840s as a compromise between the Kirk and Pope families. The first South Carolina secession movement began under what is now known as the Secession Oak tree, led by R. Barnwell Rhett on July 31, 1844. In the 1850s, a steamboat landing was built at the end of Calhoun Street, and Bluffton became the commercial center of southern Beaufort County as a stopover for travelers between

Savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...

and Beaufort. In 1852, the town was officially incorporated by an act of the South Carolina General Assembly and comprised approximately one square mile. The iconic Church of the Cross was designed by architect

Edward Brickell White Edward Brickell White (January 29, 1806 – May 10, 1882), also known as E. B. White, was an architect in the United States. He was known for his Gothic Revival architecture and his use of Roman and Greek designs. Life Edward Brickell White w ...

to seat up to 600 parishioners at a cost of $5,000, and construction began in 1854. On July 17, 1857, the first services were held at the Church of the Cross.Historic District Inventor
townofbluffton.sc.gov
/ref>

Civil War (1861–1865)

After a Union victory at the Battle of Port Royal on November 7, 1861, Confederate Brigadier-General Thomas F. Drayton directed the evacuation of rebel forces from

to the Bluffton mainland. Occupying Port Royal Harbor, the Union's South Atlantic Blockading Squadron could then be monitored from rebel lookouts dispersed from Bluffton's substantial picket headquarters. Bluffton's location resulted in it being the only strategic position on the East Coast at which the Confederates could gather direct intelligence on the Union squadron. That was conducting crucial blockade operations along the southern coastline. In late May 1863, Major-General David Hunter, Commander of the Department of the South, ordered the destruction of Bluffton by fire. The Union "Expedition against Bluffton" was carried out on June 4, 1863, destroying approximately two thirds of the town's estimated 60 structures. Only the town's two churches and fifteen residences remained standing after the attack. Eight antebellum homes and two churches still exist in Old Town and highlight the town's nationally popular registered historic district.

Postbellum era (1865–1945)

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.

Contemporary era (1945–present)

Bluffton remained a commercial center until Coastal Highway (

US 17 U.S. Route 17 or U.S. Highway 17 (US 17), also known as the Coastal Highway, is a north–south United States Highway that spans in the southeastern United States. It runs close to the Atlantic Coast for much of its length, with ...

) and the bridge at

Port Wentworth Port Wentworth is a city in Chatham County, Georgia, United States. The 2020 population was 10,878, more than double the population of 5,359 at the 2010 census. Port Wentworth is part of the Savannah metropolitan area. History The Georgia Genera ...

over the

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 nor ...

were completed, which made riverboat trade and travel less attractive. The

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

began shortly thereafter and brought the closure of the town's prosperity and commercial importance. The popularity of Bluffton as a vacation spot remained even after its loss of commercial stature. The development of

, nearby Sun City and the related development in the 1990s caused a resurgence of commercial activity in the town. In 1996, Bluffton was designated a National Historic District with 46 contributing buildings and two contributing sites. In 1998, the Heyward House opened to the public by the Bluffton Historical Preservation Society. In 1999, the Heyward House was part of the Save America's Treasures program. The Heyward House became the town's welcome center in 2000, and the Old Town Bluffton historic district was established through zoning regulations and architectural standards. In 2005, Bluffton was recognized as a Preserve America Community, a federal program that encourages community efforts to preserve the nation's cultural and historical assets.

Altamaha Town Altamaha Town is an archaeological site in the Bluffton, South Carolina area. It was the location of Altamaha, the head town of the Lower Towns of the Yamasee tribe during their entire 30 year presence in South Carolina. Evidence dates the be ...

, Bluffton Historic District, Church of the Cross, and Rose Hill Plantation House are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

Geography

Bluffton was once mostly wetlands, many of which were drained possibly during the antebellum era. Agriculture and pine timber harvesting contributed to the landscape still present today. The town proper consists of five primary areas. The historic district of Old Town, on the northern bluff of the May River; Palmetto Bluff, located on the southern side of the May River; Jones Estate, situated along the New River; Buckwalter, located on the northwest side of town; and Shultz Tract, north of Old Town. The May River winds through the center of town. The New River forms the southwest boundary of the town.

Topography

The town of Bluffton has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Bluffton is the fifth largest municipality in South Carolina by land area. The municipal boundary contains many large "doughnut holes" of unincorporated territory due to South Carolina's strict annexation laws. Most of Bluffton was undeveloped land until the housing boom of the early 2000s, which led to explosive growth in Bluffton's area. Many of Bluffton's planned unit developments were built during this time. As of 2012 many of these developments remain only partially complete due to the economic downturn.

Climate

Bluffton has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

( Köppen ''Cfa''), with very mild winters, hot, humid summers, and significant rainfall all year long. August is the wettest month; almost half of the annual rainfall occurs during the summer months in the form of

thundershower A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are someti ...

s. Fall remains relatively warm through November. Winter is short and mild, and is characterized by occasional rain.

Snow Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes. It consists of frozen crystalline water throughou ...

flurries rarely occur. The highest temperature recorded was , in 1986, and the lowest temperature recorded was on January 21, 1985.Maximum and minimum temperatures fro
Weather.com
/ref> Hurricanes are a major threat to the area during the summer and early fall but there has not been a major hurricane event in Bluffton since the Category 3 Sea Islands Hurricane in 1893.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...

, there were 27,716 people, 7,560 households, and 5,402 families residing in the town.

2010 census

According to the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, there were 12,530 people, 4,417 households, and 3,323 families residing in the town, on a land area of . The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 244.2 people per square mile (94.3/km²). There were 5,393 housing units at an average density of 105.1 per square mile (40.6/km²). The town of Bluffton grew 882.7% between the 2000 and 2010 census, making it the fastest growing municipality in South Carolina with a population over 2,500. Housing units grew 976.4%. The racial makeup of the town was 71.4%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 16.1%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.3% Native American, 2.0% Asian, <0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 7.3% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 18.8% of the population. There were 4,417 households, out of which 54.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.9% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.20. In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.9% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males. Estimated household income for 2009 was $53,386, the estimated median house value was $237,868, median gross rent was $1,179. Bluffton is a principal city in the

Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area Hilton or Hylton may refer to: Companies * Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc., a global hospitality company based in the United States that owns several hotel chains and subsidiary companies containing the Hilton name ** Hilton Hotels & Resorts, fla ...

, which includes

Beaufort Beaufort may refer to: People and titles * Beaufort (surname) * House of Beaufort, English nobility * Duke of Beaufort (England), a title in the peerage of England * Duke of Beaufort (France), a title in the French nobility Places Polar regions * ...

and

Jasper Jasper, an aggregate of microgranular quartz and/or cryptocrystalline chalcedony and other mineral phases,Kostov, R. I. 2010. Review on the mineralogical systematics of jasper and related rocks. – Archaeometry Workshop, 7, 3, 209-213PDF/ref ...

counties. As of 2014, the MSA had an estimated year-round population of 203,022.

Economy

Long a stopover between Hilton Head and Savannah, Bluffton has become a tourist destination in its own right with a large number of hotels, restaurants and shopping areas such as

Tanger Outlets Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. ( ) is a real estate investment trust headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina that invests in shopping centers containing outlet stores in the United States and Canada. As of December 31, 2019, the comp ...

. The Inn at Palmetto Bluff has received a number of awards including Best Hotel in the Country by ''U.S. News & World Report'' and Condé Nast Traveler Gold List World's Best Places to Stay, January 2011. Higher education is an important sector in the local economy, with institutions such as the University of South Carolina Beaufort Hilton Head Gateway Campus and Technical College of the Lowcountry nearby. An eclectic art destination, Bluffton has several art galleries located along Calhoun Street. Bluffton is home to South Carolina's last full-time

oyster Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not ...

shucking business, Bluffton Oyster Co, which first opened in 1899 at the end of Wharf Street on the banks of the May River.

Arts and culture

Society of Bluffton Artists

The Society of Bluffton Artists is a nonprofit organization established in 1999.
''THE SOCIETY OF BLUFFTON ARTISTS (SoBA)'', Accessed August 29, 2012.

May River Theatre

The May River Theatre is a theatre company that has performances at the Ulmer Auditorium in downtown Bluffton.

Annual events

* Bluffton Village Festival - Also known as "Mayfest", the Bluffton Village Festival is an annual event that started in the spring of 1978. It gathers local artisans and musicians to showcase a variety of goods as a "celebration of Bluffton life" and local culture. * Christmas Parade - An annual parade that takes place at the beginning of December and features a wide variety of unique parade floats both local and regional. * Historic Bluffton Arts & Seafood Festival - A fall festival that consists of many events and activities including an art show, kayak tours, a 5K run, and sampling of locally harvested seafood.
''Arts & Seafood Festival'', Accessed September 4, 2012. * Shag & Drag - Classic car show and live entertainment, held in June. * May River Cleanup - Every year hundreds of volunteers organize to help remove trash and waste from nearly 12 miles of river and to help raise awareness of the challenges facing the May River.

Museums, historical sites and other attractions

Historic buildings, art and historical museums include: * Heyward House and Historical Center * Church of the Cross *

Squire Pope Carriage House The Squire Pope Carriage House, is a historic site located in Bluffton, South Carolina built in 1850. This two-story frame structure is located at the back of a deep lot overlooking the May River. In November 2019 the Bluffton Town Council approved ...

Allen-Lockwood House The Allen-Lockwood House is located in Bluffton, South Carolina. It was built in 1850. This cottage was built by William Gaston Allen on the northwest corner of Calhoun and Water Streets for his wife Susan Virginia Bolan and their six children. It ...

* Huger-Gordon House *

Seven Oaks, Bluffton SC Seven Oaks is located in Bluffton, South Carolina. It was built in 1850. This is a two-story house with double verandas on the south and east sides and two exterior chimneys. The house is called Seven Oaks due to seven very large live oak stump ...

* Fripp-Lowden House * The Store, Bluffton SC * Carson Cottage *

D. Hasell Heyward House The D. Hasell Heyward House, is located in Bluffton, South Carolina Bluffton is a town in southern Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population as of the 2020 census was 27,716, an increase of over 120% since 2010, making it on ...

* Patz Brothers House * Planters Mercantile * Cordray House * Campbell Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church

Parks and recreation

Bluffton has many parks and recreational activities. For cycling, Bluffton Parkway and Buckwalter Parkway have bicycle paths on both sides of the road and Bluffton Rd has a bicycle lane from US-278 until the intersection with May River Rd. The following links will display the location of the park in an external web mapping application. CalhounStDock

* Beaufort County Parks & Recreation Bluffton Pool - Indoor swimming pool with lanes * Buckwalter Regional Park - Soccer fields and skateboard park * Buckwalter Trail - Wraps around Buckwalter Place * DuBois Park - Playground and swings * New River Trailhead Park - Nature trail * MC Riley Sports Complex - Basketball and baseball * Oscar Frazier Park - Playground, soccer fields and baseball parks * Oyster Factory Park * Pritchard Park * Bluffton Recreation Center - Tennis, soccer, youth football, playground

Boat landings

* Oyster Factory Boat Landing - Access to the May River * H.E. Trask Boat Landing - Access to the Colleton River * Calhoun St. Boat Dock - Access to the May River * Alljoy Boat Landing - Access to the May River

Government

Bluffton has a Council-Manager form of government. The town council is responsible for the legislative function of the municipality such as establishing policy, passing local ordinances, voting appropriations, and developing an overall vision. The town has a Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem position. The council has four at-large members who serve overlapping four-year terms. Town elections take place every two years in the fall.

Education

Bluffton is served by the Beaufort County School District. The local public schools include: * Bluffton High School * May River High School * H.E. McCracken Middle School * River Ridge Academy * Bluffton Middle School * Bluffton Elementary School * M.C. Riley Elementary School * Pritchardville Elementary School * Red Cedar Elementary School There are also a number of

independent school An independent school is independent in its finances and governance. Also known as private schools, non-governmental, privately funded, or non-state schools, they are not administered by local, state or national governments. In British En ...

s, including Cross Schools (K-8), May River Montessori (K-5), Christian Heritage Montessori (K-5), and Saint Gregory the Great Catholic School (K-8). Public institutions of higher education in Bluffton include the University of South Carolina Beaufort South Campus and the Technical College of the Lowcountry. Bluffton has a public library, a branch of the Beaufort County Library.

Infrastructure

Utilities

Water and sewer service is provided by

Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority The Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (often shortened to BJWSA) is a public water system and non-profit corporation which handles water and wastewater operations for many areas in Beaufort and Jasper counties in the Lowcountry region of ...

(BJWSA). South Carolina Electric and Gas Company (SCE&G) and Palmetto Electric Cooperative are the major suppliers of power to the town.

Hargray Hargray Communications is a telecommunications provider based on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, United States. It operates internet throughout the Lowcountry region of South Carolina and the Savannah region of Georgia. Hargray has a monopol ...

provides telephone and broadband services.

Waste Management, Inc Waste Management, Inc., doing business as WM, is a waste management, comprehensive waste, and environmental services company operating in North America. Founded in 1968, the company is headquartered in the Bank of America Tower in Houston, ...

provides solid waste services.

Transportation

Airport

Bluffton is served by the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport , which is located in

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Br ...

, and the Hilton Head Island Airport .

Interstates and highways

runs to the west of Bluffton and is connected to it by

. Bluffton Parkway, currently under construction, is planned to run from the Hilton Head Island bridge to I-95 near

Hardeeville Hardeeville is a city in Jasper County, South Carolina, Jasper and Beaufort County, South Carolina, Beaufort counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 7,473 as of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, an increase of ov ...

when all phases are complete. As of August 2012, the parkway runs from SC-170 in the west almost to the bridge in the east. Two sections are currently separated by Buckwalter Parkway but are scheduled to be joined by Phase 5B."Employment Fast Facts,"
''Bluffton Parkway extension to open for drivers Monday'' - Accessed August 29, 2012. Local public transportation and

dial-a-ride Demand-responsive transport (DRT), also known as demand-responsive transit, demand-responsive service,
US National Trans ...

service is provided by Palmetto Breeze, a regional transportation authority run by the Lowcountry Council of Governments, which serves as the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

Major highways

* (west of Bluffton) * - Fording Island Road * South Carolina 170

South Carolina Highway 170, SC 170 – Okatie Highway * South Carolina 46

SC 46 – May River Road *Bluffton Parkway

Fire department

The Bluffton Township Fire District was created in 1978, and is comprised all of the land in Beaufort County south of the Broad River except Jenkins Island, Hilton Head Island and Daufuskie Island. In 1994, Jenkins Island was added."About BTFD"
''BTFD About'' - Accessed August 28, 2012. There are nine fire stations in the Bluffton Township Fire District. Bluffton Township Fire District works with Hilton Head Island Fire & Rescue as a sponsoring agency for two of South Carolina's designated special teams: one of the state's Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Response Teams and one of the four Regional Urban Search and Rescue Response Teams.
''The Island Packet'', January 9, 2008. Accessed January 12, 2008.

Police

The Town of Bluffton Police Department received national accreditation in 2009. There is one police headquarters, providing operations, support, and neighborhood services.

Notable people

Gus Dean Gus H. Dean (born August 19, 1994) is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 55 and 15 Toyota Camrys for Venturini Motorsports. He previously drove in the series for Win- ...

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...

driver * Kitty Ferguson, science writer and lecturer *

Bill Workman William Douglas Workman III (July 3, 1940 – May 12, 2019) was an American businessman and politician who served as the mayor of Greenville, South Carolina from 1983 to 1995. Greenville is the seat of Greenville County, the state's most populou ...

, former town manager and economic development consultant

Notes

External links

*
Greater Bluffton Chamber of CommerceHilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce and Visitor & Convention Bureau
{{authority control Hilton Head Island–Beaufort micropolitan area Towns in Beaufort County, South Carolina Towns in South Carolina