Heyward House Bluffton: Historic Center
A c. 1841 Carolina farmhouse in Old Town Bluffton, now a museum and cultural center, with guided walking and golf-cart tours of the historic district.
Visitors praise the guided tour of one of Bluffton's oldest surviving homes, which doubles as the town's welcome center, and say it gives the story behind Old Town.
- 70 Boundary St, Bluffton, SC 29910
- (843) 757-6293
Hours
Mon to Thu10 a.m. to 5 p.m.Fri10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Built
- about 1841
- Style
- Carolina farmhouse
- Run by
- Historic Bluffton Foundation
The Heyward House Museum and Cultural Center is at 70 Boundary Street in Old Town Bluffton. It was built around 1841 as the Cole-Heyward House, a summer home designed by John J. Cole, with the labor of the people he enslaved, for his bride Esther Caroline Corley. It is Carolina farmhouse in style and one of only eight antebellum homes left in Bluffton. The Heyward family owned it from the early 1880s until 1998,; see the history of Bluffton for the town’s story. The grounds keep the original slave cabin and a reproduction summer kitchen.
Hours and Parking
The house is open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the last tour an hour before closing. Parking is at Wright Family Park, on Green Street, about 70 spaces. It is one of the things to do in Bluffton. The nonprofit Historic Bluffton Foundation runs the museum, and also owns the Colcock-Teel House and keeps the Caldwell Archives in Town Hall.
Tours of Old Town
The foundation offers two guided tours of the historic district, each about 1.5 hours: a walking tour covering about a square mile, and a golf-cart tour. Both need 24 hours’ notice; book on (843) 757-6293. The Garvin-Garvey House, built around 1870 by a freed man, is toured on Tuesdays and Thursdays through the Heyward House.
More in Old Town
Old Town Bluffton, SC: Calhoun Street, the Heyward House, galleries, the Church of the Cross, the May River dock and restaurants, all within a short walk.
Bluffton, South Carolina history: the 1844 Bluffton Movement and Secession Oak, the 1863 burning, the Church of the Cross and the oyster years.
Art galleries in Bluffton, SC: the Society of Bluffton Artists gallery on Church Street, pottery studios and small galleries in Old Town.
May River Theatre, Bluffton's community theatre in Town Hall's Ulmer Auditorium: plays, musicals and improv, with how to buy tickets.
Things to do in Bluffton, SC: May River dolphin and kayak trips, Old Town's history and galleries, parks, bowling and mini golf, golf and festivals.
What reviewers say
Visitors praise the guided tour of one of Bluffton's oldest surviving homes, which doubles as the town's welcome center, and say it gives the story behind Old Town. Admission is a few dollars, and children go free. Couples who married on the grounds praise the staff and the well-kept gardens. One family drove an hour to find it closed during its listed hours, so call ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated
Where is the Heyward House in Bluffton?
At 70 Boundary Street in Old Town Bluffton, near Wright Family Park, where you park.
When is the Heyward House open?
Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with no tours in the last hour. Call (843) 757-6293 to confirm.
When was the Heyward House built?
Around 1841, as a summer home for John J. Cole’s bride. It is one of only eight antebellum homes left in Bluffton.
How do you book a tour of Old Town Bluffton?
Call the Heyward House on (843) 757-6293 at least 24 hours ahead. The walking and golf-cart tours each take about 1.5 hours.
Your beach week starts here
Compare villa and beach home prices from local rental companies side by side, and catch last-minute deals before they’re gone.
Property manager? Partner with us