Bluffton

Bluffton is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is primarily located around U.S. Route 278, between Hilton Head Island and Interstate 95. 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 with a population over 2,500. The first titled owner of the land was the Barbadian planter Sir John Colleton. During the Civil War, two thirds of the town was destroyed by fire during the Union's Bluffton Expedition on June 4, 1863. In the 1850s, a steamboat landing was built at the end of Calhoun Street. The iconic Cross Church of the Cross was designed by architect Edward Brickell and built in 1854 at a cost of $5,000. In 1852, the town became the commercial center of southern Beaufort county as a stopover for travelers between Savannah and Beaufort. The town was officially incorporated in 1852 by an act of the South Carolina General Assembly and comprised approximately one square mile. In 1718, the Lords Proprietors carved the area into several new baronies, including the Devil's Elbow Barony that contained the future town of Bluffleton. The Yamasee people were invited to settle in the area by Lord Cardoss, leader of the nearby Scottish settlement of Beaufort, in 1715, and established ten towns with over 1,200 inhabitants. After several years of fighting, the Yamasese migrated to Florida, opening the "Indian Lands" to European settlement.

History

Yamasee people were invited to settle in the area by Lord Cardoss, leader of the nearby Scottish settlement in Beaufort. 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 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. 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 to seat up to 600 parishioners at a cost of $5,000, and construction began in 1854. In the 1850s, a steamboat landing was built at the end of Calhoun Street, and Bluffleton became the commercial center of southern Beaufort County as a stopover for travelers between Savannah and Beau Fort. In late May 1863, Major-General David Hunter, Commander of the Department of the. South, ordered the destruction of the town by fire. The town's two churches and fifteen residences remained in standing after the attack. Eight antebellum homes and 15 residences still exist in Old Town and still highlight the town's nationally popular historic district. The historic district is registered as a historic district registered with the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Bluffton has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), with very mild winters, hot, humid summers, and significant rainfall all year long. 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. The town proper consists of five primary areas: Old Town, Palmetto Bluff, Jones Estate, Buckwalter, and Shultz Tract. The municipal boundary contains many large "doughnut holes" of unincorporated territory due to South Carolina's strict annexation laws. Most of Blufton was undeveloped land until the housing boom of the early 2000s, which led to explosive growth in the area. As of 2012 many of these developments remain only partially complete due to the economic downturn. The highest temperature recorded was 107 °F (42 °C) on January 21, 1985. The lowest temperature recorded in the town was 4 °C (16 °C), on January 20, 1986. August is the wettest month; almost half of the annual rainfall occurs in the summer months in the form of thundershowers. Fall remains relatively warm through November. Winter is short and mild, and is characterized by occasional rain. Snow flurries rarely occur. The May River winds through the center of town. The New River forms the southwest boundary of the town. It is the fifth largest municipality in South Carolina by land area.

Demographics

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. As of the 2020 U.S. census, there were 27,716 people, 7,560 households, and 5,402 families residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 71.4% White, 16.1% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.1%. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.8% of the population. Estimated household income for 2009 was $53,386, the estimated median house value was $237,868, median gross rent was $1,179. The town is a principal city in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Beaufort and Jasper counties. The MSA had an estimated year-round population of 203,022 as of 2014, the estimate for 2015 is 203,000. The city has a population of 12,530, with a land area of 51.3 square miles (133 km²), and a population density of 244.2 people per square mile (94.3/km²) The town has an estimated annual growth rate of 2.7%. The town's population is expected to reach 27,000 by the 2020 United States census. The population growth rate for the next census is 2.8%.

Economy

Bluffton is home to South Carolina's last full-time oyster shucking business, Bluffton Oyster Co. 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, Bluffleton has several art galleries located along Calhoun Street. The town is located on the banks of the May River and is a stopover between Hilton Head and Savannah, South Carolina. It is also home to Tanger Outlets, a shopping mall with a large number of restaurants and shops. The city is also known for its fine dining, with many of its restaurants and bars located in the town's Tanger Restaurant and Wine Bar. It has a reputation for being one of the best places to eat in the state, especially in the summer when the weather is warm and the beaches are great. The area is also a popular stopover for tourists traveling between Savannah and Hilton Head, and the town is a popular tourist destination in its own right. It also has a large amount of museums, including the National Museum of American History and the South Carolina Museum of Natural History. The Town of Palmet to Bluff is located in South Carolina on the coast of the Beaufort Peninsula.

Arts and culture

Bluffton Village Festival is an annual event that started in the spring of 1978. The May River Theatre is a theatre company that has performances at the Ulmer Auditorium in downtown Bluffton. The Christmas Parade features a wide variety of unique parade floats both local and regional. The Arts & Seafood Festival consists of many events and activities including an art show, kayak tours, a 5K run, and sampling of locally harvested seafood. 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. The Society of Blufton Artists is a nonprofit organization established in 1999. The Blufftons are known for their love of art, music, and the arts. They also have a love of history, with many historic buildings and museums. The town is also known for its love of the arts and music, with several bands playing at the town's bars and restaurants. It also has a love for the arts, with a number of bands playing in the town. It is also a popular tourist destination, especially in the summer when many tourists come to the town to take in the local arts and culture. The city is also home to the National Sculpture Park, which is home to a collection of works of art by local artists and sculptors. It has also been the site of a popular music festival, the Mayfest Music Festival, since it started in 1978. It was founded by local artist and musician, Bob Bluff, in the early 1970s.

Parks and recreation

Bluffton has many parks and recreational activities. The following links will display the location of the park in an external web mapping application. For cycling, Bluffton Parkway and Buckwalter Parkway have bicycle paths on both sides of the road and Bluffon Rd has a bicycle lane from US-278 until the intersection with May River Rd. For swimming, there is an indoor swimming pool with lanes. For hiking, the New River Trailhead Park has a nature trail. For running, there are several trails around the town.

Government

Bluffton has a Council-Manager form of government. The town council is responsible for the legislative function of the municipality. The council has four at-large members who serve overlapping four-year terms. Town elections take place every two years in the fall. There is a Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem position in the town. The mayor and mayor pro-tem position is in charge of the town's finances. The city has a population of 2,000. It is located in the eastern part of the state. It was founded in 1872. It has a history of being a small town. It had a population in the early 1900s. It now has a total of 3,000 people living in Bluffton and the surrounding areas. It also has a small business community with a number of small businesses. It currently has a mayor and a mayor Pro- tem position. There are no elected positions in the Town Council. The Town Council is made up of four members. The Mayor and mayor-pro-tem are in office for four years at a time. They serve an overlapping four year term. They are responsible for establishing policy, passing local ordinances, voting appropriations, and developing an overall vision. The City Council has a president and vice-president. The president is the head of the council's executive committee. The vice-chairman is the mayor's chief of staff, who is also the town council's chief executive officer. The Council has four members who are at- large and serve overlapping three year terms.

Education

Bluffton has a public library, a branch of the Beaufort County Library. Public institutions of higher education in Bluffton include the University of South Carolina Beaufort South Campus and the Technical College of the Lowcountry. The local public schools include: Cross Schools, May River Montessori, and Saint Gregory the Great Catholic School. The town has a number of independent schools, including Cross Schools (K-8) and Christian Heritage MontessorI (K/5/6). The town is home to the South Carolina College of Arts and Sciences, which offers classes in English, Spanish, and French. The school district also runs a private school, Blufftown Preparatory School, which has classes in Spanish, French, and English. The city has a high school, South Carolina State University, which is located in the town. The high school has a junior high, and an elementary school, which are both located in South Carolina. The community also has a middle school and high school. It has a community center, which was built in the early 1900s. It was named after the town's founder, William Bluff, who was born in the area. It is located on the banks of the James River, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. It also has an airport, which opened in the late 1800s. The village has a post office, a postmaster, and a school, all of which are run by the school district. There are also several private schools, such as Cross Schools and May River.

Infrastructure

Bluffton is served by the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (IATA: SAV, ICAO: KSAV, FAA LID: HXD) and the Hilton Head Island Airport. There are nine fire stations in the Bluffton Township Fire District. Local public transportation and dial-a-ride service is provided by Palmetto Breeze, a regional transportation authority run by the Lowcountry Council of Governments (MPO) The town has one police department, providing operations, support, and neighborhood services. It is home to one of South Carolina's designated special teams: one of the state's Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Response Teams and one of four Regional Urban Search and Rescue Response Teams. The town is also home to the Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (BJWSA) and Hargray, which provides telephone and broadband services. The Town of Blufton is located on the banks of the Broad River, which runs through the center of the town. It has a population of about 2,000 people (as of August 2012) and is located in the central part of Beaufort County, South Carolina, near the state line with North Carolina. It lies on the Atlantic seaboard of the United States, and is near the Georgia/South Carolina state line. The city is located near the intersection of I-95 and U.S. Route 278, which is a major highway in South Carolina.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Bluffton, Beaufort County, South Carolina = 62.4. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 60. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 73. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Bluffton = 5.5 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 27,716 individuals with a median age of 35.7 age the population grows by 73.49% in Bluffton, Beaufort County, South Carolina population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 533.33 residents per square mile of area (205.92/km²). There are average 2.68 people per household in the 824 households with an average household income of $51,053 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 9.00% of the available work force and has dropped -6.56% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 17.88%. The number of physicians in Bluffton per 100,000 population = 255.7.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Bluffton = 52.1 inches and the annual snowfall = 0.1 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 104. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 217. 89 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 38.7 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 32, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Bluffton, Beaufort County, South Carolina which are owned by the occupant = 72.52%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 11 years with median home cost = $181,660 and home appreciation of -8.83%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $5.10 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,772 per student. There are 11.4 students for each teacher in the school, 669 students for each Librarian and 427 students for each Counselor. 4.10% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 12.31% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 4.69% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).