HISTORY: BLUFFTON

Church of the Cross - 110 Calhoun Street

Designed by Edward Brickell White (1806-1882) in 1854, the congregation dates to the early 1830s when a small chapel was constructed near the corner of Bridge and Calhoun streets. The present structure, completed in July 1857, survived the Burning of Blu ton on June 4, 1863 and several hurricanes since then. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on May 29, 1975 as a noteworthy example of a “Carpenter’s Gothic” style church building designed by noted Charleston architect, Edward Brickell White, whose “choice of material, unfinished cypress, and his use of proportion and design, confirm his sensitivity to the character of the small church.” The Church of the Cross is one of the most photographed structures in this part of the lowcountry.

•The Rate - 45 Bridge Street

Built in January 1946, this small concrete block structure known today as “the Rate,” first served as a grocery store, operated by owners, Gaillard and Lucille Heyward during the summer months of 1946 to accommodate Blu ton’s seasonal residents. In 1947, it was used as chiropractic o ce, but closed after several months due to a lack of business. The following year, it was rented to Dr. R. Eugene Burkholder, Jr., a druggist from Savannah, who operated an ice cream and sundries shop during the summer. In June 1948, shortly before Dr. Burkholder opened his shop, a sign was painted on the side of the building advertising “Cut-Rate-Prices” on merchandise, a slogan from which the building eventually derived its unusual name. In November 1955, the building was leased to the United States Post O ce Department as the Blu ton Post O ce, which was operated under the supervision of Blu ton Postmaster, Lucille Heyward until May 1965. The building remained in the Heyward family until it was sold in 2006 and in 2019, the current owners of “the Rate” undertook a complete rehabilitation of the structure.