HISTORY: BLUFFTON

Several Contributing Resources to the Old Town Blu ton Historic District are currently undergoing Rehabilitation (the act or process of making possible a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values.) These include:

•Coburn Liquor Store/Red Dot - 1282 May River Road

Commonly known as the “Red Dot,” this timber framed, brick clad structure was constructed in the 1920s as a filling station for W.M. Simmons, but was purchased by Joseph Francis Coburn, Jr. at auction in 1944 and operated a liquor store from 1949 until 1995. The roughly 400 square foot building’s most distinctive feature is its porte cochère supported by ornate cast iron columns set on brick plinths with painted “red dots,” signifying that this was a liquor store. The brick exterior was added as a security feature to prevent robberies. Brenda Coburn, J.F.’s daughter who ran the store for many years, recalls, “I woke up many a night to the sound of my daddy shooting at people who tried to break in [and] there is a bullet hole in the wall of the store next to the chimney” where her father shot at a would-be robber. She recalls that the locks to the doors had to be replaced two to three times a year and, during one Christmas season, twice in one week. The building is currently being rehabilitated for a new commercial use.

111 Calhoun Street

One of Blu ton’s most iconic structures is the Squire Pope Carriage House, located at the foot of Calhoun Street in Wright Family Park. The parcel was originally owned by Squire William Pope (1788-1862) who owned Coggins Point Plantation in Hilton Head and served in the South Carolina State Legislature. Pope’s summer house, constructed in the early 19th century was destroyed by Union Troops during the Burning of Blu ton in June 1863 and when the family returned after the War, the surviving outbuildings were moved and assembled to form a new residence. For many years, the Wright Family lived here and in May 2017, the property was jointly purchased by the Town of Blu ton and the Beaufort County Rural and Critical Lands Program. Currently, the Squire Pope Carriage House is being rehabilitated to serve as the Town’s new Welcome Center and additional o ce space for Town Sta . A commemorative time capsule, containing historic artifacts and documents will be installed inside one of the walls during construction to mark historic of this