Moreland was one of at least 15 separate plantations that once occupied the land that is now Palmetto Bluff. Owned by the Cole family, the property’s primary crops were indigo, rice, and cotton. The sketch to the left depicts some of the buildings on the property.
Today, the physical remnants of Moreland are few. Two cemeteries located near Old Moreland Road tell of a working plantation and give a glimpse into the life of the place. Pine trees now replace ground once scattered with cotton and new marsh exists in historic rice paddies. Live Oaks grace the banks of the creek and marsh that, to this day, provide strong protection from incoming storms.
Paying homage to the history of the place through traditional architecture
Moreland
history at palmetto bluff
and planning, Moreland Village is envisioned as a settlement that evolved from a plantation to a small riverside town to a bustling neighborhood.
“The summer homes established along the May River were characterized by certain design traits that had been adapted to meet the demands of the Lowcountry, and were often raised above the ground on piers to provide
adequate ventilation. In most cases, these clapboard-sided residences had large porches for casual living.
Several well-preserved examples of this vernacular form of Lowcountry architectural design can still be viewed in some of Bluffton’s remaining antebellum homes. The Cole-Heyward House is a splendid illustration. In the early 1840s, John J. Cole built this summer dwelling for his family on Boundary Street. Like many builders of the day, Cole chose plans for his house based on the early Carolina Farmhouse style of architecture, which was heavily influenced from the West Indies. John and his wife Caroline Corley owned nearby Moreland Plantation located at May River Neck, or present-day Palmetto Bluff.”
— Excerpt from “The Bluffton Expedition: The Burning of Bluffton, South Carolina, During the Civil War”, by Jeff Fulgham, 2012