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Bluffton is a diamond. Some say it’s a diamond in the rough; some say it’s perfection just the way it is. Whatever you think, all you have to do is turn the diamond toward the light and you’ll see facets you didn’t see before.
I couldn’t be more proud to be your mayor and a 17-year resident of this gem.
This column is about what makes our little town great. When I was asked to write it, the only question I had was, “How many pages do I have?” I will do my best to squeeze the highlights in, knowing books have been — and more could be — written about the history, the arts, the culture, the people, the attitude, and of course, “Bluffton’s State of Mind.”
Bluffton came to life in the early 1800s when wealthy plantation owners came to the “High Bluff” (hence the name Bluffton) to enjoy the summer and the May River breezes.
More than 200 years later, our laid-back lifestyle on the docks, porches, boats and Bluffton sandbar has kept the spirit alive, with the May River at the center of Bluffton’s nature show.
As laid-back as we are as a people, we are also historically fiercely independent. We became known as those who buck the system in the mid-1800s when Bluffton planters protested federal taxes on imported goods. Underneath an oak tree in Bluffton, angry planters plotted and the secessionist movement blossomed, making South Carolina the first state to secede from the Union. Bluffton residents known as rebels? Who would have thunk it, I say with a laugh.
Since then, we have been known as our own people, our own town, with our own way of doing things. Being “rebels” has served us well. Despite the current economic dreariness, the people of this community are always willing to reach out and help their neighbors. Ask anyone who has made it known that he or she has a
problem, and the heart of Bluffton surrounds them. There are too many examples to name, but collectively, we have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for people with illnesses, injuries or those who just need a helping hand. We are so blessed to have organizations such as Bluffton Self Help, Calhoun Station and Habitat for Humanity centered in our town, both geographically and philosophically.
Bluffton has a heart the likes of which I have never seen before in any community. That heart also keeps us down to earth and keeps us from taking ourselves too seriously. Our traditional events keep us laughing from year to year. The Bluffton Christmas Parade is the quirkiest, most fun spectator sport around (name one parade with a women’s drill team using power drills). There’s also the Bubba Ballet, with high-profile men in tutus. In October, we are proud to celebrate our roots with the Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival.
How blessed we are to have such an active and energetic artistic community with potters, sculptors and painters. The Society of Bluffton Artists’ gallery on Boundary Street will give you a glimpse of the depth of talent we have.
Of course, the May River is the star of our daily show. All the great things about our town flow from its natural beauty and resources. It helps the diamond of our town sparkle daily.
Come to Bluffton for a day, a decade or lifetime. We have a lot to offer.
