Heyward House and Historical Center, Historical center in Bluffton, United States.

Heyward House is a 19th-century residential structure in Bluffton showing early Carolina Farmhouse architecture with wide heart pine boards, large windows, and traditional building techniques. The main house was expanded over time, while a cabin on the grounds adds another historical layer to the property.

John J. Cole built the north parlor and the bedroom above it in 1841 as a summer home for his wife Carolina Corley and their children, using enslaved workers. By 1860 he had more than doubled the house, replacing the front-room windows with larger ones. After Cole died of tuberculosis contracted during the Civil War, the family sold out in 1874; the Heywards owned it from 1882 until 1998.

The cabin on the property offers direct insight into the lives of enslaved people who lived and worked here during the 1800s. Walking through it helps visitors understand the daily realities of people whose labor built and maintained this place.

The center serves as the main visitor hub for Bluffton, offering local information, maps, and guided tours of the grounds and buildings. You can explore at your own pace or join a tour to learn more about the property and its surroundings.

The original summer kitchen building required reconstruction using both period materials and newer wood after damage from wood-eating insects. This outbuilding demonstrates efforts to preserve historical structures while accepting practical limitations.