The definitive book Northern Money Southern Land by Chlotilde R. Martin By the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the South Carolina Lowcountry had quietly transformed into one of America’s most exclusive sporting landscapes. Former rice plantations, long battered by war, emancipation, and economic decline, found new life as private hunting preserves. Northern industrialists and financiers—the architects of the Gilded Age—were drawn south by abundant wildlife, mil

Rose Hill Plantation House, also known as Rose Hill Mansion, is a historic Carpenter Gothic house located on US 278 in Bluffton, Beaufort County, South Carolina. Construction began in 1858 for Dr. John Kirk and his wife, Caroline. However, the process was interrupted by the Civil War and was not completed until after World War II, when architect Willis Irvin renovated and finished the home for John Sturgeon and his wife, Florence. The house was added to the National Register

Portrait of Louisa Carolina Graves nee Colleton (b.1763 - d.1822), Unknown artist. Formerly in the collection of Christian Dior (b.1905 - d.1957) at the Chateau de la Colle Noire, Montauroux. Try out the podcast above for a great deep dive into Louisa's history. The Colleton family, one of the prominent families in South Carolina's history, played a significant role in shaping the cultural and economic landscape of the Lowcountry. Arriving in the 17th century, they became inf

Learn about the history of Belfair Plantation in Bluffton

The 1600s were a time of fierce European competition for control of North America. Spain held Florida, the Southwest, and much of the Caribbean, establishing forts and missions to defend its claims. France dominated the north and interior regions, trading furs and forging alliances with Native tribes along the St. Lawrence, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River. England planted colonies along the Atlantic seaboard, from New England down to the Carolinas, emphasizing agriculture,

George Huntington "Hunt" Hartford, son of Bluffton, SC's Henrietta Pollitzer Hartford Pignatelli . Your initial thought in opening this post may be, "What is the relevance of Huntington Hartford in this Southern Gilded context?" This is a valid question. The main reason is his connection to Bluffton, SC, through his mother, Henrietta Pollitzer, which ties him to the Lowcountry and the Bluffton/Beaufort region. He was born on April 18, 1911, in New York City to Henrietta Po

The entrance to Chelsea today One of the most beautiful properties in the Lowcountry of South Carolina is in Okatie, SC, between Bluffton, SC, and Beaufort, SC, along the Okatie River. It is called Chelsea Plantation, and it was recently up for "re-development" into 1,400 homes, multi-family housing, mini-storage, and commercial space! Thankfully, it was saved by The Nature Conservancy and will be made available for public access. Chelsea in dark green here History of Chelsea

Richard T. Wilson Jr.'s home at Palmetto Bluff If you've recently been to the Bluffton, SC area, you might know about the Palmetto Bluff Development. This is a stunning, high-end property that combines classic lowcountry architecture with luxurious amenities. However, you might not be aware of its Gilded Age history. If that's the case, continue reading. The Marrying Wilsons and the Lost Grandeur of Palmetto Bluff On a bend of a sleepy Southern river, a palace once rose. Bui

Alfred Lee Loomis and his brother-in-law, Landon K. Thorne , owned 22,000 acres on Hilton Head Island, SC, in 1931, including the hunting lodge at Honey Horn. Alfred Lee Loomis (1887-1975) In 1931, Alfred Loomis and Landon K. Thorne, the wealthy husband of Loomis's sister Julia, purchased 22,000 acres of Hilton Head Island, which they established as a private preserve for riding, boating, fishing, and hunting. The centerpiece of the property was the old Honey Horn Plantation

Special thanks to Sydney Whiteside, Library Assistant, Beaufort District Collection, Beaufort County Library for her excellent assistance in accessing key resources for this article. Henrietta Pollitzer, born in Bluffton, SC, married Edward Hartford, an heir to the A&P Grocery fortune, and later she married an Italian Prince. So, in a sense, she was "Bluffton's Gilded Age Princess". Henrietta Pollitzer (January 1, 1881 - June 3, 1948) was born in Bluffton, South Carolina, to