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