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1956 Map of Bluffton

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Bluffton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

Bluffton stands on the northern banks of the May River, serving as a central hub for this intricate coastal landscape of islands and tidal waterways. In the mid-1950s, the region remained deeply rural and maritime, dominated by significant landmasses like Hilton Head Island, Daufuskie Island, and Pinckney Island. The map documents a network of landings and ferries, such as Buckingham Landing and Ferry Point, which were vital for transportation before the widespread modernization of coastal infrastructure.

Evidence of the area's long human history is scattered throughout the marshes and pine woods, including the Baynard Ruins on the southern end of Hilton Head and several family and community burial grounds like Stoney Cem and Haig Point Cem. The water-based economy is reflected in features like Hilton Head Harbor and numerous named creeks such as Mackay Creek and Skull Creek, which delineate the boundaries of Jenkins Island and Barataria Island. Local education is marked by the Mikey Riley Sch near the Bluffton town center.