Garvin House restoration builds momentum
After a decade-long discussion, one of Bluffton's most historically significant sites could soon be the house it once was.
Earlier this week, the town opened the bidding process for contractors interested in the $500,000 rehabilitation of the dilapidated Garvin House in Old Town.
For years, Bluffton has studied the history of the house -- the earliest-known home owned by a freed slave along the May River -- and developed plans for its restoration.
But other than installation of a fence around the perimeter and some stabilization of the foundation, little physical work has been done.
Despite its place in town history, the home is "in a state of continuing decay," according to a town document.
The restoration project "has the potential to bring to life and tell the story of the freed African-American family of Gullah Geechee descent who occupied the property for nearly 100 years following the Civil War," town director of growth management Kendra Lelie said in an email earlier this week.
The newly opened bidding process is a sign that the heavy lifting of the restoration process will likely begin soon.
This step is "demonstrating clearly the town's commitment and understanding of the importance of this (project)," Celebrate Bluffton director Carolyn Coppola said Friday.
Her organization is dedicated to researching and promoting town history.
"The Garvin House is more than a pile of wood," Coppola said. "It is a snapshot of history during the Reconstruction period."
The bidding documents provide a glimpse into what that pile of wood could look like when the four-stage restoration work wraps up.
The goal is to "ensure that this structure is restored to its most recent intact and occupied state during the mid-20th century," according to town documents.
That means building a new foundation and roof, stabilizing wall framing, reconstructing an historic masonry chimney, adding a new front porch, and a host of other items.
The bid request includes hundreds of pages of construction specifications, architectural drawings and schematics.
It remains unclear at this point when the restoration will take place, but bidding closes Jan. 6. Once construction starts, contractors will have 160 days to complete the work, according to town documents.
In addition to town capital improvement dollars, the project is expected to be "partially constructed with funds provided by the State Historic Preservation Office, National Park Service and the Department of the Interior," according to town documents.
Town officials hope the restored home will draw visitors interested in learning about the Lowcountry's African-American and Gullah Geechee cultures.
Ultimately, the aim is "bringing the Garvin House back to a safe, functional and viable use...," Lelie said.
"...The preservation of the Garvin House comes at a time when the conversation of race and acknowledging America's difficult past could not be more relevant or important," Lelie said.
About the Garvin House
The earliest-known home owned by a freed slave along the May River, the Garvin House was built by Cyrus Garvin in 1870 with materials spared by Union troops when they burned Bluffton seven years earlier.
Garvin likely had been a slave of Joseph Baynard, whose plantation home stood on the site before being destroyed by federal forces during the Civil War, according to town documents.
The home remained in the Garvin family until the 1960s, according to town deeds.
Follow reporter Lucas High on Twitter at twitter.com/IPBG_Lucas.
Related content:
- Bluffton restarts push to restore ex-slave's home, Dec. 16, 2013
This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 5:22 PM with the headline "Garvin House restoration builds momentum ."