Updates have recently been made to the Guilford Genealogy. 1\/17\/2018<\/p>\n
NOTICE<\/span>: RECENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH OUR CONTACT PAGE. IF YOU HAVE TRIED RECENTLY TO LEAVE COMMENTS THERE PLEASE LEAVE THEM AGAIN BECAUSE YOUR RETURN EMAIL ADDRESS HAD NOT BEEN TRANSMITTED. This problem has now been fixed.<\/strong><\/p>\n See recent posts under the Blog Tab.<\/em><\/a> <\/strong>5\/3\/2019: Old Gullah Woman Profoundly Influenced South Carolina Poet and Composer.<\/em><\/p>\n A recent article, Almost Forgotten History of Bluffton’s United Methodist Church, <\/em><\/strong>has just been posted under the History Tab<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Recent articles by John Samuel Graves, III, about the Graves, Guilford <\/em><\/strong> and Peeples<\/em><\/strong> families have been posted under the Articles Tab.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Recent News about the Graves House.<\/strong> Click on these links:<\/p>\n Gr<\/a>aves Cott<\/a>age Renovation: Parsonage by the people – Local Life<\/a><\/p>\n Bluffton UMC facebook page about restoration dedication<\/a><\/p>\n Bluffton Today article about Open House of completed Graves House restoration<\/a><\/p>\n Replica of Graves House Completed<\/a><\/p>\n First phase of Graves House renovation complete<\/a><\/p>\n Graves House moves on site<\/a><\/p>\n Graves House on-site move approved<\/a><\/p>\n Add advisor to Bluffton Historic Preservation Commission?<\/a><\/p>\n Graves House Move Still up in the Air<\/a><\/p>\n Bluffton Historical Society Chairman resigned<\/a><\/p>\n Historic Graves House could become Bluffton Farmers’ Market headquarters<\/a><\/p>\n Graves House to move up Calhoun St. in August<\/a><\/p>\n Work to move historic Graves House in Bluffton nears completion<\/a><\/p>\n The Graves House<\/em> of Bluffton, South Carolina<\/a>, has stood over 104 years as one of the most recognizable and unique structures in town. Located at 85 Calhoun Street, in the very heart of Bluffton’s fabled Historic Preservation District<\/a>, the 1,934 square foot home remains the center of a controversy over the development of downtown Bluffton at the expense of one of the very symbols of Bluffton’s proud local heritage.<\/p>\n After the death of Mary Graves, the property was sold to Michael J. Hahn and D. Bryan McClure, Jr., on June 6th, 2011 with the clear understanding that the Graves House<\/em> was a contributing structure in Bluffton’s Historic Preservation District, that it could not be torn down and must be restored<\/span>. (See Why a Contributing Structure <\/em>under Articles<\/em> tab above.) Mr. Hahn and Mr. McClure had been allowed to subdivide the Graves property before they purchased it. By selling the back 1\/3 of the lot they would have been perfectly positioned to do a cost effective restoration. Even so, within one year, Mr. Hahn and Mr. McClure accepted an offer from the Bluffton United Methodist Church to purchase the property if permission from the city of Bluffton to demolish the house could be achieved. The petition to demolish was submitted to the Bluffton Historic Preservation Commission by Court Atkins Architects, Inc.<\/a>, architects for the Bluffton United Methodist Church.<\/p>\n The Bluffton Historic Preservation Commission’s primary purpose is to preserve and protect the historic properties in Bluffton’s Historic Preservation District. The Graves family understood that and had been assured that the BHPC would never consider allowing the demolition of the Graves House<\/em>. However, during the May 2, 2012 <\/span>meeting of the BHPC, facts and figures were presented in such a one sided, inflammatory, and fear-mongering manner that the BHPC was persuaded to allow the demolition of the Graves House<\/em>, even after the town’s own Staff Report found against<\/strong><\/span> demolition. (See Katie Woodruff<\/em> under Articles <\/em>tab above.) No professional restoration contractors had been obtained to offer alternatives to demolition. Most astonishing of all, the sitting president of the Bluffton Historic Preservation Society, who had a seat on the BHPC, voted to demolish! Against the majority wishes of his board! Very shortly after the controversial decision the Graves property was sold to the Bluffton United Methodist Church<\/a> on May 7th, 2012. The BUMC is itself a contributing structure<\/span> in the Bluffton Historic Preservation District and is situated directly across the street from the Graves House<\/em>. Seven Oaks<\/em>, the restored historic property now owned by the Episcopal Church, sits directly across the street from the Graves House<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n The story of the Graves House’s<\/em> condemnation stands as one of the most egregious examples of a local authority (in this case the BHPC) with only a very few votes and in a matter of minutes, making it possible for a 104 year old contributing historic structure, after being sold as a protected historic property, to be condemned and “flipped” for the land beneath it. The BHPC decision made it possible for Mr. Hahn and Mr. McClure to make outrageous profits at the expense of the life of the Graves House, <\/em>and to considerably damage the the viability and credibility of the Bluffton Historic Preservation District<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Updates have recently been made to the Guilford Genealogy. 1\/17\/2018 NOTICE: RECENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH OUR CONTACT PAGE. IF YOU HAVE TRIED RECENTLY TO LEAVE COMMENTS THERE PLEASE LEAVE THEM AGAIN BECAUSE YOUR RETURN EMAIL ADDRESS HAD NOT BEEN TRANSMITTED. This problem has now been fixed. See recent posts under the Blog Tab. … Continue reading Home<\/span> Old News: Graves House Condemned!<\/em><\/strong><\/h1>\n