CT House Histories’ research into the story behind the Garvin-Garvey House in Bluffton, South Carolina, was instrumental in preserving an important part of American history.

The circa 1870 house, situated on a bluff overlooking the May River, was built by Cyrus Garvey, a freedman whose family lived in and owned the property until 1961. The structure is believed to be the earliest known home built by a former slave. The cottage, located within the “Old Town” district of Bluffton, is an excellent example of Carolina Lowcountry vernacular architecture of the late-19th century. The building was constructed during the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War.

In 2001, the Beaufort County Land Trust acquired the house and property, and in 2004, Beaufort County and the Town of Bluffton entered into a partnership to share the responsibility of maintaining the Oyster Factory Park, which includes the Garvin-Garvey House. The house was completely renovated and was dedicated and opened to the public in summer 2017.

CT House Histories’ founder and principal researcher Melanie Beal Marks devoted more than a year of her time and expertise to bring the Cyrus Garvey family to life – tracking down vital records, deeds, census records, birth and death certificates and gravesites and conducting interviews with locals who were acquainted with the family as well as knowledgeable about Bluffton history.

Marks’ research culminated in the 94-page report entitled “The Journey of a Freedman’s Family,” co-written by her colleague, Patricia Hines.

Garvin-Garvey House Topic of Special Presentation

Melanie Beal Marks, founder and principal researcher of CT House Histories, LLC, gave a power-point presentation in Bluffton, South Carolina, on April 24, 2018, on the history of the Garvin-Garvey House, which is believed to be the earliest-known home built by a former slave.

The event, “Slave to Freedom,” was sponsored by the Colleton River Club’s Lifelong Learning Group. About 100 people attended.

Marks was joined by Joseph McGill, the founder of the Slave Dwelling Project and a descendant of slaves. McGill has slept in more than 90 extant slave dwellings and spoke about his experiences and the ongoing work to save the historic buildings. The mission of McGill’s Slave Dwelling Project is to identify and assist property owners, government agencies and organizations to preserve the structures, according to its website, slavedwellingproject.org.

“It is essential that the Slave Dwelling Project serve as a conduit for the identification of preservation resources for owners of slave dwellings that have a desire to save these dwellings. We also seek to assist in the acquisition of slave dwellings within a community in order to mitigate the possibility of demolition. Our goal is to bring historians, students, faculty, writers, legislators, organizations, corporations, artists and the general public together to educate, collaborate and organize resources to save these important collectibles of our American history.”

McGill also is the founder of the Company I 54^th Massachusetts Reenactment Regiment in Charleston, South Carolina.

The Garvin-Garvey House is located on a bluff overlooking the May River in Bluffton. In 2001, the Beaufort County Open Land Trust acquired the house and property, and in 2004, Beaufort County and the Town of Bluffton entered into a partnership to share the responsibility of maintaining the Oyster Factory Park, which includes the Garvin-Garvey House. The house was completely renovated and was dedicated and opened to the public in summer 2017.

At the gathering, Marks shared her extensive research into the circa 1870 house and the family that lived there. The house was built by Cyrus Garvey, a freedman, during the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War. His family lived in and owned the property until 1961. Marks’ research culminated in the 94-page report entitled “The Journey of a Freedman’s Family,” which can be read online on the Town of Bluffton’s website, www.townofbluffton.sc.gov.

Marks devoted more than a year of her time and expertise to bring the Cyrus Garvey family to life – tracking down vital records, deeds, census records, birth and death certificates and gravesites and conducting interviews with locals who were acquainted with the family as well as knowledgeable about Bluffton history.

CT House Histories’ Founder Receives Preservation Award

Melanie Beal Marks, founder and principal researcher of CT House Histories, received a 2017 South Carolina Historic Preservation Award from Gov. Henry McMaster for her work on researching and preserving the Garvin-Garvey House in Bluffton, South Carolina.

Sponsored by the Office of Governor, the South Carolina Archives and History Foundation, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History and the Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation, the award recognizes exceptional accomplishments in preservation, rehabilitation and interpretation of the architectural and cultural heritage of South Carolina.

She was nominated by Erin Schumacher, Bluffton’s historic preservation principal planner, with whom Marks worked closely to compile a report on the family of freedman Cyrus Garvey, who built his cottage in 1870 on a bluff overlooking the May River.

In her nomination, Schumacher wrote, “We feel Melanie should be commended for her dedication to this project, generosity of her time and talent, and desire to share this important history with future generations. She is an example of an enduring steward of history and has contributed significantly to the field of preservation in the Town of Bluffton, Beaufort County, and for the State of South Carolina.”

For the full story on the award, read this article.

 

 

The Bluffton Sun reports on the South Carolina Historic Preservation Award.

Bluffton Today reports on the dedication of the Garvin-Garvey House.

The Garvin-Garvey House is dedicated in a special community ceremony.

A brief documentary shows the restoration effort of the Garvin-Garvey House.

“A House. A Home. A History.”

More information on the Garvin-Garvey House can be found on the Town of Bluffton’s website.