Digital Archive

Barnwell Tabby

Close-up of a shell embedded in the tabby of the Barnwell Tabby walls.

Thomas Barnwell’s Tabby Tells a ‘Wider Story’ of Hilton Head, South Carolina Living, August 1, 2024

'An incredibly important site.' How archaeologists dated Hilton Head Island's oldest structure The Post and Courier, March 21, 2024

Univeristy of South Carolina Beaufort conducts the Barnwell Tabby Dig, spring and summer, 2019

Videos

Thomas Barnwell Jr.

Thomas Barnwell Jr. Biography & Digtial Archive, The History Makers, January 30, 2007

Billie Hack, Tom Barnwell inducted into Hilton Head Island Hall of Fame, The Island Packet, November 1, 2013

Thomas Barnwell Jr. Brief Biography, South Writ Large, undated

South Carolina African American History Calendar 2024 (Thomas Barnwell Jr.)

Barnwell Tabby logo square
The Barnwell Tabby with a pavilion roof for protection surrounded by palm trees and a grassy field under a partly cloudy blue sky.
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Map of Hilton Head Island plantations
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Thomas Barnwell, Jr., wearing glasses and a vest, is pointing inside the Barnwell Tabby with walls overlooking a tree outside.
A simple drawing of the Barnwell Tabby by Beegee Tolpa, with a slanted roof, two windows, a door, some cracks and peeling on the yellow exterior walls, and a palm tree in the background.
The Barnwell Tabby under a clear blue sky with palm trees surrounding it and a grassy yard.
A collage of three vintage Barnwell family photos, including a black-and-white group photo outdoors with people standing and a dog, a sepia portrait of a woman, and a black-and-white portrait of a man in U.S. Navy uniform.
Thomas Barnwell, Jr., in a blue suit, is sitting by a wooden railing overlooking Skull Creek with a Hudson's Seafood dock and a sailboat in the distance, under a cloudy sky.
Infographic about Barnwell Tabby, covering its history, methods of inquiry, reconstruction and discovery, and sponsors like SUBSC and Humanities.
Tabby windows are unique for their angled construction
Original artwork by Dr. Katherine Seeber
The Barnwell Tabby ruins, prior to restoration
Black and white vintage photo of Mitchelville descendants, including a woman with a horse, outdoors in a grassy park with trees. The group appears to be posing or engaging with the horse, with some children and adults looking at the camera.
Close-up of a cluster of seashells embedded in the Barnwell Tabby wall.
A person's hand with painted nails touching a Barnwell Tabby wall.
Historic map showing the Hilton Head area with a blue star marking the Barnwell Tabby on Hilton Head, including historic landmarks.
Children in warm clothing observing the Barnwell Tabby archaeological excavation pit with tools and measuring tape.
Tabby restoration expert Rick Wright working on the Barnwell Tabby, using a hammer on a beam, with a blue sky and palm trees in the background.
The Barnwell Tabby
A watercolor painting by Dr. Katherine Seeber depicts a pre-Civil War era scene with people, animals, and vegetation.
People exploring the Barnwell Tabby on a tour.
The Barnwell Tabby, Hilton Head Island's oldest standing structure, circa 1730-1750.
Wooden framework being built on top of the Barnwell Tabby for protection, with trees and a blue sky in the background.
Close-up of the Barnwell Tabby ruins, prior to restoration.
Close-up of the Barnwell Tabby ruins, prior to restoration.
Close-up of the Barnwell Tabby ruins, prior to restoration, including new door and window framing.
Close-up of the Barnwell Tabby ruins, prior to restoration.
A paintbrush cleaning dirt and leaves off a metal mesh surface during the Barnwell Tabby excavation of 2020.
Old photo of a group of Mitchelville descendants gathered outdoors, with one person sitting on a horse, others standing around, some smiling, in a park-like setting with trees in the background.
Two women working on the Barnwell Tabby archaeological excavation, kneeling and using small tools, with buckets, measuring tools, and flagged grid markings.