Buying, selling, and granting of land in the greater Hilton Head Island area is happening at a rapid pace. Archival documents such as will transcripts, plat maps, and sale of land receipts show thousands of Hilton Head Island acres being bought and sold in this period.

Current research dates the Barnwell Tabby structure to this period (not the 1800s as previously thought).

Archaeological excavations and data indicate the Tabby walls could have been built as early as 1710, and the floor as early as 1760. (Note: We’re still researching at this very moment!)

However, the purpose of the structure is still being debated. One historian, Dr. Eric Plaag, believes it was the remains of an early antebellum structure (a plantation house). Other experts, like Dr. Trinkley and Dr. Seeber, believe it could have been an industrial or storage structure for trading or farming.

The Tabby was initially thought to have been part of Cotton Hope Plantation, owned by Squire Pope, but this theory has since been disproved. It was also theorized that it was the Marabuoy plantation home of Henry Ladson, but map records indicate Marabuoy was to the north.

Research is ongoing.

Thomas Barnwell Sr. and Hannah, his wife, purchased the land on which half the Tabby resides (the property line ran through the middle of the Tabby at this point in time).

This is the same year that Thomas Barnwell Jr. was born. For eight years, the country has been in the grips of the Great Depression, and vast Gullah Geechee land loss began in this period.

An archaeologist first recorded the Barnwell Tabby site, Dr. Robert Stephenson of the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, during a road-development survey project. The Tabby was assigned the site number 38BU90. Dr. Stephenson recorded the Tabby as a two-story tabby construction.

Thomas C. Barnwell, Jr. assumes ownership of half of the property from his mother, Hannah White Barnwell. At this point in time, the property line cuts through the middle of the Tabby, leaving the other half under Ruth and Cora Jones’s control.

Dr. Michael Trinkley conducted an initial survey of the site and recommended further investigation.

Dr. Michael Trinkley, an archaeologist at Chicora Foundation, returns to the site and digs 34 auger (test) pits. He reported that it is “a standing tabby structure of likely industrial or storage function.” (Page 110)

Mr. Colin Brooker, an architect and tabby expert, also investigates the ruins. Brooker concluded it was difficult to determine the function and date of construction due to a lack of evidence. He suggests the presence of a central chimney would confirm domestic use.

Both stress the importance of further investigation and recommend inclusion on the National Historic Register at the state level.

Barnwell Jr. participates in a land swap to assume full ownership of the Barnwell Tabby property. While he considered developing the land, in the end, he chose to preserve the Tabby.

Thomas Barnwell Jr. initiated the preservation efforts. Colin Brooker, the architect and tabby expert who consulted with Trinkley in 1988, was hired to develop a plan to restore the tabby in phases. In July and August of 2009, Phase I of the restoration took place, and repairs were made to the east facade (side). This included restoring windows, reinforcing with timber, reconstructing lintels, and adding new tabby to the walls. Builder Rick Wrightman is brought in to perform the restoration. The Barnwells sourced oyster shells from Florida to ensure they were the same type as the original.

In September and November of 2016, the second phase of restoration began. Over 285 hours, builder Rick Wightman restores lintels on the south, west, and north facades. Door frames and lintels on the north and south sides are also restored.

While tabby is a sturdy material, it will break down if not fully protected. From November of 2017 through January 2018, Wrightman’s team constructed a wooden frame to support the addition of a pavilion-style roof. By February of 2018, the roof was complete, and 388 hours went into protecting the Tabby’s walls.

Dr. Kimberly Cavanagh, Associate Professor of Anthropology (Chair of Humanities) at the University of South Carolina Beaufort (USCB), assembles an excavation team, including Dr. Audrey Dawson (archaeologist), Dr. Eric Plaag (historian), and USCB undergraduates. Dr. Katherine Seeber, an archaeologist, and her staff assist.

The Barnwell Family begins to work with the research to develop educational resources and explore on-site educational opportunities, in pursuit of turning the Tabby into a symbol of Gullah-Geechee heritage. As the “Tabby Team” grows, Dr. Seeber leads the educational resource development.

The Barnwell Tabby remains privately owned by the Barnwell family and is being preserved as an educational and historical resource