Questions and Answers

Why are you selling such an important historic property?

  • The property is important—and that’s why we’re taking a thoughtful approach to its future.

  • Owning one property limits our ability to impact many others.

  • This allows us to shift from stewarding one site to supporting preservation throughout the Bluffton area.

 

 Is this because of financial trouble?

  • This is a proactive, strategic decision—not a crisis response.

  • We are choosing long-term sustainability over ongoing financial strain.

  • The trust ensures stable funding for decades to come.

 

How can you guarantee the historic property will be protected?

  • By establishing strong historic preservation protections. We have in place:

    • Preservation easement

    • Deed restrictions

    • A preservation-minded buyer whose vision aligns with the property’s historic character

 

Are you abandoning your legacy?

  • Our legacy is not the Heyward House—it’s the preservation impact we have.

  • This decision honors that legacy by giving it the ability to flourish.

  • We are building on our history, not leaving it behind.

Will the public lose access to the property?

  • Public access of this cultural asset is important to us, and we are working with the buyer to encourage its continuation.

 

What happens to the staff and docents?

  • We are committed to treating staff thoughtfully and responsibly.

  • Our goal is to retain and realign where possible.

  • We are planning carefully to ensure continuity of tours and programs.

 

How will the trust work?

  • The proceeds will be invested in a professionally managed fund.

  • Each year, a portion will be distributed to support our mission.

  • This creates a reliable, long-term funding stream.

 

Why not keep the property and raise more money instead?

  • We feel our efforts are best used as an entity for preservation in our community rather than as a house museum and event venue.

  • This approach allows us to invest in impact rather than overhead.

 

Who made this decision?

  • The Board of Directors made this decision after extensive analysis.

  • We considered mission, financial, and community factors.

  • This reflects the current board’s fiduciary responsibility to the organization’s future.

What if donors aren’t okay with this?

  • This decision does not come lightly. We hope our donors will come to appreciate the long-term benefit.

  • We will continue engaging donors throughout the process, and beyond.

  • We understand that this decision may not align with the desires of all our donors, but we hope it ultimately inspires a greater interest in preservation.