Barnwell Tabby

Arts & Culture in North End, Hilton Head Island, SC

North End

Barnwell Tabby is a historic tabby structure on Hilton Head Island, built from the distinctive oyster-shell-and-lime concrete that was widely used throughout the Lowcountry during the antebellum era. Tabby construction is itself a legacy of West African building traditions brought to the Americas by enslaved people, making these ruins a tangible connection to both the architectural history and the human history of the island. The Barnwell Tabby ruins stand as a reminder of the enslaved and Gullah Geechee people who built and inhabited these lands, and of the layers of history that lie beneath the surface of a resort island that many visitors experience only in its modern form. A significant stop on the Gullah Heritage Trail, Barnwell Tabby offers visitors a window into the architectural and human history of Hilton Head that few other sites can provide.

Address

Beach City Rd, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926

Neighborhood

North End

Website

mitchelvilleheritagepreserve.org

Details last verified September 2026. Hours, pricing, and availability change — confirm directly with the business before visiting.