Serving Greater Bluffton Since 1987

The Bluffton Eccentric was the first and only newspaper the town of Bluffton has had in fifty years. We felt such a kinship with them that we asked Graham Bullock, publisher of The Bluffton Eccentric, if we could resurrect articles from previous issues and republish them. Graham graciously gave his permission and loaned us volumes of old papers. It has been a treat for me to read them and it is with great honor that I get to share them with everyone again. So, kick back, relax and get ready for a blast from the past.

A Traditional Thanksgiving in Old Bluffton

ost people in Bluffton will sit down to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. What is a “traditional menu’ and how did it start? We ask several Bluffton town folk what they were serving as traditional Thanksgiving dinner to their family.

Patsy Hodge said, “of course, we’re going to have turkey. Frank shot a goose one year and that didn’t work out at all; it was so dry. To tell the truth the real reason that we like turkey is so that we can have those delicious turkey sandwiches the next day.

Ida Martin said, “It has to be turkey for Thanksgiving. Jacob and the children look forward to the same menu every year.”

Dean Poucher is thankful for a friend who brought him a side of venision recently. “With my bad back, I haven’t been able to hunt lately. Ann and I are going to enjoy a venison roast for Thanksgiving.”

When the Reeves family gathers together for Thanksgiving, they like to start out with an oyster roast and, in addition to the turkey, there is usually venison or a smoked ham.

Judge Murray Baughman is smoking his turkey and will be fixing his infamous curdled beans for Ayers and family.

When Graham Bullock was asked if ther would be any seafood or game at his and Jane’s Thanksgiving table, he replied, “That depends, I do all my hunting and fishing at Scott’s.”

Lucille and Paul Pinckney are planning an “old timey” Thanksgiving dinner for their big family, complete with cornbread stuffing. “Red rice with ham is another one of our favorites and I always make a pound cake,” Lucille said.

Kathleen Bethea remembers the oyster dressing her father used to make for Thanksgivng, but has lost the recipe and must settle for the cornbread variety. Husband Harvey and family look forward to the ambrosia that she makes with fresh fruits.

Herman and Linda Farmer eat two Thanksgiving dinners. The traditional turkey meal at Linda and Alton Farmer’s is accompanied by pork barbecue and Brunswick stew, “made with chicken and pork, not game.” The week-end feast at Marie and Jeff Sauls home includes”red rice with sausage, pecan pie, and so many people that it usually takes three sittings to get everybody fed.”

Rosa Felder knows that Thanksgiving dinner is not complete without a sweet potato pie gracing her table.

But June, Lee and Adam are partial to candied yams and a dish called dirty rice with chicken livers, onions and bell peppers cooked together.

Bob Kieffer likes the giblets put into the gravy and proudly says, “My Ann makes the best dinner and gravy that you ever tasted.” At Windy Knolls Farms, Nancy Roe serves Bill and family freshly made cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie every Thanksgiving.

Evelyn Graves is planning a “country style’ Thanksgiving dinner for Heyward and their family, to include mincemeat pie.

Doris Cahill has already been busy in her kitchen, turning out those delicious fruit cakes that she bakes early for both holidays. The Bluffton Fire Chief, one of her sons, is already primed up for her Thanksgiving peach cobbler and berry pies.

In addition to the traditional fare, Brenda Smith is planning to make Heavenly Pudding and five different kinds of pies from scratch for her big family and “half the county that will drop by that day.’

When Blufftonians are invited to dinner, they usually bring a covered dish or condiment to add to the festive occasion. a few that were mentioned were: crab dip, fish cowder, rolls, beaten biscuits, spoon bread, molded gelatin salads, preserves, jellies, butter beans cooked with fat back, collard greens with streak a lean, shrimp purloo, baked beans, squash pie, homemade relish and caramel cake.