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Tombee Plantation consists of 23.96 +/- unencumbered acres along Tombee Creek on Saint Helena Island, overlooking the protected property of Saint Philips Island. The grounds are stunning and the main house and guest house are surrounded by draping live oaks, massive pines, palms and ancient magnolias. The setting is magical, and the secluded waters provide excellent opportunities for redfish, flounder, crabs and oysters. Each season brings different species of fish to the waters and Tombee is an incredible launching pad into Station Creek that feeds into the Saint Helena Sound and Atlantic Ocean.
The main antebellum house is a Georgian style construction that was originally built in the 1790s by Thomas Benjamin Chaplin ("Tom B.") and was among the first residences built on Saint Helena Island. The main home sits atop a tabby foundation and features a large sitting and dining room, modern kitchen with high end Subzero and Dacor appliances, three bedrooms and three bathrooms, and expansive basement. Extensive outdoor lighting was engineered to look natural and illuminate the entire property. A full state of the art security and camera system has been installed to keep watch while away.
The guest home is simply fabulous and has also been fully restored. It is prime for entertaining and features a large great room and kitchen, two bedrooms and three bathrooms, and expansive screened porches for soaking in the magic of Tombee.
Under a large live oak in front of the guest home and main house is a circular Sea Island Fire Pit that is ideal for oyster roasts and crab boils! This is truly a four-season property and a very manageable historic estate. The screened verandas, outdoor gaming area, covered porches and al fresco dining options abound.
Tombee is less than 20 minutes from Downtown Beaufort, Fripp Island and Hunting Island.
History & Restoration
The original plantation consisted of 376 acres and was a hub for shipping sea island cotton to Charleston. The residence is one of the few remaining Antebellum structures still standing in the lowcountry. It was carefully guarded by former slaves since the 1860s when Tombee's lands were granted to Freedmen. Saint Helena Island was the epicenter of emancipation and Tombee was among the first to do so. Tombee home was kept by the government and used as an agricultural school to educate Freedmen. The 750 + square foot basement of the grand home was a local "juke joint" for the Gullah Geechee for many years.
Tombee caught the eye of Nationally recognized restorer James Williams in 1971 and over a period of several years was painstakingly restored to its original grandeur. Mr. William's purchased the property from the State and his journey of restoration of Tombee and several other historic buildings was immortalized through Dorothy Williams Kingery's book, "More Than Mercer House: Savannah's Jim Williams & His Southern Houses." Mr. William's life is documented in the book "Midnight in The Garden of Good and Evil" by John Berendt.
Many years later the house fell into need of repair and the current owners purchased the home and have undergone a complete renovation and restoration of Tombee. Like Mr. Williams, the current owners are acclaimed restorers and have spared no expense modernizing and bringing back to life this special place.
