“The recorded history of Oldfield began with Lord Proprietor’s grant, including a parcel of land referred to as “Old Field”, to Governor Robert Johnson in 1732."

By 1752, the property had been transferred to one Gabriel Manigault and eventually to Col. William Hazzard, a wealthy planter and officer in the colonial militia. Edward Wigg, a storekeeper on Port Royal Island, married into the family, and the property was subsequently known as “Wigg’s Bluff” for many years, although the plantation was completely destroyed by British troops in 1781. According to Wigg family tradition, the plantation was rebuilt, only to be shelled from the river by Union gunboats in November 1862. Ownership of the land was cloudy throughout reconstruction and well into the 20^th century, but the property entered the modern era in the possession of Pauline Pratt Webel.

In 1972, the property passed to Robin Carrier who raised farm animals and a variety of crops on the 800-acre tract, and entertained splendidly on weekend hunts for doves, ducks, deer, turkey, and wild boar. Carrier sold the property to a Hilton Head developer in 1985. The new owner used the land as a quarter horse farm and built the extensive system of fences that endures as one of the tract’s most distinguishing features.

In 1998, the property was purchased by Crescent Resources, LLC and the modern era of “Oldfield” began... Today, Oldfield is a private member-owned riverfront community rich with amenities including golf, equestrian, fitness, racquet sports, and outfitters seamlessly blended for the perfect Lowcountry lifestyle.

There was a time in the not-too distant history of rural and small town America, when the design of one’s home was purely an extension of the way he or she lived. Form did literally follow function, long before that term became a cliché in the lexicon of industrial design. In the coastal towns of the South Atlantic and Gulf region, a style emerged which was far less notable for what it was, than for what it was not.

Today, this vernacular is difficult to describe but impossible to overlook or dismiss. It evokes the ambience of a simpler, more peaceful time, and in doing so, creates a comfort and peace of its own. Our studies for Oldfield contain a wealth of visual information, with photographically documented original architectural forms. Many appear as they did prior to well-intended restorations. The original may tell us about our ancestors but the interpretation of the use of materials and the defining of space tell us about ourselves. Our desire is that our Pattern Book will establish a framework within Oldfield where residents will experience a lifetime of visual enjoyment – where every green space and building encourages you to know your neighbor. It is meant to build a community, which will be enjoyed now as well as building a legacy for our future generations.

At Oldfield, our key focus will be on quality and an extremely pleasant building experience rather than on quantity. The size of one’s home will not be important at Oldfield and it will not be necessary nor important to “keep up with the Jones." What will be important is the look and feel achieved by the home as it relates to the neighborhood in which it is located and the homesite on which it is situated. It is our sincere hope all Oldfield property owners will embrace this opportunity with a passion and sensitivity, so that their home will maximize views, enjoy prevailing breezes, take advantage of the solar orientation, and provide a pleasing appearance from the roads.

Oldfield is indeed a truly extraordinary community, unique not only for the way of life we have created but for the timeless beauty of the homes which forms the fabric of this very special community. We have also endeavored to design our Pattern Book as a workable guide to building your home at Oldfield – rather than to create a slick marketing piece showcasing our vision for Oldfield’s uncommon way of life.

Among Oldfield’s most prized accolades for stewardship was an honor bestowed by Audubon International. Oldfield has been an Audubon "Neighborhood for Nature" since 2004 and was certified as an Audubon Sustainable Community in 2018. The Audubon Sustainable Communities Program is a program that helps guide communities through a custom journey to become healthy and vibrant places to live, work, and play. The program is founded on three pillars of sustainability: a healthy local environment, good quality of life for its citizens, and economic vitality.

Here at Oldfield, we are committed to promoting environmental awareness through education and conservation of our natural and cultural resources. Recertification is due every three years and each year we measure our progress towards each of our sustainability indicators that are defined in our sustainability plan.

Additionally, thanks to careful design and a continued commitment to preservation, Oldfield’s golf course was named a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in recognition of its environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, chemical reduction and safety, water conservation and water quality management.