At the very heart of the Lowcountry, life at Palmetto Bluff offers residents a daily renewal of the spirit. It is a community that is defined by the passions of its residents who are buoyed by deep social connections, waterway adventures, wellness practices, and love of the land. Located within the incredible natural setting where the forest, marsh, and waterways meet to create a distinctive environment is Moreland Village, an exciting area that serves as the residential center of gravity for the entire development of Palmetto Bluff.
“We launched Moreland Village five years ago as a result of the growth we’ve experienced at Palmetto Bluff,” said W. Bryan Byrne, broker-in-charge of Palmetto Bluff Real Estate Company. “In 2003, we opened with Wilson Village, and when the time came for a second village, we knew we had a unique opportunity to include more of what we needed and didn’t yet have.”
From tree climbing to kayaking, there are plenty of outdoor pursuits to be found in Moreland Village. Club members make a splash in Moreland’s two private pools. And for more scholarly pursuits, the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy Classroom offers educational seminars on the region’s natural riches and important archaeological finds.
One Moreland Village distinction, according to Byrne, is that this area is a higher-density gathering place. Members enjoy closer connectivity of trails and walkability to amenities (most of which are member-only) in one central location, as well as expansive access to the outdoors and natural environment. Moreland Village’s placement within Palmetto Bluff is such that it unfolds along the shores of the Inland Waterway and Cauley’s Creek, and from the Moreland Landing boat ramp, members have easy access to waterway adventures, kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing in the river. They can also take a Duffy boat ride along the 7.5-mile-long Inland Waterway, launching from the village ferry dock. Once the Inland Waterway is further expanded, residents of Moreland Village will be able to travel between Moreland, River Road, Wilson Village, and all the way down to the future Anson Village, all without stepping foot in a car.
The perk of not having to use a car is one of the very reasons that William and Sherrie Ferguson and their kids love their home in Moreland Village. The family had been vacationing in Palmetto Bluff from their primary residence in Charleston since 2009 when their family business, Scout Boats, began selling boats to Wilson Landing Marina and enjoyed a weekend in a cottage. The Fergusons were immediately hooked and began visiting on anniversaries and other special occasions. In 2018, they bought their home in Moreland Village.
“We love that our home is close to Cole’s, the bowling alley, the pools, the boat landing, and that one of the trails to Wilson Village is right behind our house,” Sherrie said. “It is less than a two-minute walk to any of the Moreland Village amenities, and if we want to go to Wilson Village, we can easily bike.”
“What I love is that we can run our boat from Charleston to Palmetto Bluff for the weekend and don’t need a car at all while we’re here,” William said. “We can walk, bike, or ride in our golf cart to everything.”
Palmetto Bluff’s expansive trail system provides even more opportunity to explore and discover the enormity of the community’s 20,000 acres, including to and from Moreland Village. Hop on a bike, ride a horse or go by foot on trails that crisscross the property and connect residential neighborhoods to parks, recreational activities, and amenities.
The couple, whose boys are ages 12, 10, and 6, also love the options of outdoor activities available, along with the safety they feel when their boys want to play outdoors by themselves. “We feel very comfortable allowing our children to enjoy the outdoor adventures that are here for them, and they absolutely love the freedom of childhood they experience,” Sherrie said.
Moreland Village is home to the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy, where members enjoy lectures and “Brown Bag Lunches” at the Conservancy Classroom.
“The Conservancy is Palmetto Bluff’s undercurrent of lifelong learning that connects everyone whether you are golfer, boater, artist, reader, gardener, or shooter,” Byrne said. “It is the place we gather … our common thread. Members have access to 300 programs above and beyond the Club calendar, such as nature hikes, lectures in the classroom, travel experiences, and internationally recognized wildlife research.”
From morning coffee and conversation to lunchtime paninis, salads, and snacks, the offerings at The Canteen (shown here) have earned a devoted fan base. And for Palmetto Bluff Club members, Cole’s Lowcountry Tavern pairs fresh, Instagram-worthy dishes with curated wines, local brews, and signature cocktails.
The Palmetto Bluff Club membership office is located in Moreland Village, as well as a fitness and movement studio for members. Shady trails promise invigorating hikes, and a towering treehouse fuels the exploratory spirit of kids at every age. In addition, a trio of eateries in Moreland Village showcase casual coastal flare, and a game room and bowling alley strike just the right chord for those who like a friendly challenge.
Additionally, Moreland Village will serve as the location for the new nine-hole golf course designed by King Collins. The layout of the course takes a non-traditional approach as the course can be played in reverse, allowing for play from 1,000- to 3,000-yards to ensure that the holes will never tire upon repeat play. The course will eventually have its own clubhouse and a new wellness and recreation center, which will include additional fitness facilities, pickleball courts, sports fields, and places for gathering.
Moreland Village is a hub of community and member activity and social gatherings, from concerts to oyster roasts and holiday celebrations.
Moreland Crossroads, a free-form lawn area in Moreland Village, plays host to member and community events throughout the year. One upcoming event to anticipate is Songwriters in the Round: A Concert with Jim Lauderdale, Verlon Thompson & Lillie Mae, on Saturday, April 22, 2023. Lowcountry residents are invited to join members for this one-of-a-kind concert experience where the April Artist in Residence and multiple Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale, along with his friends Verlon Thompson and Lillie Mae, will entertain. The “don’t-miss” show will feature this trio of cosmic Americana and Country superstars picking, harmonizing, and telling stories as you’ve never heard or seen before.
George Strait calls Jim Lauderdale “a consummate entertainer, a sharp dressed man as well, a terrific songwriter, and a great singer,” and Ricky Skaggs says, “Jim Lauderdale could easily be called a renaissance man. He’s a great singer, great guitar player and there’s no way you could miss his work as a songwriter.”
Tickets are $75, and guests are welcome to bring their own food, picnic blankets, and lawn chairs. Beverages will be available for purchase. Gates open at 6:30 p.m., and the show begins at 7 p.m. Visit pbartsinitiative.com to purchase tickets.
“The Crossroads creates an energy within the village that is electric,” Byrne said. “At events like this upcoming concert, when everyone is there, there is a kind of body heat that brings the place alive. While you’re in this beautiful natural environment, it has a city-like, contemporary feeling that makes people want to connect and have fun. It’s tangible and engaging.”
Moreland Village residents Donna and Brian Litten love that energy. Brian, a native of Philadelphia, began visiting Palmetto Bluff in 2010, before Moreland was even built, and loved it so much that he always had it in the back of his mind that he wanted to live there. When he met Donna, he brought her to celebrate her birthday, and she, too, fell in love with the place. As the years went by, the couple got more serious about a move to the Lowcountry, and they began exploring different opportunities available within Palmetto Bluff.
“We opted for a place in Moreland Village because, while it’s similar to Wilson Village, whose aesthetic is more manicured and spread out, Moreland is like the rough and tumble younger brother—wild, natural, and yet, refined,” Brian said. “We come from a city, so we appreciate the more contemporary feel—less of the traditional Lowcountry architecture and more rural and informal with exposed rafters, larger expanses of glass, steel windows, doors, and abundant porches.”
Donna agrees. “During the pandemic, we rented a house and spent a month here with family,” she said. “We wanted to kind of figure the lay of land and where within the community we wanted to live. We were coming from Philadelphia where we were active in the arts. We are also foodies and love the outdoors. We were looking for a busy environment where we could walk to the fitness center, the pools, and restaurants from our front door. Moreland offers us that. We are immersed in an area where there are so many things to do.”
Moreland Village has lots of interesting full-time residents like the Littens, and the vibrancy is felt year-round. There is a permanence to the place; it’s not a transient “busy season” community. There are lights on in people’s homes in January and July. Many of those residents are young families with children whose contribution to any community is contagious.
Moreland Forest, a new neighborhood within Moreland Village, is thoughtfully designed to include homesites that overlook preserved areas in perpetuity. Under the guidance of the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy, Moreland Forest was built around existing wildlife corridors.
The neighborhood is actively under development with new homesites, including the first “country” homesites in five years; these larger properties will emphasize privacy and their natural surroundings, including expansive river and marsh views. The first “built-for-sale” neighborhood by Palmetto Bluff Builders will be announced soon and will offer three turnkey home plans in an enclave of 12 homesites.
“I’ve worked at Palmetto Bluff since its inception, and I’ve lived here full-time since 2011,” Byrne said. “What drew me to it was the fact that it is a real place, not a typical project. Most developments begin as a template: here’s the gate, the golf course, etc. At Palmetto Bluff, we started with the thinking that real places are anchored by gathering spots. At Moreland Village, we have taken everything we learned from Wilson and purposefully created opportunities for people to bump into each other in an unscripted, organic way. That’s our secret sauce, and that’s why people feel so at home here.”
To schedule your tour of Moreland Village, visit palmettobluff.com/live/moreland-village.
