Rice Museum

Rice may not be at the top of your list when planning which attractions to visit in Georgetown but, after viewing the collections in the enlightening Rice Museum, you’ll be glad you dropped by.

Housed in an iconic brown and white clock tower known as the Old Market Building, this unique museum is a fascinating educational archive that chronicles the history of rice production in the marshlands of South Carolina from the late 1700s to the mid-19th century.

Through a range of exhibits featuring maps, artifacts, models and machinery, visitors can examine the role rice production played in the economic prosperity of the state. The 1850s saw the height of the boom, when rice production in South Carolina accounted for almost half of United States production and those involved prospered accordingly. Refreshingly, the museum doesn’t shy away from the unpalatable fact that it was through the exploitation of slaves that these massive outputs were reached.

If all that talk of rice has whetted your appetite, pick up some snacks and take a breather in the idyllic Lafayette Park which surrounds the foot of the tower on the Sampit River. While outdoors, why not make the most of the fresh air and take an invigorating hike in the nearby Francis Marion National Forest?

Once suitably refreshed, head over to the Maritime Museum Gallery in the Kaminski Hardware Building to view the historic Brown’s Ferry Vessel. The oldest vessel currently exhibited in the United States, this all-purpose freighter was sunk on the Black River in 1730. If you would like to learn more, avail of one of the excellent hour-long tours which explore the Kaminski Hardware and Old Market buildings.

Wrap up your day with a leisurely amble through Georgetown to view the wealth of pre-Civil War architecture – this is the perfect way to end your historical adventure in this charming town.