Swamp Rice

by Ron

Only 28 miles today to Georgetown, SC. We stayed at the Harborwalk Marina which was close to downtown. This historic town was filled with many original buildings, shops, restaurants and three art galleries. No, we still have not found the artwork that will replace the Great Loop map, but we’re having fun looking. There was also a free Maritime Museum we stopped in at.

Georgetown was the center of rice cultivation back in the mid 1700’s. We were surprised to learn that by 1840 the Georgetown District (later county) produced nearly one-half of the total rice crop of the United States. The museum has exhibits explaining how this tidal method of cultivation produces an aromatic, unique “swamp rice”.

After the Civil War, the rice industry declined due to labor shortages and hurricanes and severe storms changed the land. In the early 1900’s the industry came to an end.

You can buy this swamp rice at the museum, it’s in limited production in the area. I bought some as we enjoy having regional foods on the boat to remember our time at any one stop. It was given a rave review by another boater at the marina who makes a stop here every year to buy a supply. We’ll let you know in a future post how good it really is!

the Old Market Building and Town Clock, the headquarters of the Rice Museum and currently houses the Museum’s permanent collection of dioramas, maps, paintings, artifacts and other exhibits that tell the history of rice cultivation in Georgetown County
Discovered in 1974 at the bottom of the Black River near Brown’s Ferry crossing, the vessel was reconstructed, stored, and treated by the University of South Carolina and brought to the Museum in 1992. This vessel was used to transport goods and merchandise to the town, like our UPS truck
This is the oldest vessel of colonial manufacture on exhibit in America and predates by 50 years all vessels previously found.

Now onto North Carolina . . .

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