Rice Museum, Georgetown
Most people visit the Rice Museum under the impression it is named after some hero of the South who's moniker was "Rice", however this museum is dedicated to the humble grain that you see often on your plate, rice.
In the mid-1800's Georgetown and the region produced almost half the rice grown in the United States. Hence the nickname of this region "The Low Country".
The Rice Museum is located in the Old Market Building, a historical building in its own right, that was built in 1842 and is known locally as the Town Clock.
Just outside the Rice Museum is the Browns Ferry Vessel. This vessel was built in the early 1700's and sank approximately 1730. This is the previously oldest sunken vessel on exhibit in America and it predates all vessels previously found by 50 years. This was a workhorse of a ship during the rice boom years and it was used to transport freight up and down the rivers and coastal waterways during the early 1700's. It was discovered in the Black River and was razed and restored by the University of South Carolina and was brought to the Rice Museum in the early 1990's.
There is also a gift shop located on the grounds if you want to pick up a gift to take back to your friends back home or grab yourself a memento of this unusual stop on your Georgetown tour. Within the gift shop is an ever-changing exhibit of local art and historical items that provide visitors with additional information and insight to this interesting venue.
Come spend a day at the Rice Museum and tour the historic beginnings of Georgetown, afterwards, spend a couple of hours in lush Lafayette Park which surrounds the Rice Museum and have a picnic and enjoy the Southern charm that is Georgetown.
In the mid-1800's Georgetown and the region produced almost half the rice grown in the United States. Hence the nickname of this region "The Low Country".
The Rice Museum is located in the Old Market Building, a historical building in its own right, that was built in 1842 and is known locally as the Town Clock.
Just outside the Rice Museum is the Browns Ferry Vessel. This vessel was built in the early 1700's and sank approximately 1730. This is the previously oldest sunken vessel on exhibit in America and it predates all vessels previously found by 50 years. This was a workhorse of a ship during the rice boom years and it was used to transport freight up and down the rivers and coastal waterways during the early 1700's. It was discovered in the Black River and was razed and restored by the University of South Carolina and was brought to the Rice Museum in the early 1990's.
There is also a gift shop located on the grounds if you want to pick up a gift to take back to your friends back home or grab yourself a memento of this unusual stop on your Georgetown tour. Within the gift shop is an ever-changing exhibit of local art and historical items that provide visitors with additional information and insight to this interesting venue.
Come spend a day at the Rice Museum and tour the historic beginnings of Georgetown, afterwards, spend a couple of hours in lush Lafayette Park which surrounds the Rice Museum and have a picnic and enjoy the Southern charm that is Georgetown.
