GEORGETOWN, SC

Wednesday, April 29th to Thursday, April 30th, 2015

Day 268-269
Miles Traveled: 0
Total Miles Traveled: 3385


  Wednesday was an all day rain day.  Dan took the opportunity to change the engine oil and oil filter.  Two nice gentlemen at the marina got us some 5 gallon buckets with lids to put the old oil in and they also hauled it away to an oil recycling location.  


  Thursday we went through the Rice Museum and the South Carolina Maritime Museum.  Georgetown, South Carolina's third oldest city, was founded in 1729 and became an official port of entry in 1732.  Rice and indigo plantations were formed along the waterways.  By the 1840's, Georgetown produced about 1/2 of the rice consumed in the entire United States.  The specialty was Carolina Gold rice.  These large rice plantations required a large slave work force.  The slave population accounted for 85% of the total County population back in the 1800's.  With the abolishment of slavery and  a series a severe hurricanes, the lucrative rice industry in Georgetown ended.  The history about Georgetown and its rice industry is housed in the Old Town Clock tower and the Kaminski Building.

Town Clock tower - part of Rice Museum

Kaminski Building - part of Rice Museum

  After leaving the Rice Museum, we went through the South Carolina Maritime Museum.  Its focus was on the steamboats that were used around Georgetown.  They were used to haul rice, lumbar, and other cargo between Charleston and Georgetown and Cheraw.  Many of these vessels were converted into Confederate warships during the Civil War. 

South Carolina Maritime Museum - with larger propeller on display along the building

  That evening we had docktails on the porch by the office with Foster & Susan on "Quo Vadimus", Bob & Martha on "Field Trip", and a few other boaters heading north.