Georgetown, South Carolina

In 1841 fire destroyed the main Front Street businesses between Queen and Screven Streets. The old wooden market which had sustained severe damage in the hurricane of 1822, was torn down as a fire break. In 1842 the entire block, including the market, was rebuilt - this time in brick. The Greek Revival clock tower was added about 1845. Until recently, the town government met here. Today the Old Market Building houses the Rice Museum, dedicated to the lowcountry of the Carolinas, a region that supplied 50 percent of American rice in the 1800s. The story of rice culture comes to life through maps, dioramas, artifacts and exhibits. Woven into the story of rice is a description of how an agricultural area lives when dependent on only a single crop.