Charleston County Inland Rice Fields Traveling Trunk Program

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

With its breathtaking landscape, and charming culture, Charleston is South Carolina’s number one Historic Coastal Destination according to the 2013 Condé Nast Traveler Awards. Charleston, also known as the Lowcountry, is a historically rich region with a broad collection of historical plantations, monuments, and artifacts. During the planning for construction of a new road, Palmetto Commerce Parkway, Charleston County government discovered the remnants of a large inland rice field that had not been used for well over a century. After this discovery, the County went to work to preserve this vital piece of Lowcountry history. During the preservation process, Charleston County Administrator Kurt Taylor saw an opportunity to do more than just preserve this site, and meet the minimum requirements for documenting the historical inland rice field for the South Carolina Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). "I saw it as a great educational vehicle for our current citizens and future generations of students in the Lowcountry," Taylor said. In 2011, with the leadership of Kurt Taylor, Charleston County created the Inland Rice Fields Traveling Trunk Program. The program’s innovative and participative approach provided citizens, and children, an opportunity to learn about the historic site. It also tells the story of the vital role that the inland rice fields played in the historic culture of the Lowcountry. "The Inland Rice Fields Traveling Trunk Program has allowed Charleston County Government to demonstrate our commitment to preserve the heritage of the county and state," Taylor said. The Inland Rice Fields Traveling Trunk Program is a traveling “mini-museum” that contains a wealth of material. To date, 46 elementary schools in Charleston, Dorchester, and Berkeley County have participated in this program. Further, the contents of the trunk have been experience by 2,319 students in our community.