When eight English noblemen known as the Lords Proprietors
were granted the Charles Towne territory by King Charles II
as a reward for their loyalty, the grant came with an express command
to develop the area into a profit-making venture. Fortunately, the
area came with a natural deep-water port, perfect for establishing
trade. Soon trade in lumber, deerskins, and indigo established Charles
Towne’s wealth and prosperity, and the invention of the cotton gin
and improvements in the rice crop cultivation helped boost the area’s
economy. By 1750, Charleston was the fourth largest city in colonial
America—and the wealthiest, thanks in part to additional trade
through Georgetown and Port Royal. Over the years, South Carolina’s
ports have been ranked among the most efficient in the world.
In South Carolina Ports: Charleston, Georgetown, Port Royal, Shelia
Watson, editor of PortCharleston, the official magazine of the South
Carolina State Ports Authority, offers a candid and informative view
of the region’s waterfront. Early engravings, vintage images, and a
collection of photographs from the State Ports Authority tell the story
behind the largest and busiest containerport in the Southeast, along
with her bulk and breakbulk sister ports along the Grand Strand and
the Lowcountry. Watson is also the author of Arcadia’s Images of
America: Johns and Wadmalaw Islands.