Historic Rice Mill building

Historic Rice Mill, Charleston, SC  

It seems a lifetime ago but these pictures were on my camera card immediately before the recent wind storm chaos when I walked out on the dock after a lazy Sunday brunch at the Marina Variety store. It's always fun to pretend you stepped off your yacht to have breakfast with your fellow yacht owners overlooking the water.

The building in the photo is the historic rice mill building which appears to be used as an event and wedding space now.

West Point MillToday, the four-story Classic Revival mill building is obscured by heavily-trafficked bridge approaches, clusters of modern buildings, parking lots, and rows of yachts, but once it stood alone as one of the city’s most industrious endeavors.West Point was a small sliver of land protruding into the Ashley River in the 1830’s, when a steam-driven rice mill was built and powered by water from large areas of man-made pond. An 1859 fire destroyed the mill, which was replaced one year later with a structure that housed giant boilers and massive cylindrical shafts for grinding and brushing kernels into polished rice and flour. The 15-acre complex included separate shipping wharves, carpenters’ sheds and cooperage facilities, as well as new artesian wells for water supply. For more than half a century, the West Point mill was among America’s largest and most productive, annually cranking out hundreds of thousands of barrels, and when a foundering rice business finally forced the facility to close in 1926, much of the oversized inventory was bought by Henry Ford for display at his Edison Institute antique museum in Dearborn, Michigan.In the late 1930’s, remnants of the old mill ponds were dredged for a municipal yacht basin and planned as the site of a transatlantic seaplane terminal in an agreement made by the city with the German Air Ministry, but the coming of World War II shot the project down. The abandoned building remains Charleston’s only completely intact rice mill, and has been used for Chamber of Commerce headquarters, a restaurant and city marina offices, and the old mill pond area now supports high-rise condominiums and hotels, and approaches to Ashley River bridges, where the watery foundation is still evident in an undulating roadway surface.

Historic Rice Mill building

West Point Rice Mill, Lockwood Blvd, Charleston, SC 

I have had requests for use of an earlier picture I took of the Rice Mill building at the Charleston Marina by couples wanting to use it on their wedding invitation. Now they have another view as their option. Funny how everyone who asks to use a picture promises to send me a copy but they never do. Wedding invitations, books, book covers, bank debit cards etc. I've never been sent a copy of what they needed my image for. I've tracked back to a couple of web sites that asked for permission and I do appreciate being asked. Luckily I have often received a donation to the American Heart Association for photo use so no harm done.

It is an impressive building. For a while there was a bar and restaurant named Pussers which seemed an unfortunate name, but now it seems to be mostly used for events. I didn't know until this very moment that it was known at the West Point Rice Mill.

In 1840, Jonathan Lucas III built a four-story brick, steam-powered rice mill on the Ashley River.This mill burned on November 20, 1860. Construction of a new mill began quickly. Although hampered by the Union blockade, the mill was capable of full operation in late 1863. When Charleston was occupied by the Union Army in 1865, the mill was used as a food distribution center. Its neighbor the East Point Rice Mill had been rebuilt in the mid-1840s by engineer James McLaren and the Scottish merchant James Robb. The mill passed to Robb's sons James Jr and William on his death in 1859. After the Civil War, the mill resumed operations and its production increased. In 1886, it suffered damage from the 1886 Charleston earthquake. Brickwork was damaged and the gables were brought down. At some point before the 1920s, the entire roof was replaced except for the kingposts and trusses.

My cell phone step counter says I have walked 9,464 steps today but I think we will round that off and count it as 10,000 since I am not going back out. 

Old Rice Mill

Old Rice Mill, Charleston City Marina, Charleston, S.C.

It's a grand old building, isn't it? I don't often get to grab a picture from the water but this evening I was invited out for a sunset boat ride by Matt Galvin from Coastal Yacht Charters. What a perfect end to a day! Thanks Matt! It was such a treat to be out on the water.

The Rice Mill building doesn't look like it's changed much through the years. At one point I remember there was a restaurant on the first floor but now I believe it can be rented out for special occasions.

West Point Rice Mill was a small sliver of land protruding into the Ashley River in the 1830’s, when a steam-driven rice mill was built and powered by water from large areas of man-made pond. An 1859 fire destroyed the mill, which was replaced one year later with a structure that housed giant boilers and massive cylindrical shafts for grinding and brushing kernels into polished rice and flour. The 15-acre complex included separate shipping wharves, carpenters’ sheds and cooperage facilities, as well as new artesian wells for water supply.

For more than half a century, the West Point mill was among America’s largest and most productive, annually cranking out hundreds of thousands of barrels, and when a foundering rice business finally forced the facility to close in 1926, much of the oversized inventory was bought by Henry Ford for display at his Edison Institute antique museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

Hang on, kids! Friday is coming.