“Charleston County and the city of Charleston, its county seat, are the most historic locations in the state.” Situated in the Lowcountry, the county serves as a popular vacation destination but also relies on the business that results from its port. The area in general serves as a large cultural and economic hub for the state.
Charleston County was founded as Charleston District in 1769, and the district became smaller after some of its lands were used to create Colleton and Berkeley counties. The county and its seat were named after King Charles II.
The city and county are saturated with Revolutionary War and Civil War history. Three signers of the United States Constitution and two famous abolitionists resided in Charleston County, and the Civil War began when soldiers fired shots from the county’s Fort Sumter.
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Sue Middleton talks about learning to make more complicated baskets.
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Sue Middleton tells how the cake basket got its name.
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Sue Middleton talks about how she dries materials for the baskets.
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Sue Middleton explains how she decides on the shape of the basket.
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Sue Middle taught her son how to weave, but he hasn't quite taken to the art form like she would have liked.
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Basketmaker from Mt. Pleasant, SC (Charleston County). After quitting her job to sew full time, Middleton was soon making baskets that were especially adventuresome. She turns out huge, heavily...
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As a youngster, Jeannette Lee learned the art of sweetgrass basket making from her mother and grandmother. The activity was an essential part of her childhood, and often provided a significant portion...
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Basketmaker from Awendaw, SC (Charleston County). White is one of several basketmakers who operates a stand to sell her baskets on Highway 17 north of Charleston. White judges a basket by how well its...
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Basketmaker from Mt. Pleasant, SC (Charleston County).
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Jonathan Green was born in Gardens Corner, in the lowcountry of South Carolina. His grandparents raised him, and his grandmother first encouraged his interest in art. He studied at the Art Institute...
