The Story of Sea Island Cotton

The cultivation, harvesting and sale of sea island cotton was one of the most important economic forces in the southeastern United States from 1790 to just before the Civil War and, to a lesser extent, in the early twentieth century.

This impressively researched book traces the journey of the Gossypium barbadense seed from the Andes to the Caribbean and thence to suitable growing conditions found on the barrier islands from North Carolina to Florida. The story of sea island cotton encompasses the planting, cultivation, harvesting, ginning and market preparation of this highly profitable plant, along with the reasons for its demise as an important agricultural and economic force in the region.

The Story of Sea Island Cotton also presents descriptions of the plantations and plantation architecture which were found primarily in the lowcountry of South Carolina, with photographs of the buildings and extensive biographical information about the owners.

Dr. Richard Dwight Porcher is a noted field biologist and former professor of biology at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. An authority on the flora of his native state, he is the author of Wildflowers of the Carolina Lowcountry and Lower PeeDee and A Guide to the Wildflowers of South Carolina. Sarah Fick is a graduate of Converse College and a specialist in architectural research. She has published articles on regional architecture in numerous historical publications.