Community Corner

Historical Marker Honors Rice Mill Industry

Jonathan Lucas honored for contributions to the rice mill industry.

Nearly 230 years after shipwrecking on the Carolina coast, British millwright and inventor Jonathan Lucas was recognized last Saturday at the unveiling of a historical marker showcasing his contributions to the rice mill industry.

More than 40 descendants of the extended Lucas family attended the ceremony hosted by the Town of Mount Pleasant and the Mount Pleasant Historical Commission. Located on Vincent Drive, the marker oversees traces of the mill foundation and holding pond visible at low tide. 
“Many historians say that Jonathan Lucas is to rice what Eli Whitney was to cotton,” said Council woman Linda Page. “His invention not only increased productivity and revolutionized the industry; it also propelled Charleston in the center of the rice-milling business. “

The fascinating story of Jonathan Lucas was brought to life with a historical marker - the product of a partnership between the 8th grade social studies classes of teachers Jennifer Burroughs and Gerilyn Leland and the Mount Pleasant Historical Commission.

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“Mrs. Victoria Musheff, who was then chairing the Town of Mount Pleasant Historical Commission, asked for our participation in creating this new historical marker,” said Burroughs. “Finding the time to meet with students from two different social studies classes and limiting our research to fit on the marker were challenges we met head-on. Students did extensive research of old newspapers, books and of course the internet. We created the marker text and provided the draft to the commission for final editing.”

“Hannah Massar, Karly Fitch, Kayley Munkers, Caitlin Woodard, Grace Crawley, Samantha Connell, Sydney DeJong, Allison Barry, Eden Artidiello, Cayla Wakser, and Julia Wakser embarked on a journey of discovery than spanned over the entire school year,” said Leland. “I would like to commend them for their attention to detail and their enthusiasm. They created a marker that will educate future generations on the history of Jonathan Lucas and the rice mill industry in our region and beyond.”

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Hannah Massar, now a high school freshman, was present at the marker unveiling she had been instrumental in creating. “It is amazing to see the marker in the ground, a tangible proof of the work we’ve done. I am very proud to have been part of this fascinating process.”

Current Historical Commission Jose D. Hernandez Chair concurred. “The Jonathan Lucas story is a tale of human ingenuity,” he said. “By replacing the traditional process of hand-threshing with an innovative tidal powered mechanical rice mill he was able to separate the husk and bran layers from the rice kernel.”

“In terms of rice milling, Jonathan advanced America to the top slot for agricultural technological achievement,” said Musheff. “His new milling inventions solved numerous problems that were present in the colony's rice industry since the late 1600’s. His mills were known as technological marvels that revolutionized the industry. Lucas made America’s rice milling process the most efficient in the world and set an American agri-technological standard that remains today.”


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