History of Charleston Sweetgrass Baskets

Many who visit the Charleston area will notice stunning coiled sweetgrass baskets for sale in local markets and on a stretch of Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant. These handwoven baskets are a beautiful testament to the African cultural heritage transported across the Atlantic hundreds of years ago.

When coiled basketry first appeared in South Carolina in the late 17th century, the baskets were used as tools in harvesting cash crops rather than for housewares or decoration. Agricultural baskets were made using bulrush, palm, sweetgrass and split oak to bind the coils. The craft of basket making is handed down from generation to generation, many basket makers learning the trade as children. The artists must be patient and creative as they learn the techniques. Each basketmaker develops their own style to create beautifully unique pieces.

After the 1890s, sweetgrass became the primary material for the baskets as it is softer and finer straw. When the Grace Memorial Bridge opened in 1929 and Highway 17 was paved in 1931, basket sales soared and basket makers began to sell their pieces from roadside stands along the Sweetgrass Basket Makers Highway in Mount Pleasant. Today, sweetgrass baskets are treasured as housewares and decorations in many Lowcountry households, and they remain an important part of the history of Charleston and those who call it home.

Sources

https://www.sciway.net/facts/sweetgrass-baskets.html

http://www.tompsc.com/DocumentCenter/View/752/Sweetgrass-Basket-Makers-Brochure?bidId=