THIRD TUESDAY: Bringing Gold Back To The Carolina Coast: Tidewater Grain and the Revival of Carolina Gold Rice

More than 250 years ago, the Cape Fear was seeing gold: Carolina Gold rice, to be specific. This highly sought after variety, renowned for its soft texture and nutty flavor, grew incredibly well in the marshy tidewaters of the Lower Cape Fear. Plantations such as Orton became well known for their Carolina Gold, a commodity whose success rested on the backs of enslaved African labor. The end of slavery with the American Civil War crippled the large-scale rice industry, and environmental changes such as saltwater intrusion effectively destroyed rice cultivation in North Carolina by the beginning of the twentieth century.

But this rice wasn’t completely lost to time. In 2018, Tidewater Grain became the first and only company in this state to bring this heirloom grain back to life on a commercial scale. Join Tommy Wheeler of Tidewater Grain to learn how the company brought gold back to the Carolina coast.

The program is part of the N.C. Maritime Museum at Southport’s monthly Third Tuesday lecture series, presented at the Southport Community Building, 223 E. Bay St. The free lectures are geared for ages 16 and older and open to the public; donations are appreciated. Seating is limited, so advance registration is required. Register below or by calling (910) 477-5151.