Cultural Creativity, History, & Heritage in Edgefield SC

The Edgefield County Historical Society will present a series of lectures about the unique Edgefield pottery tradition titled “Cultural Creativity, History, & Heritage in Edgefield South Carolina.” The lectures will take place in May and June 2013 at the Joanne T. Rainsford Discovery Center in Edgefield. SC Humanities supported this project with a Mini Grant in April 2013.

Edgefield is known internationally for the unique stoneware pottery industry that developed there in the 19th century. An archeological investigation in 2011 revealed that the Pottersville production center in Edgefield County was the first use in the Americas of a 105-foot-long Chinese “Dragon” kiln design. The Edgefield County Historical Society states: “Archaeologists, historians, technology scholars, and local and descendant communities are working together to advance research and national dialogue about this remarkable crossroads of families, craftspeople, technological innovations, and industrial enterprise in rural South Carolina.”

The lecture series will take place in May and June 2013 and will feature a variety of well-known scholars and researchers talking about different aspects of the stoneware pottery tradition. The full list of programs is availble here:

http://www.histarch.illinois.edu/Edgefield/2013SpeakerSeries.pdf

For more information about the Edgefield County Historical Society, please visit the website at: http://www.historicedgefield.com/.

The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. SC Humanities programs and initiatives are balanced, reflecting sensitivity to the diversity of ideas, encourage open dialogue, demonstrate integrity, and are ethical in operations.