Ace Basin Reserve, South Carolina

Cultural History

The ACE Basin has a long history of human use beginning with Native Americans, approximately 6,000 years ago. Their occupation is evidence by the presence of shell middens (clams and oysters), pottery shards, and arrowheads that are scattered throughout the region. The French and Spanish established short-lived settlements in South Carolina in the 16th century. The Indians continued to dominate during most of the next century. The Edisto were a tribe of the Cusabo, a confederation of people that held dominion over much of the lower South Carolina coast. With the advent of European settlements, the native cultures were suppressed or displaced, and large scale agriculture and timber production began. With the emergence of the rice culture, slavery was introduced to manage the rice cultivation.

The large concentration of Africans in South Carolina made for the development of a unique culture - Gullah. Among the Gullah, African traits continued in culinary practices, folklore, song and language. Basket making is one of the most visible practices in today’s times.