Tobacco
The South Carolina Tobacco Museum, located in Mullins, offers a glimpse into the state’s rich agricultural history, particularly its tobacco heritage. The museum showcases the role tobacco farming played in shaping the economy and culture of the Pee Dee region. Visitors can explore exhibits featuring historic tools, photographs, and artifacts that highlight the labor and community life surrounding the tobacco industry. It’s a must-see for those interested in understanding the agricultural roots of South Carolina.
For more information, please call (843) 464-8194 or visit the SC Tobacco Museum at 104 E Front Street in Mullins, SC.
Tobacco in the Pee Dee
With the rise of tobacco in South Carolina beginning in 1891 with the first tobacco auction held in the Pee Dee, African American tobacco farmers were welcomed in doing business as equal to white farmers, particularly through membership of the Tri-State Co-Op. While this was primarily in an effort to maintain the high price of tobacco, African American farmers were able to move from sharecropping to tenant farming, which provided increased income from crops.
For more information on tobacco farming and the roles that African Americans played in agriculture, be sure to stop by the South Carolina Tobacco Museum in Mullins. Not only will you enjoy hearing the stories of yesteryear, but you’ll see wood carvings by a Marion County artist depicting African American tobacco farmers.
Note: Information from Long Green: The Rise and Fall of Tobacco in South Carolina by Eldred E. Prince, Jr. Photo courtesy of Trish DeHond.
