Georgetown’s Deep Roots: Rice, Real Estate, and Resilience with Kevin Jayroe

Georgetown's Enduring Legacy

• 💡 Kevin Jayroe's family has deep roots in Georgetown, tracing back to 1740 with involvement in rice farming and boat building.
• 📌 Kevin operates Swamp Fox Trolley Tours and specializes in historic real estate, residing in a 1739 period home downtown.
• 🌾 His father was instrumental in restoring rice fields, and the family once owned the historic Benu Plantation.

The Rise and Fall of Rice Production

• 📈 Georgetown was once the nation's largest rice-producing area, with over 200 plantations, and its fields were considered a "wonder of the new world" visible from space.
• 🛠️ Developing a single rice field was a 15-year undertaking, requiring clear-cutting, building dikes, and installing wooden "trunks" for water management.
• 📉 The end of enslavement led to the decline of the rice industry, as heavy equipment could not be used in the muddy fields, though Carolina Gold rice is still grown at White House Plantation.

Downtown Renaissance and Real Estate Boom

• ✨ Georgetown's downtown is experiencing a renaissance, largely spurred by the boutique hotel, The George, which attracts day-trippers and shoppers.
• 🏡 The real estate market for historic homes has seen significant growth, with prices for restored properties now exceeding $2 million and reaching $500 per square foot.
• 🔑 There is a high demand for move-in ready historic homes, indicating a shift away from buyers seeking restoration projects.

Community Growth and Future Outlook

• 🌱 The city anticipates an influx of young families and children in the next five years, leading to a more active and vibrant downtown with full parks.
• 🏘️ Living downtown offers convenient access to amenities and fosters a sense of stewardship for historic properties, shared through events like the Christmas Tour of Homes.
• 🗺️ Georgetown County is vast, encompassing areas like Pawleys Island and Murrells Inlet, and is characterized by a strong focus on natural resource preservation through conservation easements.

Unique Charm and Historical Significance

• 🔍 Georgetown is a potential site for the first European settlement in the U.S. (Spanish, 1526), with historical documentation but no physical evidence yet.
• 🤝 In the 1930s and 40s, wealthy families like the Baruchs and Huntingtons famously intermingled with local residents, highlighting a unique social cohesion in the community.