Bennett Rice Mill Facade

The Bennett Rice Mill facade stands as a stark, red-brick shell overlooking the Ashley River. In eighteen forty-five, William Lebby built this structure to process Carolina Gold rice, using steam power to mill the grain. During the Civil War, Union artillery fire shattered the building, yet the heavy masonry walls remained standing. Today, the facade serves as the centerpiece of a luxury hotel, preserving the memory of the industrial era when Charleston dominated the global rice trade before the industry collapsed.