Gullah Cultural Center

The St. James Foundation is seeking to develop a Gullah Cultural Center on James Island.    The proposed location is a nearly 10 acre parcel on Grimball Road. (TAX PARCEL ID: 3340700048.)
It is located between Septima P. Clark Corporate academy and James Island Elementary School.
The Foundation hopes to purchase the property using Charleston County Greenbelt funds.    It has applied for a grant from the rural portion of the program.   It has also approached the Town, asking for a $200,000 match from the Town's allocation of Greenbelt funds to help reach the total $900,000 purchase price.  

The Foundation's application will be reviewed by the Greenbelt Board in early August and so if the Town is to the support the project, a decision must be made at the Town Council meeting on Thursday, July 17.

The Gullah Cultural building will take up two of the ten acres on the site.   Most of the grounds will be landscaped and open to the general public.   An interpretative walking trail tracing the history of the Gullah experience will be included on the grounds.   Space will be available for large picnics, school groups and farmers markets.   This open land and trail is very consistent with the Town's strategy for using its share of the Greenbelt funds.    

The building will include an auditorium, conference center, a teaching kitchen and  café.   The Foundation plans for a variety of educational and cultural activities at the Center, including story telling, sale of sea island crafts by local entrepreneurs, and food.

The Gullah Cultural Center will be located in a portion of James Island that was in the Town in the past but is now unincorporated.   We hope that this area can be returned to the Town soon.

I believe that that the Town should be proud to play a part in this exciting project, highlighting an essential part of the James Island experience.

Troy Strother, of the St. James Foundation, we be at the July Town Council meeting to make a presentation about the project.

If you have any concerns or questions about the Town's contribution to this project, please call me at 697-7020 or email mayorwoolsey@gmail.com.