Dine At The Historic Spot In South Carolina Where George Washington Drank Rum
By AnneMarie|Published February 10, 2023
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AnneMarie
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South Carolina has been home for AnneMarie since 2001. Her favorite part of the state is Lake Jocassee. An App State alumna, it's always the mountains; the lake bonus makes it heavenly. When not writing about the state, she may be spending time with family, relaxing by the pool, or out somewhere enjoying nature.
As the third-oldest town and the area of the very first settlement in South Carolina, Georgetown is loaded with history. In 1791, President George Washington paid a visit to Georgetown as he was beginning his second term. His visit was part of a tour of cities and towns in the former southern colonies to see how the fledgling government was working. It was a critical time in America’s history. And you can enjoy a meal at the same historic spot in South Carolina where George Washington is said to have drank rum.
Between the Antlers is an indigenous South Carolina restaurant tucked away down a dead-end gravel lane beyond Front Street’s famed restaurant row. Its name was inspired by the published work of the late poet James Dickey, “The Starry Place Between the Antlers: Why I Live in South Carolina,” which originally appeared in April 1981 in Esquire magazine.
The restaurant sits between the steel mill and Front street on a bluff called Vinegar Hill on the Sampit River. This spot is said to have been a federal wharf long ago.
For example, you can have Martha Washington's Punch (not necessarily what is pictured here) right in this spot where George Washington drank rum! Just a sampling of the other drinks you could order are the Winyah Bae, The Georgetown Double Down, or the Muddy Bay Chocolate Martini.
Did you know George Washington also loved oysters? It's true. Columnist George Will wrote of General Washington's 1783 return home to Virginia at Christmas,
“Washington’s journey to Mount Vernon, which he reached after dark, December 24, was a moveable feast of florid rhetoric and baked oysters.”
If you're not a fan of oysters, there are plenty of other seafood options, such as mac 'n cheese with lump crab, fresh shrimp and scallops, served with fresh asparagus and veggies and Kern bread.
