Name/Title
The Golden Grove Tea Farm of Junius Smith: Preliminary FindingsEntry/Object ID
RG134-08-12Description
In the mid-1800s, Junius Smith, a Yale-educated entrepreneur and pioneer of transatlantic steamship travel, launched a bold experiment to cultivate tea in Greenville County, South Carolina. Inspired by his daughter's letter describing tea growth in the Himalayas, Smith imported seeds and plants from Asia and founded the Golden Grove Tea Plantation near Piedmont in 1848. Despite skepticism, he diligently studied cultivation methods, published essays, and promoted tea farming. Though he never harvested commercially, Smith's plantation flourished with diverse crops. He was later attacked under suspicious circumstances and died in 1853. His efforts mark one of America’s earliest attempts at tea production.Collection
Proceedings and PapersCopyright
Copyright Holder
Greenville Country Historical SocietyCopyright Details
Exclusive License
