"L" is for Lowcountry Baskets. The early history of the lowcountry coiled grass baskets parallels the rise of rice cultivation. Men made agricultural baskets such as fanners while women made household forms such as sewing and storage baskets. With rice production in decline after the Civil War, household baskets came to dominate and women became more conspicuous in the craft. The shift from “work baskets” to “show baskets” meant a change in materials from bulrush to sweet grass and from saw palmetto to cabbage palm. With the paving of Highway 17 and the opening of the Cooper River Bridge, basket makers opened roadside stands and developed new shapes for the tourist trade. Lowcountry baskets--coiled grass vessels that are useful for countless purposes—are symbols of a distinct African American culture.