The Waccamaw Neck
A beautiful, narrow mass of coastal land lying between the Atlantic Ocean and the Waccamaw River and extending for more than 20 miles from the town of Murrells Inlet to Georgetown's Winyah Bay-that's the Waccamaw Neck.
The area of the Waccamaw Neck is rich in history: Burial mounds along the Waccamaw River date back thousands of years and many local sites still bear Indian names. Some historians claim that American history began here in 1526 with the earliest settlement in North America by Europeans. It is believed that in that year Spaniard Lucas Vasques de Allyon and his followers founded a colony on the Waccamaw Neck. They stayed only a short time and thus lost for Spain a real opportunity in the New World.
Today the Waccamaw Neck is home to some 13,000 permanent residents. Additionally, thousands more visit each year to enjoy the white-sand beaches, championship golf, nature based activities, history, world-class dining and shopping.
Pawleys Island - Litchfield Area
Pawleys Island claims to be the oldest resort area in America. Whether or not that's true, early vacationers were distinguished. South Carolina Lowcountry was home to the most affluent planters on the continent. They didn't grow tobacco, or even cotton. Rice and indigo (used for a blue dye) were the crops of choice. To escape the heat and malaria of their mainland plantations, the rice royalty moved their families to cottages on Pawleys Island for the summer. Remarkably, some of the cottages are still in use. Nine of them comprise the Pawleys Island "Historic District". There are homes on the rest of the narrow island but no stores. Many homes are used, just as in the planters' days, by summer dwellers.
Since the 1700's the white sandy beaches of Pawleys Island and Litchfield have been a favorite destination of many generations. This "barefoot paradise" encompasses a strip of land bordered on the west by the Intracoastal Waterway/Waccamaw River. Historic Georgetown is only 10 miles south, while the bright neon lights of Myrtle Beach are 20 minutes north. Let the major event of the day be strolling the uncrowded, wide beaches, or spend the day at Brookgreen Gardens, the finest collection of outdoor sculpture and botanical gardens in the world. Indoor and outdoor tennis is available along with health and fitness facilities. Shopping and restaurants are unsurpassed! Once you visit the area, you might decide to call it home.
Murrells Inlet
Business Highway 17 runs through the heart of this old fishing village, lined on the east by aromatic tidal and salt marsh creeks. The otherwise fast-paced thoroughfare meanders under ancient oaks by many unique seafood restaurants, ranging from old, weathered, time-honored culinary jewels and those with third generation chefs and proprietors to more recent dining establishments with troubadours to delight evening diners.
Founded in the late eighteenth century by a Captain Morrall, Murrells Inlet has supplied the Waccamaw Neck with fresh seafood for over 200 years. Fleets of deep-sea fishing boats lie at anchor here and journey daily to the Gulf Stream, bringing an abundance of offshore delicacies.
Just off Murrells Inlet lies Drunken Jack Island, where, according to local legend, a pirate was accidentally marooned with no provisions to save his shipmates' excess rum supply. Months later, when the ship returned to load up the rum cargo, all the crew found was case after empty rum case, spent rum bottles all along the shore, and the bleached bones of poor Jack. The treasure of Blackbeard is also reputed to be buried here.
Georgetown
In 1526 the Spanish attempted to settle at the head of Winyah Bay where Georgetown now stands but were driven out by disease. The first permanent settlers arrived in the early 18th century; many of their buildings and houses still are in use. With a deep-water harbor that can accommodate oceangoing vessels, Georgetown has developed into an important shipping port.
Myrtle Beach
The central city on the 60-mile-long Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach offers a broad range of entertainment, nightlife and outdoor recreation. A multitude of amusements lines the connecting streets. Excellent deep-sea and surf fishing as well as surfing are available.
Myrtle Beach has developed into one of the Southeast's primary golf and tennis resort centers. Especially in spring and fall, pros and duffers alike enjoy the more than 100 golf courses carved from the wooded sandhills within a half-hour's drive.
Charleston
While offering gracious accommodation to visitors, Charleston remains an undeniably livable city for those who fortunately call it home. Charleston is a city of unhurried grace. Charleston is blessed with a wealth of historic structures that have been transformed into offices, restaurants, stores, and homes. The City's successful intermingling of business, home and garden make Charleston a beloved and very walkable urban landscape experience.
Conway
Two constants have shaped the history of Conway-the Waccamaw River and the live oak trees that grace its streets. One of the oldest towns in South Carolina, Conway was created in 1734 and originally named Kingston, in honor of Great Britain's King George II. After the Revolutionary War its name was changed to Conwayborough after General Robert Conway. The name was shortened to Conway in 1883.
The town prospered in the 1820s as a busy port on the Waccamaw River. Its current city hall, formerly the Horry County courthouse, was built 1824-25. The structure, at the corner of Main Street and Third Avenue, was designed by Robert Mills, the architect of the Washington Monument.
The historic river town has preserved much of its past, including many centuries-old live oaks, some named after prominent citizens. The moss-draped trees, now protected by an ordinance, are so revered that traffic has been rerouted around them.
Wilmington, NC
North Carolina's principal deepwater port, Wilmington is on the Cape Fear River. The city is a leading port for creosote and petroleum products, fertilizer, molasses and wood pulp. Historic areas on the riverfront include the Cotton Exchange and Chandler's Wharf, which have been renovated and house shops and restaurants.
Colonial capital in 1743, Wilmington was the scene of Stamp Act resistance in 1765. British forces took the city and established their headquarters during the winter of 1780-81. As one of the principal ports of the Confederacy, Wilmington maintained communications with foreign governments until 1865 when nearby Fort Fisher fell to Union forces.
