Myrtle Beach sits on the 60 mile stretch of Atlantic Coast known as the Grand Strand, reaching all the way from Little River, North Carolina to Georgetown, South Carolina. The origin of the name is German meaning beach, and Myrtle Beach is one of the best. Here you will find the whitest of white sandy beachs with piercing blue water lapping onto the shore.
Myrtle Beach History
Myrtle Beach is now the major city along the grand strand, discovered by the Waccamaw and Winyah Indians who called it “Chicora,” translating to “the land.”
They found the area to be a good place to settle because of the dunes, wide beaches and giant oaks. In colonial times travelers used an Indian trial running along the coast, naming it The King’s Highway. Pirates navigated the coast attracted by cargo ships carrying supplies to the new settlements. Stories claim that Blackbeard terrorized the coast and hid in the many coves and inlets off of the Carolina coast, causing continual whispers linge ring throughout the region about buried treasure from pirates fleeing persecution.
Myrtle Beach began its destiny as a resort area in the 1800’s when a Conway businessman, F.G. Burroughs, bought 80,000 acres of coastline that included Little River to Murrells Inlet. He created “New Town” and made it accessible by the Conway & Seashore Railroad, which he owned. Bourrough’s wife later won a contest to rename the town; the winning title was Myrtle Beach after the native myrtle trees that grew in the area. The first hotel to be built was in 1901, called the Seaside Inn. The cost to stay one night was $2, and beachfront property in Myrtle Beach sold for only $25 with a guarantee that if you built a house worth at least $500 you would be given another lot for free. The stage was set for the development of Myrtle Beach in 1925 when the next big project, lavish Ocean Forest Hotel and surrounding Arcady resort, were constructed. The resort was the home of the first golf course in Myrtle Beach and the origin of the magazine Sports Illustrated, leading Myrtle Beach to be incorporated in 1938 and became a city in 1957.
Myrtle Beach Today
Much has changed in Myrtle Beach over the years and it just keeps getting better. The King’s Highway is now known as U.S. Highway 17, an easy path from New England to Florida. The Ocean Forest Hotel is gone now, but many of the new Myrtle Beach hotels offer the same activities with modern amenities, though without the historical significance.
Millions of visitors flow through Myrtle Beach each year where family fun can be found in every direction. Shopping, entertainment, amusements, golf courses, restaurants, over night accommodations and the ocean make Myrtle Beach the opportune destination for any group of travelers. You can golf at one of over a hundred golf courses in the area, or just get a nice tan enjoying the cool breeze from the Atlantic. Ghost stories, Pirate tales and relaxing on the beach are all part of the Myrtle Beach experience, one that will leave a lasting impression on anyone who visits.
