Horry County is home to one of South Carolina’s tourism hubs, the Grand Strand. The Grand Strand is a string of coastal towns, centered around Myrtle Beach, which features beaches, watersports, shopping, and theme parks. Conway serves as its county seat.
Initially existing within the Georgetown District, Horry County was founded in 1808 and named in honor of Revolutionary War lieutenant colonel Peter Horry. In its early years, swamps and rivers kept the county so cut off from the rest of the state that locals often called it the “Independent Republic of Horry County.” Naval stores and lumber powered the Horry County economy in the 18th and 19th centuries. Later, the economy transitioned to tobacco farming.
Horry County Historical Society. Accessed June 01, 2016. http://www.hchsonline.org/
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In the African American Carver Street neighborhood of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, music at Charlie’s Place brought people together during Segregation. The owner, Charlie Fitzgerald, welcomed White...
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The founding and early years of Charlie's Place - a jazz club where white and African American patrons alike were welcome during segregation.
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Today, Charlie's Place is long gone. The City of Myrtle Beach purchased the Charlie's Place property in 2015, with the goals of renovating the area, and transforming it into a revitalized...
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After World War II, there was an ever increasing popularity for the musical movement known as "Rhythm and Blues." Rhythm and Blues, along with a new invention called the Jukebox, transformed the music...
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Racial tensions in South Carolina strained with the rise of the "Dixiecrat" political party. One summer evening in 1950, Ku Klux Klan members shot up Charlie's Place, and Charlie Fitzgerald was beaten...
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Coastal Carolina University and Brookgreen Gardens are partnering to provide students hands-on experience with conducting archeological research on historic plantation sites. Dr. David Palmer and his...
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Since 1986, Myrtle Beach has become a hot spot for live entertainment, with theater, live music, comedy, adventure, and death defying thrills. Theatrical productions have become an important part of...
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"B" is for Burroughs, Franklin Gorham, Jr. (b. 1942). Essayist. environmentalist, educator. After graduating from USC, Burroughs obtained his Ph.D. from Harvard. From 1968-2000, he taught at Bowdoin...
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Neon signs have been have a staple of business owners for decades; drawing in customers from near and afar. Meet Bill Vertrees, a neon glass artist who has been in the business of crafting neon signs...
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Water gardens have been increasing in popularity here in the U.S. The water gardens we see today have origins going back to the days of the ancient Egyptians. Learn more about water gardens, and the...
