Surfside Beach, South Carolina
SURFSIDE BEACH, SURROUNDED by the bright lights and neon nights of South Carolina’s Grand Strand, has managed to cement its reputa- tion as a laid-back, family-oriented beach town.
Located just south of frenetic Myr-
tle Beach, fewer than 1,000 people lived in Surfside when it was incor- porated in 1964. Te area survived two hurricanes, in 1893 and again in 1954, bouncing back both times to rebuild – but not to overbuild. In the 19th century, the area
known as Roach’s Beach supported lumber and feed farming indus- tries. Local businessman George J. Holiday renamed it Floral Beach in honor of his wife Flora and daugh- ter Floramay. A group from Co- lumbia bought the land in the late 1920s, and, by the time it changed hands again in the early 1950s, it had come to be known as Surfside Beach. A one-lane road led to the
beach, which was used mostly by summer vacationers and other visi- tors. When T.J. Harrison opened the town’s first grocery store in 1956, only six families were permanent residents of Surfside Beach. Te town began to grow after
Myrtle Beach Air Force Base was reactivated in the late 1950s but never at the same hurried pace as the surrounding Grand Strand. Harrison served as Surfside’s first mayor, and, after incorporation, the new mu- nicipality provided its citizens with police protection, streetlights, water lines, parking areas and even walk- ways to the beach. Surfside grew, by annexing outlying areas and by attracting retirees and others seeking permanent homes along the sunny Carolina coast.
Tough it is close to the attrac- tions in Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach’s two miles of shoreline remain a relatively quiet, family-
friendly haven amid the hustle and bustle of the Grand Strand. True to its reputation as a family-oriented town, Surfside was the first munici- pality in Horry County and one of the first in South Carolina to ban smoking in public places, clearing the air of second-hand smoke in October 2007. For those who aren’t interested in
the Vegas-of-the-East atmosphere in Myrtle Beach, Brookgreen Gardens is only about 10 miles away in the opposite direction – to the south. Founded in 1931 by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington, the garden museum was established to preserve the area’s native flora and fauna and exhibit objects of art in a natural setting. A National Historic Land- mark, Brookgreen features one of the most beautiful public gardens in the Southeast, as well as a walking trail dotted with historical, cultural and wildlife exhibits.
At A Glance Population:
Average Temp: Average Age:
4,838 65 F 45
Nearest Hospital: Grand Strand Regional Medical Center
Nearest Major Airport: Myrtle Beach International Airport
Surfside Beach Info: Myrtle Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
www.discoversouthcarolina.com (800) 488-8998
www.CarolinaHomesAndInteriors.com |
www.SouthCarolinaHomes.net |
www.RetiringToSC.com
www.RetiringToSouthCarolina.com
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