14 Fun Facts About the Grand Strand
Myrtle Beach is a great vacation destination with sunny beaches and warm waters! Many people flock to the beach year round to enjoy the 60 miles of white sand and the many attractions...but did ya know...
- Myrtle Beach’s first occupants were river dwelling tribes called the Waccamaw and Winyah Indians, who called the area “Chicora,” meaning, “the land." They inhabited the land from North Carolina's Lake Waccamaw to Winyah Bay near Georgetown. Kings Highway was originally an Indian trial.
- Long Bay, the coast that runs from Cape Fear to Georgetown was a popular spot for pirates in the early 1700s, including Edward Teach, aka Blackbeard. Pirates hid out in the inlets attacking ships transporting treasure. Drunken Jack, pirate of infamey by the locals, was noted to be left behind on an island with a huge stash of stolen rum - and was rumored to have died with a smile on his face.
- Myrtle Beach earned its name through a contest. Adeline "Addie" Burroughs submitted the name in a contest sponsored by the Horry Herald for local residents because of the many wax myrtle trees that grew in the area.
- The first Myrtle Beach hotel, Seaside Inn, was built in 1901 for a total cost of $3800. It had no electricity or plumbing but for just $2 a night, guests received 3 square meals, shelter, and easy access to the beach.
- Oceanfront lots in Myrtle Beach were sold for $25 in 1905. Buyers received a second lot if they built a structure on the property valued at $500 or more.
- Myrtle Beach is an island!!! Even though a man made one, Myrtle Beach has been separated from the mainland by the Intracoastal Waterway since 1936.
- The name Grand Strand, which covers an entire string of communities from the fishing village of Little River to historic Georgetown, was coined by Claude Dunnagan in his newspaper column December 3, 1949.
- The Grand Strand is famous for its ghost stories namely those of Alice Flagg and the Gray Man. Legend says that Alice can be seen in Murrells Inlet searching for her engagement ring thrown in the marsh by her disapproving older brother. The Gray Man is said to appear roaming the beach in Pawleys Island to warn of approaching bad weather as he did for his love after his accidental death.
- Illustrations of Myrtle Beach appeared on two Saturday Evening Post covers in 1957 and 1961 recognizing Myrtle Beach nationally as a vacation destination.
- Horry County is the largest county in South Carolina.
- Sports Illustrated was founded in Myrtle Beach in 1973 at the Pine Lakes International Golf Club.
- Vanna White, long-time hostess of Wheel of Fortune, was born in North Myrtle Beach.
- Myrtle Beach is the second most popular beach in the United States.
- Myrtle Beach has four sister cities: Burlington, Canada, Keighley, United Kingdom, Killarney, Ireland and Pinamar, Argentina.
We would love to host you in one of our professionally managed Myrtle Beach vacation rentals. Booe Realty has been a trusted vacation rental manager in Myrtle Beach since 1971. We offer a wide selection of Myrtle Beach properties ranging from 1 bedroom condos all the way up to 9 bedroom oceanfront houses along with everything in between.