Area Info.

History
The City of Myrtle Beach is in the center of the Grand Strand, a 60-mile crescent of beach on the South Carolina  coast.   In the last 25 years, Myrtle Beach has developed into the premier resort  destination on the East Coast.  Our 30,000 permanent residents welcome millions of visitors each year to this full-service resort community.  Guests come to enjoy the wide beaches, the  Atlantic Ocean, our fabulous golf courses and an incredible range of activities and entertainment.

Then
Myrtle Beach was incorporated as a town in 1938 and became a city in 1957.  Its name comes from the wax myrtle, a shrub which grows abundantly in the area.  History records that a party of Spaniards from Hispaniola landed about 50 miles north of present-day Myrtle Beach in 1526 and eventually established the  first European settlement in the U.S. about 30 miles to the south.  The settlement, San Miguel de Cauldape, was abandoned the following year, though, and the group returned to Hispaniola.

In the next three centuries, the region's population grew, but slowly.  Landowners gradually developed large plantations in the area, with rice as the principle crop.   In the late 1800s and early 1900s, people began to "vacation" here, although it was quite rustic.  Houses and camps were sparse, and there were few, if any, permanent residents at the turn of the century.  But, drawn by the ocean, sand and trees, people began to call Myrtle Beach "home"  as the 1900's progressed.

Today
Today, Myrtle Beach is a well known destination for vacationers  from around the country.   The city is at the center of the second fastest growing metropolitan area in the U.S.  The Myrtle Beach area has something for everyone: scores of restaurants, dazzling nightlife, incomparable shopping, theatres, golf, water sports and amusements galore.

There are over 100 public golf courses available for use by golfers who want to enjoy their time outdoors, at reasonable rates. Many of  the courses offer discounts to those who own property in the area.

Many nationally known performers have built theatres, representing varying music styles, which means that almost everybody can find at least one show to enjoy.

The public schools in the area have recently undergone an extensive upgrade in both the physical plant and the instructional offerings, and have already seen results in the state-wide test results for the students. The citizens of the area are justifiably proud of  today's school system.