Fun Facts

Did you know?

Fun Facts About the Grand Strand
and South Carolina

  • Myrtle Beach is located in Horry (pronounced “o-ree” or “or-ee”) County; the largest county of the state’s forty-six.
  • Huntington Beach State Park, just south of Murrells Inlet on Hwy. 17, is considered to be one of the best birding spots on the East Coast. Over 276 species of birds have been seen and recorded in the 2,500 acre park.
  • The Carolina Wren is the South Carolina State Bird.
  • A local restaurant owner in Murrells Inlet keeps his pet goats on an outlying island during the warmer months. Their antics entertain visitors and locals alike.
  • The Ocean Drive section of North Myrtle Beach is the home of the Shag, the South Carolina State Dance.
  • The Lowcountry is the area from Pawleys Island south to the Savannah River.
  • 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.
  • South Carolina is the nation’s leading peach producer and shipper east of the Mississippi River.
  • The beautiful flag of South Carolina is seen, not only flying proudly on public buildings, but as one of the most used state flags in fashion and consumer products. It was designed by Colonel William Moultrie in 1775 to be used by South Carolina troops in the Revolutionary War. Colonel Moultrie chose a blue which matched the color of their uniforms and a crescent that matched the silver emblem worn on the front of their caps. The palmetto tree was added later to represent Moultrie’s heroic defense of the palmetto-log fort on Sullivan’s Island against the British fleet on June 28, 1776.
  • What began as a family’s private collection of exotic and domestic animals is now Waccatee Zoological Farm in Myrtle Beach. The farm has more than 100 animal species living on 500 acres. Waccatee Zoo is located on Enterprise Road in Socastee. From the Grand Strand, take Hwy 17 Bypass S and turn right at Hwy 707 (just south of Coastal Grand Mall). The first road after the fourth traffic light is Enterprise. For more information, call 843-650-8500.
  • When you stop to fill-up, be prepared to pay before you pump. The City of Myrtle Beach has an ordinance requiring consumers to pre-pay for gasoline.
  • Be aware of the flags used by lifeguards when swimming in the ocean: Orange – Lifeguard off duty; Yellow – lifeguard on duty, swim with caution; Red – No Swimming, Water closed; Blue – Aquatic Hazard (ask lifeguard for details).
  • Fall is a great time for dogs on the beach! You and your pooch may enjoy a walk together along the shore from September 16 through May 14, except in the area between 21st Ave. N and 13 Ave. S in Myrtle Beach, where no animals are allowed on the beach or Ocean Blvd at any time. Most areas require animals to be on leashes at all times.
  • The Swamp Fox roller coaster in Family Kingdom Amusement Park was designed by John Allen and constructed in 1966. It was damaged during Hurricane Hugo in 1989, but was rebuilt. It is 75 feet high with a drop of 65 feet. Top speed is 50 mph.
  • The official reptile of South Carolina is the loggerhead sea turtle. Adult loggerheads average 200-300 pounds and can grow up to 5 feet in length. Even though these turtles are large in size, they are not large in numbers. Only one in 10,000 eggs survives to adulthood, making them a threatened species. Bothering them or the nests is prohibited by law.
  • In the late 19th century, life was very different for Horry County residents. Most lived in what is now the Conway area, and were hardworking farmers, timbermen and turpentine distillers who bartered for their necessities. A typical family in 1875 earned approximately $2.50 a year in what was nearly a cashless economy.
  • On May 1, 2006, Governor Mark Sanford officially signed the law making boiled peanuts South Carolina’s official state snack food. Pronounced “bald” peanuts, they are offered at roadside stands from May through November.
  • The first state park open to the public, in 1936, was the 312-acre oceanfront Myrtle Beach State Park.
  • Chicken bog, a dish originating in the state’s coastal regions, is so-named because the chicken gets bogged down in rice.
  • In the 1840s, the Georgetown area produced half of the nation’s rice, a story engrained in The Rice Museum on Front St. in this historic town.
  • The slow-moving Black River in the eastern part of the state is characterized by high concentrations of organic carbon, which accounts for its dark, tea-colored water.
  • A blueprint was not used to build Atalaya, a 1930s castle on Huntington Beach at Murrells Inlet. Contractor William Thomson trailed owner Archer Huntington and took verbal instructions.
  • When Georgetown County Library opened on Jan. 31, 1799, no women or African-Americans were served. Today, two-thirds of the county’s population holds library cards.