Cynthia Stanley

The following includes excerpts from “The Ark Plantation” by Greg Martin at http://www.hchsonline.org/places/ark.html.

“The Ark Plantation” (also referred to as “Arke Plantation”) was the home of John M. Tillman. The plantation consisted of approximately 3,200 acres of land and covered much of what is now Surfside Beach.

There are no records in Horry County of a deed for the property to John Tillman. It is possible that the Tillman family received a royal grant for the property prior to the American Revolution. If there was a royal grant a record of this may one day be found in Charleston’s archives. If Tillman acquired the land between the revolution and 1801, however, a deed would have been recorded in Georgetown since what is now Horry County was during that time a part of Georgetown District. Any deed recorded there would have been sent to Columbia and, subsequently, during the War Between the States, destroyed by Sherman’s troops when Columbia was burned.

The first evidence of Tillman living in what is now Surfside Beach is from the Robert Mills Atlas of 1820. There is also a survey of John Tillman’s plantation recorded in Horry County which is marked a resurvey of an 1838 map. This map indicates a total of 3,194 acres stretching from the Atlantic Ocean about three miles inland and with about one and one-half miles on the ocean front. This map shows the plantation house, several outbuildings and cleared fields. The home stood until the middle part of this century.

According to an article by John Thomas, in 1850 John Tillman owned 57 slaves. According to Tillman’s own records by 1860 he had increased that number to 60. His main crop was sweet potatoes and he produced 3,000 bushels annually. One hundred ninety acres were used for the production of rice. John Tillman’s will recorded in the Probate Court for Horry County reveals some interesting things about him.

At the time Tillman’s will was written in 1854 he apparently had no wife or children nor did he at his death in 1865. Mr. Tillman was apparently quite affluent since he listed gifts of money, land and slaves to his brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces in his will. When Tillman died in 1865 the war had apparently taken its toll since his personal property was valued at only $2,000.00. No value was placed on his real estate.

The inventory of The Ark Plantation conducted in 1866 included two double barrel guns valued at $15.00, various chairs and tables, a clock valued at $30.00, crockery and two dozen silver pieces valued at $25.00, a shaving case and razors valued at $3.00, and one lot of books (old) valued at $10.00. The inventory indicated that the house had two large rooms upstairs and two downstairs.

After Tillman’s death the family divided the plantation and eventually it was developed. First known as Roach’s Beach, with only one two story building and several cottages, the region was purchased in the early 1920’s after surviving the hurricane of 1893. At that time the principal industries were lumber and feed farming for horses and mules in the area. The new owner, Mr. George J. Holiday, renamed the area Floral Beach for his wife, Flora, and daughter, Floramay. In the late 1920’s, a group from Columbia purchased and partially developed the land. In 1952, most of the land changed hands again and became known as Surfside Beach. The undeveloped beach area was covered with sand dunes and a one-lane sandy road that led from the highway to a quiet, family beach.

In 1954 Hurricane Hazel destroyed 18 of the beach’s 65 houses, but did not dampen the spirit of the developers. Lots were cleared, the sand was leveled, topsoil was brought in and T. J. Harrison, who later became the town’s first mayor, opened the first grocery store. At the time there were only 6 permanent families. Significant growth did not happen until after 1956 when Myrtle Beach Air Force Base was reactivated.

By 1964, Surfside’s reputation as a family beach had spread significantly and the town was becoming a popular place to both visit and retire. During the ensuing years, the Township increased police protection, mosquito/ sanitation control and installed additional street lights. These improvements along with the passage of strategic zoning ordinances resulted in increased property values. Public parking and walkways to the beach were created and government offices were constructed just off Highway 17. Over the next few years, the Town of Surfside Beach, as well as the rest of the Grand Strand, became one of the fastest growing parts of the country.

TOWN and LOCAL INFORMATION

LOCATION: The Town of Calabash is located in Brunswick County on the southeastern coast of North Carolina and is the southern most city in North Carolina bordering South Carolina. It is 25 miles North of Myrtle Beach, SC and 50 miles South of Wilmington, NC. Our closest highway is ‘Highway 17’.

TAXES: Brunswick County property tax rate is $0.4425 per hundred of assessed value Calabash City tax rate is $0.0875 per hundred of assessed value

POPULATION: Approximately 1,868 residents and is growing rapidly.

CLIMATE: Moderate and we enjoy all four seasons. We rarely have snowfall in the winter.

Primarily a fishing village with shrimp boats docking daily during the season selling fresh caught shrimp. Charter boats for tours and deep sea fishing are also available.

The Town is famous for its ‘Calabash Seafood’. This type of flavoring originated here and is unique. Others have tried to copy it with little success. If you want to taste the real ‘Calabash Seafood’, you must come to Calabash.

Calabash has all the amenities any Town would need.

Fire Department:

Calabash Fire Department- one of the best and well equipped Fire Departments in the area. Has an ISO rating of 6 which is excellent .

Police:

The area is patrolled by the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Department. The crime rate is very low in this area.

Banks– Medical/Dental Offices-Churches-Post Office-Hardware Stores- Veterinarian- Deli and Pastry Shop-Souveniers-Jewlery-ice cream parlors-supermarkets-clothing stores-cleaners-lawyers and most of all restaurants. Check our current Business Directory for a detailed list.

Calabash is within 6-10 miles of two beautiful sandy beaches and 25 miles to great entertainment in Myrtle Beach. Golf courses abound in this area. Almost all are public courses and very well maintained.

Overview of Calabash History

1691 – Present
Calabash’s identity started as early as 1691 when the Lord Proprietors granted Landgraves (nobleman) Thomas Smith by patent 48,000 acres. In 1734 William Waties and Jonathan Calkins were large landowners in the area and by 1791 the prominent Allston family were raising indigo and other crops familiar to Calabash today. Around 1814 the Northeast branch of Little River was called Pea landing. During the mid 1800’s Samuel and Dr. Lorenzo Frink became large plantation owners and they in turn made Pea Landing an important shipping center.

Pea Landing saw very little action during the Civil War, except for a raid by Lincoln’s Commandos near the mouth of the Calabash River.

When a Post office was to open at Pea Landing in 1883, a name was needed and the ‘Village of Calabash’ was established.

A railroad was constructed in 1905 to handle the giant timber industry of the area. It ran from the logging fields through Calabash to the Calabash River where the logs were unloaded and floated down river to Hammer’s Mill on Shelly’s Point. In 1929, Hammer’s Mill ceased operations and the railroad became obsolete.
The World War II years saw Calabash opening restaurants and serving seafood cooked with a special flavor . This was the birth of “Calabash Seafood”. A few years later, Calabash would become known as “The Seafood Capital of the World”.

Today it is a tourist area, with an abundance of fine restaurants, shops and golf courses. It is home to about 1,800 residents, who benefit from a well run Town Government, one of the best equipped Fire Departments in the area as well as a fine EMS. Additional amenities within the town include approximately 30 restaurants, a medical center, dentists, banks, veternarian, beauty salons, unique gift stores/retail shops, golf courses, mini golf, ice cream parlors, hardware store, auto services, gas stations, as well as a fleet of shrimp boats, charter fishing boats, and a beautiful view of the Calabash River.

View Available Listings in the Carolina Forest community Here.

Carolina Forest is an unincorporated community in Horry County, South Carolina USA. It is between Myrtle Beach and Conway.
History

Carolina Forest was once part of a larger tract of land in eastern Horry County. Originally owned by Burroughs & Chapin, International Paper bought the 30,000-acre in 1937. It was used as part of the Conway Bombing and Gunnery Range during World War II. In 1960, the company donated part of the tract for what is now Coastal Carolina University.  In 1989, approximately 9,000 acres north of Carolina Forest were donated to the state to form the Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Trust Preserve.

In June 1994, Kylee Mueller sold 125 acres to Horry County Schools for development of Carolina Forest Elementary School, Carolina Forest Middle School, and Carolina Forest High School. Additionally, 350 acres   were sold to form a golf course and residential property.

By the end of 1994, International Paper began to sell more of its land. Due to the lack of funding from other sources for road infrastructure, the first 1.25 miles of Carolina Forest Boulevard were completed by November 1995 by International Paper. Further expansions of both Carolina Forest Boulevard and River Oaks Drive   would open up 11,000 acres to development west of the Intracoastal Waterway. Carolina Forest Boulevard was completed in December 1996, with River Oaks Drive being completed in December 1997.

On December 2, 1997, Horry County council voted to freeze zoning rules in an 11 square miles area of Carolina Forest for 20 years in exchange for land to build parks and roads. An estimated 35,000 people would live in the 7,073 acres covered by the agreement.
According to the census of 2010, Carolina Forest’s population increased from 3400 in 2000 to 21,000

Schools

There are six public schools in the Carolina Forest attendance area and all are part of the Horry County School District. During the late 1990s, three schools were built to accommodate new residents in Carolina Forest. Carolina Forest Elementary School was opened in 1996 on Carolina Forest Boulevard. Carolina Forest Middle School and Carolina Forest High School  were built on a combined campus in 1997.

To address the growth, Horry County Schools began building three additional schools to serve the attendance area. Carolina Forest Middle was split into two new schools, Ocean Bay Middle and Black Water Middle. Ocean Bay Elementary and Ocean Bay Middle School were completed in time of fall 2006 classes. Another school, Black Water Middle School opened near end of the 2006-2007 school years.  The middle and high school complex will be renovated exclusively for Carolina Forest High School. The Academy for the Arts, Science and opened in December 2007.

Recreation

There are many recreational opportunities in the Carolina Forest area. There are two golf courses in Carolina Forest, Man O’ War and The Wizard golf courses. Both are located next to Windsor Green and Waterford Plantation. The River Oaks neighborhood, which borders Carolina Forest, also has several golf courses.
Recreation Center

The Carolina Forest Recreation Center located in Horry County.

Amenities include full size gymnasium for open gym and sport leagues, a fitness room for exercise classes, a multipurpose room with a divider for multiple events, locker rooms, kitchen, and a rock climbing wall. Take advantage of the Palmetto Adventure Land Playground located behind the library.

General Information:
There is no membership fee; charges will be based on the activity or class being provided. The gym is open to the public.

Cherry Grove Beach, sometimes known as Cherry Grove, is neighborhood of the city of North Myrtle Beach in Horry County, South Carolina, United States.[1] It lies along SC 9 and SC 65. The Cherry Grove Pier is a popular landmark of Cherry Grove. It was built early in the 1950s. It has weathered many hurricanes, and was remodeled and lengthened in 1999 after Hurricane Floyd. In 1968 Cherry Grove Beach merged with Windy Hill Beach, Ocean Drive Beach, and Crescent Beach to form the city of North Myrtle Beach. CGB is on the upper East side of NMB.

Visitors to the quiet little beach town of Cherry Grove South Carolina in the 1950’s were greeted with the scene to the left after crossing the “swing bridge”, where King’s Highway (Highway 17) South branched off of Sea Mountain Highway, the access road to Cherry Grove.

In those days, the destination for many visitors and vacationers alike was the new Cherry Grove Fishing Pier, a wooden structure extending 985 feet out into the Atlantic Ocean with some of the best fishing and scenic beauty in the Carolinas. In 1964, The 1,780-pound, world record tiger shark was caught by Walter Maxwell from Cherry Grove Pier. It remains to this day the only all-tackle world record ever caught in South Carolina. The shark is estimated to have weighed in at 2,000 lbs when it was caught, but it was not weighed until the next day when it could be trucked to Loris and placed on the scales. (Additional pictures are in our photo gallery).

In 1963 The Prince family built the Holiday House Motel on the adjoining property to the pier, and in 1965 they bought the Pier. In 1968 Cherry Grove Beach joined with three other small beach towns, Windy Hill Beach, Crescent Beach, and Ocean Drive Beach to form the present day City of North Myrtle Beach. Today the Cherry Grove section still retains its “small town charm” and relaxed family atmosphere even though North Myrtle Beach is the home of more than 12,000 permanent residents, and one of the fastest growing areas on the South Carolina coast. In the early 1970’s the pier was renovated into its present form and the tackle shop was expanded and restaurant added.

The Cherry Grove Pier also has a colorful history when it comes to Hurricanes. In 1989 the Pier was destroyed by Hurricane Hugo which left a widespread path of destruction across the state of South Carolina. It was rebuilt and the two-story observation deck that was added became a very popular sightseeing destination. In September of 1999, Hurricane Floyd left its mark on the Cherry Grove Pier by snapping off the observation deck and depositing it 1000 yards down the beach. It was rebuilt and renovated in time for the next summer season. In the spring of 2001 the tackle shop was renovated and access to the pier widened to handle the record crowds as the pier continues to grow as one of the most popular family fishing and sightseeing destinations on the South Carolina coast.

Traveling north on US 17 through Horry County, Little River is the last South Carolina town you pass through before crossing the state line. Situated on the banks of the Intracoastal Waterway, Indians called this “Mineola” and the English translation of Little River became its name.

In its early history, Little River hosted the famous and the infamous. As an out-of-the-way, protected harbor, pirates, smugglers, blockade-runners, and bootleggers are said to have found refuge here. But George Washington also dined here while traveling the Kings Highway on his Southern Tour in 1791.

Little River South Carolina is the oldest — and one of the most unique — towns along the greater Grand Strand.

Known for its fresh seafood, fishing charters, annual blue crab festival, and historic centuries-old live oak trees, it is one of the last communities on the Grand Strand where a slower pace of life still exists.Little River is about 20 miles to the north of the hustle and bustle of Myrtle Beach, so residents and visitors alike share more peaceful days in this quaint fishing village.

Yet Little River is just a short drive to all the Grand Strand’s famous attractions, signature golf courses, unique variety shows, shopping outlets and world-class entertainment. And with two Las-Vegas-style casino gambling boats now docked in Little River, locals and tourists flock to the waterfront twice a day, every day, for world-class casino gambling excursions into international waters where gambling is legal.

Little River is also home to generations of charter and commercial fishermen and shrimpers. Here you can choose between short party-boat fishing trips near the shore, or spend an entire day fishing in the deep waters of the Gulf Stream.

For those who love to play in the waterway instead of fish, there are jet ski rentals at the waterfront as well as dock space and pontoon boat rentals atCrickett Cove and Coquina Harbor marinas.

It’s no secret that property values and real estate in Little River are rapidly rising in value since almost everyone who visits wants to move or have a second home here. There’s a quality of life that residents cherish and visitors admire in our beautiful town on the north end of the Grand Strand.

While North Myrtle Beach has beautiful sparkling beaches and breathtaking scenery, the communities and citizens of North Myrtle Beach are close and strong.  Behind the many tourists who visit North Myrtle Beach each year, is a thriving community with open arms to welcome new residents to the area.

As a new resident of North Myrtle Beach, you’ll enjoy the friendliness and hospitality of your neighbors who also live and work here.  Even with all of the many exciting venues and attractions nearby, North Myrtle Beach moves at a slower pace and will truly give your family a peaceful environment to live.

North Myrtle Beach is consistently receiving awards for growth and quality of life.  That is why we believe North Myrtle Beach is the perfect place to relocate your family.  It is a perfect location to take a long walk on the beach, soak up the sun and scenery almost every day of the year and create memories which are full of life and meaning that will last a lifetime.

The cost of living according to the ACCRA composite index for the North Myrtle Beach area is 96.7, with 100 as the national average.  There are over 20,000 dwelling units in North Myrtle Beach; and this number is expected to increase 15 percent over the next five years.

The median cost of a new home is $192,400; with the median monthly electric bill around $112.  The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $560.  The median age of residents is 48 years, with more than 25 percent being college graduates.  The median family income is $46,052 a year.

The North Myrtle Beach City Hall, library and post office facilities can be located through the following information:
North Myrtle Beach City Hall
1015 2nd Ave. S.
North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Phone: (843) 280-5585

Horry County Library – North Myrtle Beach Branch
910 1st Avenue S.
North Myrtle Beach, SC  29582
Phone: (843) 915-5281
New hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday – 9:30 am – 6 pm
Saturday – 9:30 am – 2 pm
Closed Wednesday and Sunday

North Myrtle Beach Post Office
621 6th Ave S.
North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Phone: (843) 272-5864

When moving to South Carolina, you must adhere to licensing procedures.  All out-of-state licenses are valid for 90 days in South Carolina.  In addition, all out-of-state motor vehicles must be registered within 45 days of establishing permanent South Carolina residency.  For information on obtaining your South Carolina driver’s license and South Carolina license plates, please call the South Carolina Highway and Public Transportation Department at: 1-800-442-1368.

For information on unemployment benefits and active job search help, please contact the South Carolina Employment Security Commission at: 1-803-737-9935.

For information on obtaining your South Carolina Retail Business License, please contact the South Carolina Department of Revenue in Columbia, South Carolina at: 1-803-898-5368.

For information on social security benefits and eligibility requirements, please contact the South Carolina Social Security Administration at: 1-803-929-7635.

Once again we are pleased you have chosen North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina as an area you are looking to relocate your family.  We are all hard at work here to make North Myrtle Beach a great place to live for you and your family!

For further information on the North Myrtle Beach area, please click on the following links: request relocation guide; residential real estate sales; commercial real estate sales; long term rentals; banks and attorneys; utilities; demographics and market info; about North Myrtle Beach; churches and schools.

Welcome to Myrtle Beach, SC.

From oceanfront resorts along the entire Grand Strand, to cozy beach home and vacation rentals in North and South Myrtle Beach, including Surfside Beach and Garden City, find the amenities and location perfect for you. Once you have decided on your place to call home, create unforgettable memories in this South Coast paradise, which offers:

• 60 miles of wide, soft sandy beaches
• Savory restaurants and family-friendly dining
• Amusement and water parks
• Live entertainment theaters and exciting nightlife
• Thrilling water sports
• The best golf courses in the south
• Cultural activities and historic sites
• Outlet malls, specialty boutiques, flea markets, and specialty stores
• Freshwater, ocean and deep sea saltwater fishing

So much more!

Sixty miles of soft sandy beach, entertainment and attractions for everyone, golf, endless shopping, exquisite dining, thrilling water sports, live entertainment, theater and so much more — Myrtle Beach is the place where you belong.

History

Around 1900, Burroughs and Collins Company, with widespread beachfront holdings, began developing the resort potential of the Grand Strand by building a railroad to the beach from Conway. The company built the first hotel, the Seaside Inn, in 1901. In 1912, Chicago businessman Simeon B. Chapin purchased property and became a major influence in the area’s development. And in the 1920s, a group of businessmen created an upscale oceanfront resort that included the luxurious Ocean Forest Hotel and the area’s first golf course, which later became Pine Lakes International.

The Intracoastal Waterway opened in 1936; Myrtle Beach was incorporated in 1938. Myrtle Beach Air Force Base was established during the 1940s, growth along the strand and suffered during the Depression and World War II. But driven by assurance and growing economy that surrounded America during the 1950s, Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand quickly became one of the most prevalent destinations in the Southeast for summertime vacationers.

The 1960s brought in a golf craze along the coast, with the number of courses over 100 today. Since the 1970s, growth has continued. New accommodations, attractions, residential and retail developments have made “The Beach” area one or the countries year round places to vacation.