News and Announcements

Conway, South Carolina – The Horry County Board of Architectural Review & Historic Preservation will hold their annual Historic Preservation Awards May 15, 2018, at 2:30 p.m. at the McCown Auditorium at the Horry County Museum, 805 Main Street, in Conway.

The awards ceremony will showcase historic preservation efforts throughout Horry County during the last year.  Our guest speaker will be David Douglas a former member of the board and an award recipient this year for all his rehabilitation work within the County.  All properties that were designated as historic between May 2017 and April 2018 will receive a certificate acknowledging the honor.  Also being recognized:

• Jack Walker for years of historic preservation activities in Myrtle Beach.
• Diane Moscow McKenzie for years of historic preservation activities in Myrtle Beach.
• Dino Thompson for years of historic preservation activities in Horry County.
• Students for their participation in the annual High School Historic Sites & Structures Video Contest.
• Businesses that have been honored by the Legacy Business Recognition Program.
• Agritourism businesses that have received approved permits.

For more information, contact Lou Conklin, Senior Planner, in the Horry County Planning & Zoning Department at 915-5340.

Conway, South Carolina – The Horry County Board of Architectural Review & Historic Preservation will hold their annual Historic Preservation Awards May 16, 2017, at 2:30 p.m. at the McCown Auditorium at the Horry County Museum, 805 Main Street, in Conway.

The awards ceremony will showcase historic preservation efforts throughout Horry County during the last year. In addition, a presentation will be given on the South Carolina Century Farm program. All properties that were designated as historic between May 2016 and April 2017 will receive a certificate acknowledging the honor.  Also being recognized:

• O’Neal Smalls with Freewoods Farms for the education and preservation of the activities and practices of African-American farms.
• Surfside Beach Historical Society for telling the story of the Ark Plantation through Surfside Living History Day.
• Hillary Howard for years of historic preservation activities in Conway.
• Tommy Simpson for the renovation of an iconic Conway mural.
• Graham Brothers Farm Supply for the preservation of their historic feed mill.
• Sallie and William Goldfinch for the rehabilitation of their historic home.
• Tammi and Alex Hyman for the rehabilitation of their historic home.
• Students for their participation in the annual High School Historic Sites & Structures Video Contest.
• Businesses that have been honored by the Legacy Business Recognition Program.
• Agritourism businesses that have received approved permits.

For more information, contact Mary Catherine Hyman, Senior Planner, in the Horry County Planning & Zoning Department at 915-5340.

Conway, South Carolina – The Horry County Board of Architectural Review and Historic Preservation will hold their annual Historic Preservation Awards May 17, 2016, at 2:30 p.m. at the McCown Auditorium at the Horry County Museum, 805 Main Street, in Conway.

The awards ceremony will showcase historic preservation efforts throughout Horry County during the last year.   A presentation will be given on the Ark Plantation archaeology dig, as well as the Rosenwald Schools of Horry County.  All properties that were designated as historic between May 2015 and April 2016 will receive a certificate acknowledging the honor.   Also being recognized at the event:

• Ben Burroughs for years of historic preservation activities in Horry County.
• Herbert Riley for telling the story of Charlie’s Place in Myrtle Beach.
• Jack Thompson for historic photographic coverage of Horry County. 
• Nye’s Pharmacy for preserving an icon in the community.
• Students for their participation in the annual High School Historic Sites & Structures Video Contest.
• Businesses that have been honored by the Legacy Business Recognition Program.

For more information, contact Mary Catherine Hyman, Senior Planner, in the Horry County Planning & Zoning Department at 843-915-5340.

Conway, South Carolina – The Horry County Board of Architectural Review and Historic Preservation, the Conway Garden Club Council and the Horry County Historical Society will host a dedication for the Horry County Patriot Tree Project September 12, 2014, at 11 a.m. at the Old Horry County Courthouse located at 1201 Third Avenue in Conway. 

The Horry County Patriot Tree Project pairs live oak trees with soldiers from Horry County who served during the Civil War.  Each one of the trees will have a QR code marker which will direct smart phone users to a website listing the soldier’s name, birth date, birth place, death date, burial place, and other available details of the soldier’s service. 

During the dedication, 23-trees will be paired with Civil War veterans of Horry County.  Honored at the ceremony will be:

• Richard Bushrod Singleton
• Zaccheus W. Dusenbury, Sr.
• Jeremiah Smith
• Abijah Hollingsworth Skipper
• William H. Bruton
• James E. Dusenbury
• James Horry Dusenbury
• U.A. Dusenbury
• William W. Lawrimore
• Richard A. Lawrimore
• John R. Lawrimore
• Robert Lawrimore
• James M. Lawrimore
• John Ralston Lawrimore
• George Congdon
• Josiah Cox
• Waterman Grainger
• Robert T. Anderson
• Henry Anderson
• Benjamin Avant
• John R. Beaty
• Thomas W. Beaty
• John H. Grant

The ceremony is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Adam Emrick, Senior Planner with Horry County Planning & Zoning and 843-915-5340.

Conway, South Carolina-The Gullah Geechee people of Horry County and members of the Horry County Government will officially welcome two historical signs erected along Highway 17. One is located at the SC border entering the county from NC and the other near Murrells Inlet at the border between Georgetown and Horry Counties. “The presence of these signs today represents a lot of hard work that came before them. The work began in the early 1980s when most of it had to do with raising awareness, telling the story and educating the people,” claims Veronica D. Gerald English professor at Coastal Carolina University and Vice Chairman of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Commission. These signs will tell drivers that they are travelling along the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, and they recognize the Gullah Geechee people, their heritage and contributions.

This corridor is comprised of the coastal regions (and thirty miles inland) beginning around Pender County, NC and continuing along Highway 17 to St. Augustine, FL, thus making Horry county a part of a nationally recognized Heritage Area. It is the 49th of 49 such designations around the country. “I am always so impressed when I think that this recognition places us right alongside other National Heritage Areas like Niagra Falls,” Gerald went on to say. 

The idea for heritage corridors or areas began in 1984 when President Reagan signed legislation to create the first of a new kind of National Park Service (NPS) designation. The National Heritage Area was envisioned as a way to cross the culture-nature divide and leap political boundaries with the goal of blending public-private resource conservation, interpretation, and community revitalization. Heritage areas tell stories that are too big, too gritty, too alive, a too expensive to be confined to the boundaries of traditional national park units. And heritage areas harness grassroots energy to power all of this good work. 

The signs placed in Horry County are two of nearly 100 signs placed along the corridor in NC, FL, GA, and SC.

The recognition and welcome ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 19, 2014. Those planning to attend should meet at the SC Welcome Center on Highway 17 N in Little River at 9:30 a.m. “We are especially excited that the ceremony is being held at the site of the sign in Little River,” said Sondra Ward, resident of Little River and chair of the Annual Little River Gullah Geechee Heritage Festival. “A lot of people are still not aware that this culture extends in and beyond Little River,” She added. Members of the Horry County community, mayors, county and state officials and representatives from neighboring counties are expected to attend.