Congressman
Henry E. Brown, Jr.

Discover Horry County

Horry County (map) was named for Peter Horry, a lieutenant colonel in the Revolution, and he was later a brigadier general in the SC Militia. The County, which is pronounced OH-ree, was originally part of Craven County, but has also been part of a number of other early jurisdictions. Finally, in 1785, the area was given its present boundaries, but it took almost 100 years for the name Horry County to be given to the area. (more on Horry County History)

The Great and Little Pee Dee Rivers, Drowning Creek, and the Waccamaw River all either border or run through Horry County, runs through the eastern half of the county. Fur trading and indigo were important, but the most important industry for the young area was in "naval stores" - products made from pitch, pine tar, and turpentine which were plentiful in the region. The Civil War saw some 90% of the County's male population march off to war, but no major engagements were fought within the county. That said, during the 1800s, the County was sometimes called "the Independent Republic of Horry." World War I brought the construction of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW). From the turn of the century onward, tourism has defined Horry County and saw to its growth, especially in and around Myrtle Beach and the other Grand Strand communities. This growth continued, especially with the arrival of the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base during the 1940s; the base would operate until the early 1990s.

Today, the growth that Horry County has seen in recent years has turned many of the small communities into a larger metropolitan area. With some 14 million tourists visiting the area every year, they not only come to enjoy the region's beaches, but to also discover the region's attractions (both historic and recent) as well as the natural beauty that still defines coastal South Carolina. Horry County, especially Myrtle Beach, also enjoys a special relationship with Canada that sees thousands of Canadian tourists coming to enjoy the region during the early part of the tourist season. The area is also home to over 100 championship golf courses. The Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau website is a comprehensive listing of all there is to do Horry County, but feel free to visit the links below for more information.

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