Horry County, South Carolina, 1730-1993

Horry County, South Carolina, 1730-1993 chronicles the colorful yet little-known past of the Palmetto State's largest county, a region now known primarily for the world-famous beaches of its "Grand Strand." In this history of South Carolina's northeastern corner, Catherine H. Lewis tells the story of the state's least-understood region and of its transformation from a secluded farming district to one of North America's most popular vacation spots. Suggesting that Horry County's past does not fit neatly into South Carolina history, Lewis demonstrates its decided differences - political, social, and economic - from other regions of the state. She describes how, in contrast to the rest of South Carolina's coastal plain, which boasted grand plantations dependent on extensive slave labor, Horry County was divided into modest farms worked by yeoman farmers. She recounts its slow path to self-government; involvement in the Revolutionary, Civil, and World Wars; development of medical, social, and educational amenities; and rise to prominence as a tourism capital.