It's Your World ~

The Richness of Coastal South Carolina South Carolina's coastal Georgetown County, located along the Grand Strand approximately 60 miles north of Charleston, is a gem waiting to be discovered by visitors interested in stepping back in time and catching a glimpse of the rich history that helped define our country and distinguish the lifestyle of the South. Although traces of the first inhabitants in Georgetown County date back more than 11,000 years, the first successful colonization did not take place until English planters and traders arrived by ship to "George Towne" in the 1700s to take over land granted to them by Prince George -- later King George II -- of England. Today, many historic sites remain and allow visitors to grasp a sense of what it must have been like to live in Georgetown County more than 300 years ago. Huntington Beach State Park and Atalaya, the Hopsewee and Hampton Plantations, the Kaminski House and Rice Museum, and beautiful Brookgreen Gardens, all take visitors back to a time when wealthy plantation owners would move to the beaches of Georgetown County to escape the sweltering summer heat and when rice produced in Georgetown County was the economic backbone of the state. Huntington Beach State Park is one destination that you won't want to miss. In 1930, philanthropist Archer Huntington and his wife, sculptress Anna Hyatt Huntington, purchased three plantations, including this extensive beachfront area where they made their winter home. Huntington Beach State Park now welcomes the public year round, and with a fresh water lagoon and winding nature trail, observers can also catch a glimpse of the coast's diverse natural environment. Atalaya, the Huntingtons' 55-room winter mansion, is located in Huntington Beach State Park and has a 40-foot tower (Atalaya is Spanish for watchtower). The house is built as a large, square building enveloping a large, open interior courtyard filled with peaceful palm trees. Hopsewee Plantation, birthplace of Thomas Lynch Jr., signer of the Declaration of Independence, and Hampton Plantation, a beautiful home built by French Huguenots circa 1735, visited by George Washington in 1791, and last home to Archibald Rutledge, author and state poet laureate, are two of the historic homes available to tour in Georgetown County. The Kaminski House, another historic area home, was built circa 1769 and today holds a noteworthy collection of 18th- and 19th-century American and European antiques, including several interesting examples from cabinet makers of the 1800s. Brookgreen Gardens is a beautifully landscaped garden of centuries-old live oaks and more than 2,000 species of plants native and adapted to the Southeastern United States. The gardens boastthe largest outdoor display of American figurative sculpture in the world -- more than 550 works by over 300 artists. Located along a 300-acre parcel in the heart of a 9,100-acre preserve along Georgetown County's coast, the property stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the historic rice fields bordering the Waccamaw River -- called "the Waccamaw Neck" -- the area where early plantation owners grew rice. Following the Revolution, Georgetown County became the leading rice producer in the New World. Its many black-water rivers once flooded and nurtured the fields that made the commercial production of rice possible in the early 1800s. These rivers also formed a seaport that opened the market for slaves brought from West Africa to work the rice fields. Georgetown County's Rice Museum portrays the history of the rice industry in the United States and includes a cross-section scale model of a rice mill. Georgetown County, the oldest family resort area in the nation, is a peaceful alternative to the hustle and bustle of its northern neighbor, Myrtle Beach. The county extends from Garden City Beach south to the Santee River at the Charleston County line and offers visitors an array of opportunities -- from fishing and boating to historical tours, a variety of dining experiences, 15 public golf courses, quaint inns and upscale resort accommodations, meeting facilities and more. For further historical information on Georgetown County, please visit the website at www.visitgeorgetowncountysc.com, or call the toll free number at 1-866-368-TOUR. Source: Georgetown County Visitors Bureau

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Visitors are encouraged to contribute their own stories and photos. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ IT'S YOUR WORLD ARCHIVES || CURRENT STORY CURRENT NEWS: QUICK HEADLINES News || Travel Guide || In the Biz || Home © Copyright The Timeshare Beat all rights reserved