Myrtle Beach’s first hotel was the Seaside Inn, built in 1901 at a cost of $3,813 for materials and labor? At first, the hotel had no plumbing or electricity. In those early days, you could get three meals and an overnight stay for just $2. Boy how times have changed.

Grand Strand’s earliest innkeeper may have been William Gause, who operated a tavern for travelers along the old King’s Highway in the Windy Hill area beginning around 1740? One of his overnight guests was George Washington, who toured the coast in 1791 while he was president. Even current day, we get some pretty important political figures visiting our fine city.

The first road between Conway and Myrtle Beach was completed in 1914? It ran through Socastee and was made of sand. Known today as Highway 15 and Broadway Street, the road was paved for the first time with rock and asphalt in 1929. I am pretty sure, even though the road was made of sand, they still traveled more quickly than today’s travelers on Hwy. 501 beachbound in August.

If you are staying in one of our beautiful hotels this summer and interested in a family beach portrait, call 843-236-5403 or visit our website at http://myrtlebeachphotography.com/myrtle-beach-photograp…/…/

(Information excerpted from Greetings from Myrtle Beach, A History, 1900-1980, by Barbara Stokes, commissioned by Chapin Memorial Library and the Chapin Foundation.) Portions of information was gathered from the City of Myrtle Beach website and photo credits to: Teri Halterman