Directly out front you will find the Conway Town Clock, and across the street is the current Horry County Courthouse.

SCIWAY thanks Tony Morano of Longs for this picture taken in June 2010.

Horry County’s first courthouse was constructed in the early 1800s. It served the county until 1825, when a new courthouse was completed on Main Street. This second courthouse was designed by noted Charleston architect Robert Mills in the popular Greek Revival style. Although it now serves as Conway’s City Hall, locals still refer to it as the “Old Courthouse.”

The current courthouse (pictured here) was built during Conway’s most significant period of growth. Many of the oak trees on the courthouse grounds were planted by L.W. Brown, who served as Clerk of Court from 1909 to 1927. The courthouse has been renovated several times; the east and west wings were added in 1964.

According to the Carolina Southern Railroad’s main website, the railroad has become a frequent destination for freight services, passenger cars and observational locomotives. It is a member of the Carolina Rails system and has connections that run from Whiteville, NC all the way to Mullins, SC. The Waccamaw Coast line, which runs from Conway to Myrtle Beach, is also part of the Carolina Southern Railroad.

Many thanks to Anthony Morano of Longs who took this picture in July 2009.

The tower was constructed of local black jack cypress purchased from the Conway Lumber Company. The Seth Thomas works cost $750.00 and were installed just before Thanksgiving 1939. There are no records of a dedication ceremony. (Source: The Independent Republic Quarterly, VOl 13, 1979. Pg 25)

SCIWAY thanks Hillary Winburn of Conway who took this picture in November 2007.

Greg Richardson of Conway wrote to SCIWAY in September of 2007 to tell us that the “City of Conway just completed restoration of the clock and we held a ceremony to honor the families of the original supporters.”

Built in 1900 to store tobacco, the Peanut Warehouse was later used as a fertilizer and peanut warehouse (hence its name). As it is located just off the Waccamaw River, it played a role in the riverine and railroad economy that defined the area around the turn of the 20th century.

The Conway Peanut Warehouse and the Waccamaw Riverfront also play host to Bluegrass on the Waccamaw, a one-day bluegrass festival held the second Saturday of May each year.

The riverwalk is a great place to stroll along the meandering Waccamaw River. Not only can you enjoy this famous blackwater river, but you will also come across rustic wooden buildings, a playground, marinas, picnic tables, and an elegant inn. At the end of the trail is a magnificent arboretum that features a wide variety of trees and plants.

Conway has a long and proud history dating back to the early 1700s. Much of its downtown area is listed in the National Historic Register. The riverwalk is part of a historical walking trail, which features many buildings, homes, churches, and other places that define the early days of the town.

The Waccamaw River Memorial Bridge, pictured above, can be seen along the riverwalk. The bridge was constructed in 1937 to honor Horry County citizens who served this country in wars from the American Revolution to World War I. Its unique architecture and influence on the early development of the Grand Strand earned it a place in the National Historic Register.

The bridge spans 1,270 feet and has long vertical and horizontal curves. Its cast-iron lamp posts and Gothic-styled arches are described as “lavish” compared to other bridges in our state by the SC Department of Highways and Public Transportation.

A small, one-lane bridge connected Conway with the Grand Strand area in the early 1900s. When the larger Waccamaw Memorial Bridge replaced it, the area saw tremendous growth and development. Its total construction cost of $370,000 was a small price to pay for the significant impact it had on local prosperity.