Although the island claims to be “the oldest seaside resort in America,” there certainly aren’t any traces of resort life. Pawleys Island is home to one of the most undeveloped public beaches in the state and is known for its “arrogantly shabby” style. Life on the island is slow and relaxed, and locals work hard to keep it that way.

Austin Bond, who contributed the beautiful photo above, describes the scene for us: “Every Tuesday I lead a Prayer Breakfast for high and middle school students before school in Pawleys Island for our church’s youth ministry. When the sun rises before 6:45 AM (since that is when the breakfast starts), I try to watch it! It has rained a lot over the last week so it was so nice to see a beautiful sunrise after so much rain … and the high clouds made the morning even more beautiful!”

The first wooden chapel was built in the late 1730s on land purchased from Percival Pawley. This building served the congregation until 1798 when it was destroyed by fire. A second wooden chapel was constructed in its place, but was replaced in 1843 by a more ornate Greek Revival sanctuary. This sanctuary survived several major hurricanes, but was also destroyed by fire in 1915. The current structure replicates the 1843 design on a smaller scale.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, All Saints was one of the most notable Episcopal churches in South Carolina, serving many of the leading planters, politicians, lawyers, and public figures of antebellum Georgetown County. An Episcopal committee’s report from 1860 noted that, prior to the Civil War, All Saints Parish contained “more wealth than any other rural parish in South Carolina, or perhaps in the South.”

SCIWAY thanks Allison Tinney of Charleston for sharing this photo.

“The Chapel” has managed to survive both Hurricane Hazel and Hurricane Hugo, and continues to serve as the island’s only house of worship.

Special thanks to Matt Trudeau of Murrells Inlet for sharing this photo.

The beach was named after Frank McKenzie, one of the resort’s founders. He and fellow Pawleys Island native Lillian Pyatt acquired the land in 1934 and began development shortly thereafter. McKenzie and Pyatt envisioned a place where blacks, without fear of racial discrimination, could visit the beach and enjoy great food, strong drinks, and live music.

In 1936 construction began on the narrow causeway that would run across Midway Creek and connect the mainland to the south end of Litchfield Beach. Over the course of the next few years they would complete the causeway, while adding a pavilion and 15 small cabins. Word of the new resort spread quickly and by the late 1930s popular musicians such as Count Basie, Charlie “Bird” Parker, and Duke Ellington were playing there on a regular basis.

The resort continued to grow until 1954, when Hurricane Hazel hit the coast and destroyed the causeway, pavilion, and most of the cabins. After dissolving his partnership with Lillian Pyatt, McKenzie rebuilt a small motel and bait and tackle shop on the mainland.

While the resort regained its popularity, things were never quite the same for Frank McKenzie, who had to sell the property in the late 1960s due to financial hardships. The new owners closed access to the beach and let the motel fall into disrepair.

The island is proud of its laid back atmosphere and ‘arrogantly shabby’ appearance. Many of its houses are historic and are listed in the National Historic Register.

When you visit, you’ll immediately become aware that Pawleys Island is known for its famous Pawleys Island Hammocks. They are well-made and one-of-a-kind, so be sure to pick yours up!

For more information about the Pawleys Island Town Hall including contact information, please visit the town hall’s main website.

The original Hammock Shop was named for its most popular item — the Pawleys Island Rope Hammock. This hammock was introduced in the late 1800s, when Captain Joshua John Ward improved upon an already existing invention.

Ward, a riverboat captain from nearby Georgetown, found traditional canvas hammocks were too hot for the South Carolina summers. He set out to create a lighter, more comfortable rope hammock and experimented with different weave patterns until he found the perfect one. The addition of two spreader bars moved the knots away from the hammock bed itself and completed the much-needed upgrade.

Not much is known about this house, but if you have any information to share about its history or current use please comment below and let us know!

The island is only half a mile wide with three and a half miles of shoreline. You won’t see any “McMansions” or condo towers on Pawleys Island. The well-weathered simplicity of this small beach community is cherished by residents and visitors alike.

Photographer Rebecca Ceron Martin describes her favorite way to spend a day:

“There is a lovely pastime that one can do at Pawleys Island any time of the year! It’s called a ‘creek crawl.’

“A creek crawl is when you either float yourself (on inner tubes or such – usually only in warm weather) or take a little boat up the creek on a full rising tide. The object is to just let go, let loose, and let the tide carry you and your cares up the creek, enjoying the magnificent scenery and birds along the way!