Waccamaw Neck
Encyclopedia
The Waccamaw Neck is a long narrow peninsula
between the Atlantic Ocean
and the Waccamaw River
in Georgetown County, South Carolina. The town of Pawleys Island
is located on the Waccamaw Neck, as well as the mainland area, incorrectly called Pawleys Island, which is unincorporated. The entire area shares Zip Code 29585. The Waccamaw Neck is located south of Myrtle Beach on the Grand Strand, and just north of the historic seaport of Georgetown.
The neck is a historic area that was a major hunting and fishing ground for the prehistoric Waccamaw
tribe, followed by rice
plantation
s along the river side, with summer homes for the planters and their families on the coastal side that extended from colonial times to the beginning of the 20th Century.
Today, the Waccamaw Neck is both a seaside resort community and an affluent suburb of the Myrtle Beach/Grand Strand Area. With many gated communities
such as DeBordieu Colony
, Litchfield by the Sea, The Reserve, and Prince George (most of which were once rice plantations), the area is home to many affluent families and retirees. Golf courses and country clubs are numerous and the Waccamaw schools are considered some of the best in the state. The area is home to many fine dining establishments and numerous shopping locales, including the Hammock Shop Village, The Shops at Oak Lea, and Downtown Pawleys.
Notable cultural locations are Brookgreen Gardens
, Huntington Beach State Park
, and the Belle Baruch Nature Preserve at Hobcaw Barony
, a group of former plantation purchased between 1905 and 1910 as a hunting preserve by financier Bernard Baruch
.
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
between the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and the Waccamaw River
Waccamaw River
The Waccamaw River is a river, approximately 140 miles long, in southeastern North Carolina and eastern South Carolina in the United States. It drains an area of approximately 1110 square miles in the coastal plain along the eastern border between the two states into the Atlantic Ocean...
in Georgetown County, South Carolina. The town of Pawleys Island
Pawleys Island, South Carolina
Pawleys Island is a town in Georgetown County, South Carolina, United States, and the Atlantic coast barrier island on which the town sits. The population was 138 at the 2000 census...
is located on the Waccamaw Neck, as well as the mainland area, incorrectly called Pawleys Island, which is unincorporated. The entire area shares Zip Code 29585. The Waccamaw Neck is located south of Myrtle Beach on the Grand Strand, and just north of the historic seaport of Georgetown.
The neck is a historic area that was a major hunting and fishing ground for the prehistoric Waccamaw
Waccamaw
The Waccamaw Indians of South Carolina, distinct from the Waccamaw Siouan Indians of North Carolina, are the first state-recognized tribe of Native Americans in South Carolina...
tribe, followed by rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s along the river side, with summer homes for the planters and their families on the coastal side that extended from colonial times to the beginning of the 20th Century.
Today, the Waccamaw Neck is both a seaside resort community and an affluent suburb of the Myrtle Beach/Grand Strand Area. With many gated communities
Gated community
In its modern form, a gated community is a form of residential community or housing estate containing strictly-controlled entrances for pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles, and often characterized by a closed perimeter of walls and fences. Gated communities usually consist of small residential...
such as DeBordieu Colony
DeBordieu, South Carolina
DeBordieu, DeBordieu Beach or DeBordieu Colony is a private community in Georgetown County, South Carolina. It covers of land and wildlife preserve. DeBordieu is located south of Pawleys Island and north of Georgetown just off of U.S. Route 17...
, Litchfield by the Sea, The Reserve, and Prince George (most of which were once rice plantations), the area is home to many affluent families and retirees. Golf courses and country clubs are numerous and the Waccamaw schools are considered some of the best in the state. The area is home to many fine dining establishments and numerous shopping locales, including the Hammock Shop Village, The Shops at Oak Lea, and Downtown Pawleys.
Notable cultural locations are Brookgreen Gardens
Brookgreen Gardens
Brookgreen Gardens is a sculpture garden and wildlife preserve, located just south of Murrells Inlet, in South Carolina. The property includes several themed gardens with American figurative sculptures placed in them, the Lowcountry Zoo, and trails through several ecosystems in nature reserves on...
, Huntington Beach State Park
Huntington Beach State Park
Huntington Beach State Park is a small coastal preserve and state park near Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, with a large sandy beach and few beachgoers. The park, originally property of Archer M. Huntington, was donated after his death and takes its name from him. His winter home, Atalaya Castle,...
, and the Belle Baruch Nature Preserve at Hobcaw Barony
Hobcaw Barony
Hobcaw Barony, also known as Bellefield Plantation is a tract on a peninsula called Waccamaw Neck between the Winyah Bay and the Atlantic Ocean in Georgetown County, South Carolina. Much of Hobcaw Barony is south of US Highway 17. The land was purchased by the investor, philanthropist,...
, a group of former plantation purchased between 1905 and 1910 as a hunting preserve by financier Bernard Baruch
Bernard Baruch
Bernard Mannes Baruch was an American financier, stock-market speculator, statesman, and political consultant. After his success in business, he devoted his time toward advising U.S. Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt on economic matters and became a philanthropist.-Early life...
.