Horry County, South Carolina

Horry County (/ˈɒriː/ ORR-ee) is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2010 census, its population was 289,650,[2] making it the fifth-most populous county in South Carolina. The county seat is Conway.[3]

Horry County
County
County of Horry
Horry County Government and Justice Center
Location within the U.S. state of South Carolina
South Carolina's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33.91°N 78.98°W / 33.91; -78.98
Country United States
State South Carolina
Founded1801
Named forPeter Horry
SeatConway
Largest cityMyrtle Beach
Area
 • Total1,255 sq mi (3,250 km2)
 • Land1,134 sq mi (2,940 km2)
 • Water121 sq mi (310 km2)  9.6%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total289,650
 • Estimate 
(2019)
354,081
 • Density230/sq mi (89/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
29511, 29526, 29527, 29527, 29528, 29544, 29545,29566, 29567, 29568, 29569, 29572, 29575, 29576. 29577, 29578, 29579, 29581, 29582, 29585, 29587, 29588, 29597, 29598 [1]
Area code843
Congressional district7th
Websitewww.horrycounty.org

Horry County is the central county in the Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina, about 90 miles north of Charleston, South Carolina and about 130 miles east of the state capital, Columbia.

History

Horry County (pronounced O'Ree) was created from Georgetown District in 1801. At that time, the county had an estimated population of 550. Isolated by the many rivers and swamps typical of the South Carolina Low Country, the area was essentially surrounded by water, forcing its inhabitants to survive virtually without assistance from the "outside world". This caused the county residents to become an extremely independent populace, and they named their county "The Independent Republic of Horry". The county was named after, and in honor of, Revolutionary War hero Peter Horry[4] who was born in South Carolina around 1743. Horry started his military career in 1775 as one of 20 captains, elected by the Provincial Congress of South Carolina, to serve the 1st and 2nd Regiments. In 1790, he was assigned to the South Carolina militia under Brigadier General Francis Marion [5]

The population has increased more than fourfold since 1970, as the area has become a destination for retirees and people owning second homes. It has been developed for resorts and retirement communities. The majority-white residents have constituted a majority-Republican voter base since the late 20th century.

On October 29, 2012, the county paid homage to the man for whom the county is named. It commissioned a bronze sculpture of Peter Horry, installing it inside the Horry County Government and Justice Center. The sculpture was designed by Lubbock, Texas, artist Garland Weeks. Coastal Monument of Conway designed the stone base. The base of the sculpture is inscribed with the names of the 1801 commissioners on one side and the names of 2011 Horry County Council members on the other; a brief biography of General Peter Horry is on the front. It cost slightly more than $16,200 for both the bust/sculpture and the stone base.[6] [7]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,255 square miles (3,250 km2), of which 1,134 square miles (2,940 km2) are land and 121 square miles (310 km2) (9.6%) are covered by water.[8] It is the largest county by land area in South Carolina. The highest point in the county is 124 ft above sea level.[9]

Horry County is in the northeastern corner of South Carolina. It is a diverse land made up of rivers, beaches, forests, and swamps, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Little Pee Dee River and Drowning Creek (also known as the Lumber River) on its western side, and North Carolina to the north. The Waccamaw River, around 140 mi (225 km) long, runs through southeastern North Carolina and eastern South Carolina into Horry County. The river runs through the coastal plain, along the eastern border between the two states, and into the Atlantic Ocean.[10]

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18104,349—
18205,02515.5%
18305,2454.4%
18405,7559.7%
18507,64632.9%
18607,9624.1%
187010,72134.7%
188015,57445.3%
189019,25623.6%
190023,36421.3%
191026,99515.5%
192032,07718.8%
193039,37622.8%
194051,95131.9%
195059,82015.1%
196068,24714.1%
197069,9922.6%
1980101,41944.9%
1990144,05342.0%
2000196,62936.5%
2010269,29137.0%
Est. 2019354,081[11]31.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2019[2]
Horry County Museum, Conway, South Carolina

As of the 2010 United States Census, 269,291 people, 112,225 households, and 72,254 families resided in the county.[16] The population density was 237.5 inhabitants per square mile (91.7/km2). The 185,992 housing units averaged 164.0 per square mile (63.3/km2).[17] The racial makeup of the county was 79.9% white, 13.4% black or African American, 1.0% Asian, 0.5% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 3.1% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.2% of the population.[16] In terms of ancestry, 15.3% were American, 13.4% were African American (which can include other ethnicities), 13.3% were Irish, 12.8% were German, 11.3% were English, and 6.1% were Italian.[18]

Of the 112,225 households, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.6% were not families, and 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age was 41.1 years.[16]

The median income for a household in the county was $43,142 and for a family was $51,608. Males had a median income of $37,351 versus $29,525 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,811. About 11.6% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.[19]

Law and government

County Council

Horry County has a county council whose members represent 11 single-member districts within the county, with a chairman voted at-large. The county council usually meets at 6 pm on first and third Tuesdays of every month in the council chambers at the Horry County Government and Justice Center at 1301 2nd Avenue in Conway.[20]

County Council members
NameDistrictTerm Expires
Johnny GardnerChairmanDecember 31, 2022
Harold Worley1December 31, 2022
Bill Howard2December 31, 2022
Dennis DiSabato3December 31, 2020
Gary Loftus4December 31, 2020
Tyler Servant5December 31, 2022
Cam Crawford6December 31, 2020
Orton Bellamy7December 31, 2022
Johnny Vaught8December 31, 2022
W. Paul Prince9December 31, 2020
Danny Hardee10December 31, 2020
Al Allen11December 31, 2022
  • Patricia S. Hartley - Clerk to Council

Law enforcement

The Horry County Police Department provides 24-hour services to the unincorporated areas of the county. It is the only county police department in South Carolina.[21] The Horry County Sheriff's Office is responsible for numerous tasks, including courthouse security, processing of warrants, fingerprinting, registration of sex offenders, funeral escorts, background checks, and managing the J. Reuben Long Detention Center.[22] The South Carolina Highway Patrol has a Troop 5 barracks in Conway, and they provide services throughout the county.[23] Myrtle Beach, Conway, Briarcliffe Acres, Atlantic Beach, Surfside Beach, Loris, and Aynor all have their own police departments, which patrol within the relevant town or city's border. North Myrtle Beach has a Public Safety Department, which provides police and fire services in the city of North Myrtle Beach.[24]

In March 2020, Todd Cox, a former Horry County police officer, was fined $300 for failing to investigate reports of sex crimes against children.[25] He and three other officers had been indicted in 2016 on charges of coercing sex and ignoring cases.[26]

Politics
Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[27]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 67.2% 89,288 29.7% 39,410 3.2% 4,222
2012 64.2% 72,127 34.6% 38,885 1.2% 1,381
2008 61.7% 64,609 37.1% 38,879 1.3% 1,310
2004 62.0% 50,447 36.3% 29,547 1.7% 1,353
2000 56.6% 40,300 40.9% 29,113 2.6% 1,852
1996 47.9% 26,159 43.4% 23,722 8.7% 4,772
1992 45.9% 23,489 36.9% 18,896 17.2% 8,819
1988 64.7% 24,843 34.7% 13,316 0.7% 250
1984 69.2% 20,396 30.3% 8,940 0.4% 127
1980 49.6% 14,323 48.1% 13,888 2.3% 653
1976 37.2% 9,339 62.6% 15,720 0.2% 58
1972 76.8% 15,324 22.3% 4,437 0.9% 183
1968 27.0% 3,924 27.0% 3,924 46.1% 6,701
1964 60.4% 8,293 39.6% 5,444
1960 38.6% 3,768 61.5% 6,006
1956 13.4% 1,092 59.2% 4,835 27.5% 2,244
1952 45.3% 3,716 54.7% 4,489
1948 2.9% 113 12.7% 503 84.5% 3,345
1944 5.0% 137 88.1% 2,403 6.9% 188
1940 7.2% 164 92.8% 2,111
1936 0.0% 0 100.0% 2,927
1932 0.9% 29 99.1% 3,224
1928 2.2% 27 97.8% 1,224
1924 0.1% 1 99.7% 1,346 0.2% 3
1920 2.8% 49 97.2% 1,709
1916 0.0% 0 99.6% 1,638 0.4% 7
1912 1.5% 13 97.7% 863 0.8% 7
1904 3.9% 40 96.1% 980
1900 5.6% 79 94.4% 1,330

Economy

In 2013, PTR Industries, a gunmaker,[28] relocated to the Cool Springs Business Park[29] near Aynor from Bristol, Connecticut. That state had passed restrictive gun control legislation following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

Twenty-one PTR employees relocated from Bristol. The company said that it would hire an additional 30 workers in the first quarter of 2014, with a goal of having 120 employees by 2017.[30]

Transportation

Airports

Mass transit
  • The Coast RTA[31] bus system operates seven days a week, 364 days a year, on 15 routes throughout the Horry County/Grand Strand area, including Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Garden City, Conway, Loris, and Aynor.

Major highways

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

See also

References
  1. "Zip Code List - 295 in South Carolina". Capital Impact Government Gateway. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 161.
  5. "Horry County 2011-2012 Budget: Community Profile on page 24" (PDF). May 16, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 16, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  6. Dickerson, Brad (October 29, 2012). "Horry County honors its namesake". The Sun News. Archived from the original on October 31, 2012. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
  7. "Sculpture of Gen. Peter Horry being unveiled". Associated Press. October 29, 2012. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
  8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  9. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 16, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Horry County 2011-2012 Budget: Community Profile on page 24
  10. "A Historical Look at Horry County". Archived from the original on June 26, 2012.
  11. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  12. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  13. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  14. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  15. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  16. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  17. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  18. "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  19. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  20. "County Council". Horry County Government. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  21. "Horry County Government: Police Department Info Page". horrycounty.org. Horry County Government. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  22. "Horry County Government: Sheriff's Office Info Page". horrycounty.org. Horry County Government. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  23. Retrieved 2011-06-04
  24. "City of North Myrtle Beach - Public Safety". City of North Myrtle Beach - Public Safety. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  25. Lang, Alex (March 9, 2020). "Horry County officer charged with not investigating child sex crimes gets $300 fine". Myrtle Beach Sun News. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  26. Collins, Jeffrey (September 16, 2016). "Indictments: Former SC officers coerced sex; ignored cases". Associated Press. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  27. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  28. "PTR Industries". Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  29. "Cool Springs Business Park" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 8, 2014.
  30. Miller, Joshua (January 7, 2014). "Locked & loaded: Gun maker finds warmer surroundings in South Carolina after leaving Connecticut". Fox News. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  31. "Coast RTA". www.coastrta.com.

Further reading
  • Horry County, South Carolina, 1730-1993, Catherine Heniford Lewis, University of South Carolina Press, 1998, ISBN 1-57003-207-6
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