Largest of the state’s 46 counties, Horry has a population of approximately 170,000 today.

  First inhabited by Chicora Indians, the Spanish settled here in 1526 and British settlers in the 1600s. Population in 1820 was recorded at 5,025. Horry County boasts noted historical events: Revolutionary battles, a Civil War battle at Fort Randall, and overseas port embarkation from the Myrtle Beach Air Force base during World War II.

Tourism had its beginnings in the early 1900s, as people sought the cool breezes of the coastal Grand Strand beaches. Today, Horry County hosts approximately 12 million visitors a year.

In addition to our beaches, the Waccamaw River and Intracoastal Waterway provide recreation as well as transportation commerce. Through the centuries the river has been a boon to the county’s livelihood and pleasure activities.

The area’s endless attractions – seashore activities, themed entertainment parks, golf courses, restored rice plantations, cultural arts, campgrounds and an international airport, to name a few – make tourism Horry County’s primary source of livelihood. Farming and light industry are also important to our growing economy.