Pawleys Island

This photo of the north end of Pawleys was taken ca. 1940 from the water tank situated at the corner of present day Myrtle and First Avenues. Note the Florida Apartments with awnings on the right. Built by “Frenchy” Cribb of Tavares, Florida, the structure had two apartments up and two down. The second house north was owned by Mr. Layton, who operated a local real estate company and rented out cottages. Across Atlantic Avenue on the right was Joel King’s house and further north was his bowling alley and Johnny Campbell’s drugstore. The third house on the left, now with renovations, is presently Myra and Glenn Cox’s home. The creek road was eventually straightened out and ran along the edge of the marsh, further left.

In 1925, Fred Brickman established a tourist attraction at the site of the original pavilion. He closed the pavilion and eventually built six rental cottages, a store, a pool hall and a gas station. By 1935, he called the complex Lafayette Court. Brickman printed these postcards and promoted the complex successfully.

Rows and rows of broad, high dunes separate these houses on the north end of Pawleys, a barrier island constantly eroding and accreting with the loss or accumulation of sand.

The Pawleys Island area sustained major damage after Hurricane Hugo passed through on September 21, 1989. Winds in excess of 115 mph battered the coastal area, bringing a 12-17 foot storm surge across Highway 17.

This photo was taken on Myrtle Avenue looking south shortly after Hurricane Hazel. The massive amount of debris – docks, pilings, barrels, staircases – and the hazards that lay below are covered by the deep layer of marsh grass that washed up and over the debris. Note Joe Havel’s house in the Birds Nest section in the distance on the extreme right.