Living Here | All about Murrells Inlet
Established | Dates to the 18th century, but its name didn’t become official until the U.S. Postal Service named it in 1913.
Origin of name | Three legends persist. According to Henry Heuffer’s “Names in South Carolina,” Murrells Inlet bears the name of a pirate, Capt. John Murrell, who used the inlet as his headquarters while he preyed on merchant ships at sea. Murrell once attacked a ship carrying inlet residents, rescuing and carrying them safely home. The grateful victims, according to that legend, rewarded the captain with gifts of rice and named the settlement for him.
In another version, Murrell was a fisherman and trader who rescued the inlet people from a sinking ship. Records indicate a Capt. John Murrell bought a tract of land in the Richmond Hill section of Wachesaw in 1730.
The third account is far less colorful: The inlet was named for the John Morrall family, which had land grants in the area.
Major events | Blessing of the Inlet, an annual spring event at which members of Belin Memorial United Methodist Church gather beside the marsh creek to ask God’s blessing on the waters that have fed the area’s history and heritage; the annual Independence Day boat parade and fireworks; annual springtime cleanup; an annual oyster roast; a golf tournament; Christmas Parade; and foot races.
What’s new | The village welcomed a new community center, built on Murrells Inlet Road on the site of the old school. The old school had for years served as the community center and magistrate’s office. The new center has planty of meeting and activity space as well as parking and outdoor play space.
Best-kept secret | For the outdoor fanatics, Huntington Beach State Park is home to an undeveloped beach, campsites, hiking trails and a nature center perfect for a day trip or even week-long stay. The park charges a daily $5 fee for ages 16 and older.
Property tax | Murrells Inlet is an unincorporated community that straddles the line between Georgetown and Horry counties, so property taxes are paid to the counties in which homes and businesses are located.
Murrells Inlet 2020 | A community organization established to protect the inlet’s environment and history: 843-357-2007 or www.murrellsinletsc.com.
Georgetown County government | 843-545-3006 or www.georgetowncountysc.org
Jerry Oakley, District 1 Councilman | P.O. Box 1005, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576, 843-222-7457 (term ends Dec. 31)
This story was originally published September 26, 2014 at 9:44 AM with the headline "Living Here | All about Murrells Inlet."