National Geographic names this Horry County beach town as one of the best for the fall
As summer has turned to fall, the tourism season has slowly ceased across The Grand Strand.
But fewer visitors leaves more room for people to enjoy the area, and this Horry County beach town was named one of the best sandy escapes in the United States during the fall.
Atlantic Beach is one of the best fall getaways, according to National Geographic. The magazine listed seven total locations, with no other South Carolina beach making the list.
Aside from being a great fall getaway, Atlantic Beach’s history is fascinating.
In 1934, African-American entrepreneur George Tyson bought 47 acres of beachfront real estate, which he began selling to other Black businesses and families, marking the beginning of Atlantic Beach. Tyson bought 49 more acres in 1941, and along with other black businesspeople, incorporated their holdings in 1943.
The area soon became a popular tourist destination for African-American beach-goers throughout the 1940s-50s, as most American beaches were segregated at the time.
Barred from other nightlife venues due to the laws of the Jim Crow South, Tyson soon built the Black Hawk Night Club, which became a popular spot for Black musicians like James Brown and Marvin Gaye to play for African-American audiences.
Other black-owned businesses sprang up, too, along with hotels like the Holiday and Gordon Hotels— although Hurricane Hazel destroyed both in 1954— and the multitude of African-American entrepreneurs and businesses gave Atlantic Beach the name the “Black Pearl”.
While Atlantic Beach has seen a decline in tourism since its heyday, it is one of the few remaining beach communities in the United States that is African-American-owned.
This story was originally published September 28, 2023 at 2:06 PM.
