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.

What’s grand about it | Considered the seafood capital of South Carolina, Murrells Inlet is an authentic fishing village, dotted with seafood restaurants, quaint creekside homes, a dock and marina and lush foliage. This seaside community – devoid of high rises and concrete parking lots – delivers serenity in its scenic views and excitement along its MarshWalk, where a variety of restaurants and bars offer an array of food and entertainment.

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 Dead Dog Saloon, a popular local and tourist dining destination along the Marshwalk, was rebuilt after a February fire. The community’s Morse Landing Park also was named to the S.C. National Heritage Corridor, giving history buffs another good reason to put Murrells Inlet on their list of historic places worth visiting. And finally, the Jettyview Walk, a boardwalk planned for the southend at Morse Landing Park, is expected to be open by summer 2013.

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.

Numbers to know

Georgetown County government | 843-545-3006 or www.georgetowncountysc.org

District 1 councilmember | Jerry Oakley, P.O. Box 1005, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576, 843-222-7457

This story was originally published September 23, 2012 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Murrells Inlet."