“W” is for the Waccamaw River. Named for the Waccamaw Indians, the river begins at Lake Waccamaw in North Carolina, runs parallel to the coast through Horry and Georgetown counties--never straying more than fifteen miles from the ocean. In Horry County, it runs through the county seat of Conway. The river is navigable from Georgetown to Conway, but its upper reaches are shallow and swampy. From its mouth at Winyah Bay to the end of its tidal influence, the river once boasted the most successful rice plantations in the state—which used the twice-daily tides to perfect tidal rice culture in the 18th century. Rice remained king along the river until the early 20th century. Today, the Waccamaw River is used primarily for recreation and as part of the Intercoastal Waterway.
“W” is for the Waccamaw River
