“G” is for Georgetown County

“G” is for Georgetown County (815 square miles; 2020 population 63,404). Named in honor of King George III, Georgetown County lies in the fertile plain surrounding Winyah Bay. Native Americans—the Sampit, Santee, Pee Dee, and Waccamaw, whose names grace the region’s rivers—were Georgetown’s first inhabitants. European settlement began in the early eighteenth century and, with the production of rice and indigo, the area became one of the wealthiest in the colony. In the late nineteenth century pine trees were planted on thousands of acres of agricultural land. Lumber and pulpwood (for paper production) became the backbone of the local economy. More sedate than the rambunctious tourist meccas of Myrtle Beach, upscale beach communities such as Murrells Inlet, Litchfield Beach, Pawleys Island, and Debidue Beach have provided a peaceful respite for vacationers from across the country.