09/02/2026
U.S. Highway 17 is now a vibrant and busy route, lined with a variety of restaurants, hotels, and shops. But it’s fascinating to think that this bustling highway, which runs through the heart of the Grand Strand, has a history that stretches back centuries. Known as Kings Highway, this road is one of the oldest travel routes in the United States. Three hundred years ago, the section that passed through the Grand Strand was notorious for its challenging terrain... sandy dunes, dense scrub, and treacherous swamps made it one of the most difficult parts of the journey for travelers and their carriages.
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The settlers who chose to make their homes in this harsh landscape were a tough and resilient group, and many of their descendants still live in the Grand Strand today, contributing to the community their ancestors helped to establish. Names like Vereen, Lewis, and Bellamy are familiar to longtime residents, as these names appear on some of the earliest maps of the region, alongside creeks, marshes, and swashes. One such map, “An Accurate Map of North and South Carolina with Their Indian Frontiers,” drawn in 1779 by Henry Mouzon from Kingstree, South Carolina, is a vital resource for identifying the lands settled by the earliest inhabitants of the Carolinas. The map clearly marks who had claimed land in the Grand Strand region.
In those days, this area was known as Long Bay, and it was far from the tourism hotspot it is today. Few were drawn to settle here, and until the mid-1800s, it was one of the least populated areas in South Carolina. The road that would become Highway 17 was a sandy, often unclear path that connected Boston to Charleston. While most people preferred to travel by sea, some had no choice but to make the journey over land. Following a trail initially laid down by Native Americans, the route was officially completed by 1735, and by 1750, stagecoaches were making the long, 1,300-mile journey.
A few courageous individuals saw potential in this rugged frontier and decided to build their futures here, laying the foundation for what would eventually become a thriving region. With so much land available and so few people to claim it, these early settlers often acquired large estates, which were later divided among their children.
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By the time Kings Highway was paved in 1940, the Grand Strand had already begun its transformation from a wild, uninhabitable area into one of the nation’s most popular tourist destinations. While many families played a role in this development, a few stand out for their significant contributions.
➡️The Vereen Family
The Vereen family name has deep roots in the Grand Strand, tracing back to French Huguenot origins. The spelling of the name evolved from Varin to Vareen and finally to Vereen. Jeremiah Vareen was the first of his family to settle in what is now Horry County, moving from his father’s plantation near the Georgetown-Williamsburg County line to an area near Little River, which his wife Mary had inherited. Jeremiah’s son, also named Jeremiah, played a notable role in history when he hosted President George Washington during his journey along the Kings Highway in 1791, guiding him safely through the region.
The Vereen family has left a lasting legacy in the area. The 114-acre Vereen Historical Memorial Garden is situated on part of the original family land near Little River. Today, Vereen descendants continue to contribute to the community, with businesses like Vereen’s Marina in North Myrtle Beach and Arthur Vereen Construction bearing the family name.
➡️The Bellamy Family
Dr. John Bellamy, a neighbor of the Vereens, moved to the Grand Strand from North Carolina in 1765. He acquired 300 acres on Buck Creek along the Waccamaw River, straddling the North and South Carolina line. His grandson, William Addleton Bellamy, built a house near what is now Highway 9, six miles north of Kings Highway. The Bellamys, like the Vereens, were farmers, growing rice, timber, and indigo.
Today, farming remains in the Bellamy bloodline. Indigo Farms, located just across the border into Calabash, North Carolina, sits on part of the original Bellamy property and is owned by direct descendants. Notable members of the Bellamy family include Howell “Skeets” Bellamy of the Bellamy Law Firm and Johnnie Bellamy, former chairman of the Horry County Republican Committee.
➡️The Lewis Family
The Lewis family was part of a large group of Scots who settled in Marion and Horry counties. William Lewis established himself in the Gallivants Ferry area in the late 1700s and served in the 2nd South Carolina Regiment under General Francis Marion. With eleven children, the Lewis name became widespread on both sides of Kings Highway. The family’s lands stretched from Singleton Swash at Lake Arrowhead, near the Dunes Club golf course, up to Windy Hill.
The Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve, covering almost 10,000 acres north of Kings Highway on Highway 90, is one of Horry County’s most unique preserves. It is home to 23 ocean bays and a variety of wildlife, including black bears and bald eagles.
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➡️The Hardee Family
By the 1850s, the Hardee family name was one of the most common in Horry County, second only to Smith. The first Hardee to settle in the area was Andrew Hardee in 1787, followed by many more. Hardee’s Ferry Road in Conway is named after this influential family, who have played a significant role in the Grand Strand’s development.
Lesta Sue Hardee, a descendant of William Hardee who arrived in Horry County in 1800, works at the Chapin Memorial Library and has become an unofficial historian for Myrtle Beach. She hosts talks that capture the memories of longtime residents and has traced hundreds of Hardee relatives living in the Grand Strand area. The annual Hardee reunion attracts over 100 participants.
➡️The Springs Family
Dr. Holmes B. Springs was one of Myrtle Beach, SC 's most respected physicians from the mid-1900s until his retirement in 1988. He played a key role in opening the city’s first hospital, Ocean View Memorial, in 1958, and later contributed to the establishment of what is now Grand Strand Regional Medical Center. Dr. Springs’ father, Colonel Holmes Buck Springs, was a World War I hero and a descendant of the founders of Bucksport, near Conway.
Henry Buck, Dr. Springs’ grandfather, moved to the Kingston Township (now Conway) in 1832 to join the burgeoning timber industry. He built two large mills and owned over 10,000 acres of land. Buck also started a successful shipbuilding business, transporting his timber as far as South America. By the mid-1800s, he was the wealthiest man in the region.
The Springs family continues to be active in the community, with involvement in various sectors, including banking and real estate.
➡️The Burgess and Patrick Families
The community of Burgess, located near what is now Brookgreen Gardens, was founded by William Burgess in the mid-1800s. The area spanned 25 square miles, and one of its early postmasters was Isaac Patrick, who married Georgia Burgess. Isaac, known as “Cousin Isaac,” was a successful land speculator. Their daughter, Elizabeth Patrick, married Edgar Vereen and later married into the Marlow family, another prominent Horry family. Elizabeth lived in Murrells Inlet, SC until her death at 89 in 1980. Today, the area known as Burgess is located on Route 707, just west of Kings Highway.
Among the many descendants of the Grand Strand’s early pioneers, Cecil Patrick is one of the most recognized, owning Patrick Mobile Home Park, better known as Myrtle Manor on the TLC cable television channel.
Over time, the descendants of these original families have intermingled, creating a rich tapestry of heritage that traces back to the Grand Strand’s earliest settlers. Their ancestors were visionaries who welcomed others to the area, laying the groundwork for the Grand Strand’s transformation into the thriving community it is today.
