Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is located in Horry County, in the northeastern corner of South Carolina. The city is situated between the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway on the west and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. Myrtle Beach is part of the Grand Strand, a world-renowned stretch of beaches extending from Cape Fear, North Carolina to Georgetown, South Carolina in an uninterrupted arc of beach shore.
Before the arrival of European settlers, the Myrtle Beach area was inhabited by the Waccamaw Indians. Settlements were sparse among the European settlers, as the coast’s sandy soil was incompatible with most crops. After the Civil War, most of the land along the ocean was purchased by the Conway Lumber Company, which built a railroad and sold lumber inland. The employees of the lumber company and railroad discovered the resort-like quality of the area and realized that the area simply called New Town could become a tourist destination. The town held a contest for a new name, and Myrtle Beach was chosen to honor a local shrub, the wax myrtle. Myrtle Beach was incorporated in 1957.
The U.S. Census Bureau shows Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with an estimated population of 24,205 residents in 2007. There are 11,000 households in Myrtle Beach and the average household size is 2.1 people. Families make up 53 percent of the households in Myrtle Beach. The Horry County Schools provide public school education in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Institutes of higher learning in the area include the Coastal Carolina University, a public, four-year college and the Horry – Georgetown Technical College.
Over 15 million tourists visit Myrtle Beach and the surrounding areas every year. The Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce lists attractions that include beaches, golf, amusement parks, Ripley’s Aquarium, and more than 1,900 restaurants. There are also numerous options for shopping with more than 300 shopping outlet stores. Myrtle Beach, SC has been called the “Golf Capital of the World” because of the 117 golf courses located there.
The Myrtle Beach International Airport welcomes more than 750,000 travelers per year to Myrtle Beach. The Lymo buses of the Coast RTA provide public transportation in Myrtle Beach. For drivers, Route 17 and Route 501 are the main roads into town.
The town of Myrtle Beach area is served by the Grand Strand Regional Medical Center. The hospital offers the only cardiac surgery program in Horry County and is also a designated trauma center.
The court system in South Carolina consists of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit Court, Municipal Court and Magistrate Court. Municipal courts have jurisdiction over cases arising under ordinances of the municipality, and over all offenses which are subject to a fine not exceeding $500 or imprisonment not exceeding 30 days, or both.
The Municipal Court in Myrtle Beach is the judicial body responsible for adjudicating criminal misdemeanor offenses involving city ordinances and state statutes. This includes traffic offenses and property crimes involving $1,000 or less. The Myrtle Beach Municipal Court is located at the Ted C. Collins Law Enforcement Center, 1101 Oak Street, Myrtle Beach SC 29577. Horry County, including Myrtle Beach, does not provide legal aid services to the general public.
