Personal Injury Attorney in Georgetown, SC

The beach, forest, and city are all within a short drive from Georgetown, South Carolina.

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Located between the Lowcountry city of Charleston and the Grand Strand stretch of beaches (including Myrtle Beach) are several quiet and charming South Carolina communities. Among them is Georgetown, the state's third-oldest city, set on the river. But don’t call it a smaller version of the Holy City.

I became familiar with the city decades ago while attending college in Charleston. Despite it being less than a two-hour drive, passing the produce stands set up along US-17, I’d stop for much-needed caffeine at one of the cafes on Front Street after a weekend at the beach.

These days, Georgetown makes for a great weekend getaway, as I recently discovered upon revisit, because you’re close to it all. Beaches, forest, and the city are all within a short drive. Best of all, there’s a calmer pace here than the surrounding cities. Plan your visit around annual events like the Georgetown Wooden Boat Show, held every fall to showcase the finest maritime craftsmanship.

Most travelers will fly into either Charleston International Airport (CHS) or Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) and rent a car. Once you’re in town, most locations are accessible on foot or by golf cart, but you may want to drive to nearby towns.

Best Things to Do

Georgetown was founded in 1792 and came to prominence through the production of indigo and rice, at one time for half of the nation’s rice production. But it came at the cost of enslaved individuals, who are part of the Lowcountry’s Gullah Geechee community.

The Gullah Museum celebrates the contributions of the African people that settled in the area after the Civil War, showcasing their art, language, and traditions. Don’t skip the downstairs gallery and gift shop, with pieces from Gullah artists.

Hit the open water with one of the several boat tour operators, spotting dolphins and birds along the way. You can also charter a trip to Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, a remote paradise only accessible by boat from neighboring McClellanville.

Wealthy New Yorker Bernard Baruch came to Hobcaw Barony for duck hunting in 1904 before purchasing the 16,000-acre property as a hunting preserve and retreat for his family. Over the years, Baruch welcomed Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jack London, and Winston Churchill. After the death of his daughter, Belle, a foundation was created in her honor, which still manages the site as a research center. Guided tours are offered throughout the week, including stops at the multiple homes on the property, including Belle’s house, Bellefield, and the surrounding salt marsh.

Georgetown is also an easy launching point for the gems along the coast. Francis “Swamp Fox” Marion eluded British troops in the waterways around the county during the Revolutionary War and was honored with his namesake national forest. Filled with imposing bald cypress trees, it spans more than 250,000 acres and is popular for birding and kayaking.

Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet started as the residence of sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington and her husband, industrialist Archer Milton Huntington. It’s now one of the nation’s top sculpture gardens, hosting annual events like the Nights of a Thousand Candles during the holiday season. It also houses a botanical garden and zoo.

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Where to Eat and Drink

Start the day at Thomas Cafe, a local favorite for the past 75 years for hearty Southern breakfasts like shrimp and grits, shrimp and crab-stuffed omelets, and all the coffee you can drink.

Taking its name from the city’s former seafood market, The Independent opened inside The George Hotel with, of course, a seafood-heavy menu and raw bar serving craft cocktails. Don’t miss the crab cakes or blackened red drum, but save room for hummingbird cake.

On the casual end of the spectrum is Buzz’s Roost, a waterfront sports bar with favorites like crab dip, fried shrimp, and abundant tropical drinks. Between the Antlers is another local favorite, set on the far end of the Harborwalk. Root is known for its hearty entrees like meatballs and grits and prime steaks.

Georgetown’s only craft brewery, Winyah Bay Brewing Co., creates beers inspired by the surroundings, including the Wooden Boat Beer and Research Monkeys on the Loose, dedicated to the primates that escaped from a Yemassee research facility.

Where to Shop

Every town needs a good bookstore and Waterfront Books is Georgetown’s. You’ll find titles from Lowcountry authors like the late Pat Conroy plus new releases and artwork.

Sip coffee from Urban Brew while browsing Bluebird Vintage, which has several booths of retro furniture and decor. Even better, the furniture in the coffee shop is also for sale.

The specialty grocery Indigo Mercantile is the best spot to pick up wine and ingredients like spice mixes.

Where to Stay

Opened in spring 2024, The George Hotel has 56 rooms and suites covered in coastal artwork with waterfront views. Enjoy complimentary tea and coffee every morning in the light-filled lobby. Eliza’s, the outdoor bar, is the perfect place for a seasonal sundowner, and you can even access the marina (BYOB—boat, that is).

Baxter's Brewhouse Inn was inspired by the inns of Europe, swapping out the traditional bed-and-breakfast experience for another: bed and beer. Guests of the three-bedroom space enjoy a daily continental breakfast and beer brewed by one of the owners, a 20-year home-brewing veteran.

For something a bit more traditional, 620 Prince is a luxury B&B in a restored 1800s home. With four guest rooms plus a separate cottage, perks include an outdoor pool, a European-style breakfast, and weekend wine receptions.

An exhibit hailing from the library of Keeneland has made its way to Georgetown. Georgetown-Scott County Museum filled wall to wall Friday with listeners intent on learning and recognizing history of Black horsemen from Scott County and the surrounding area. “The Heart of the Turf” exhibit is available for view through Friday, March 7.

“To do the research to put together the content that you see on those traveling exhibit panels, that is really reflective of the resources that are (at the library)—countless people’s lives, research, work for decades that came well before me,” said Keeneland Library Historian Roda Ferraro.

Over 100 African Americans over 200 years have been featured in the traveling exhibit since 2023, Ferraro said. The exhibit has reached 21 different hosting sites. Currently, the exhibit may be seen in Georgetown, Chicago, and Maryland to name a few.

Recognized Friday were Oscar Dishman, Harry Lewis, Johnny Collins, Ansel Williamson, Everette Bass, Terry Thomas, Manilus Neal, Zach Wilson, Duane Raglin, Willard and Dillard Bledsoe, and more.

“The significance (of the exhibit) is hard to put into words,” Ferraro said. “Folks earlier said there was a dominance of Black horsemen. That is absolutely the case. Depending on where you lived in years before and after the Civil War and really, early into the early 1900s … five-to-15 percent of the population winning 40 to 50 percent of the time, that’s a dominance.

“To talk about the industry today, to talk about the directions the industry is heading, it’s impossible to have those conversations without talking about what has happened before and what is still happening today.”

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Marilyn Dishman shared stories of her father, Oscar, a well-known trainer.

“Oscar Dishman Jr. was my father. He was born in 1923,” Marilyn said. “He was the son of a groomsman … and the grandson of a jockey back in slave days.

“… In 1961, Oscar was one of the few African American thoroughbred owners, trainers, in America. In his heyday in the 1970s, Dishman was training up to 35 horses at a time.”

Oscar traveled the country training horses, Marilyn said,

Raglin is a blacksmith who worked with Collins, something he said was challenging, but the work has taken him all over the world.

“The importance of (the exhibit is) to display and honor previous horsemen … and let it be known that it is something that doesn’t need to die off and needs to be passed down,” Raglin said. “The history of it is very significant. It means more moving forward to know the history before you can move forward to the future.”

Residents evacuated Prince George Community in Georgetown County amid wildfires. Planes used to drop gallons of water on impacted areas. (Provided: Georgetown County)

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — After a weekend of fighting fires across the state, the South Carolina Forestry Commission says one major fire, the Carolina Forest Fire in Horry County, remains Monday. The South Carolina Forestry Commission said it now spans more than 1,600 acres and is just 30% contained.

People are back home after a brief evacuation, but parts of the wooded areas are still off limits. The South Carolina Forestry Commission said this isn’t the first time a fire of this magnitude has happened in that same area.

Andy Johnson, fire prevention coordinator for the South Carolina Forestry Commission, said, “If you think back in 2009, we had the Highway 31 fire, which started around Carolina Forest and we lost homes on that fire. It burned about 19,000 acres and basically closed down Myrtle Beach for a while,” he said.

Johnson said the current Carolina Forest Fire has the same footprint and has had about the same type of fire behavior, with erratic spreading and large flame links.

READ MORE | "Red Flag warning in effect in parts of Lowcountry with heightened fire risk"

“But, we have not lost any structures right now. We're very thankful for that,” he said.

Firefighters from across the state have been helping including firefighters from Dorchester and Georgetown County.

Johnson says one of the differences from 2009 to today is how their teams responded. He said more than 60,000 gallons of water dropped from Blackhawk helicopters and planes onto the flames have helped. Multiple agencies including the National Guard are still responding. Johnson said the South Carolina Forestry Commission will staff that fire until they see significant rain.

The South Carolina Forestry Commission says wildfire season is far from over. “Generally from March to April is when we experience our most explosive fire season,” Johnson said.

In Berkely County, the second most wildfire prone area in the state, Hanahan Fire Department says they faced challenges when working to extinguish a more than 60 acre blaze.

Christopher Zak, Assistant Fire Chief with the Hanahan Fire Department said, “We don't have unlimited water sources out in a wildland fire. And that was one of the challenges that we had in Hanahan, we don’t have a fire hydrant out there."

READ MORE | "Crews battle wildfires in North and South Carolina amid dry conditions and gusty winds"

Zak said they were concerned about the fire along North Rhett impacting the railway but crews from Goose Creek , Joint Base Charleston, Hanahan and the South Carolina Forestry Commission were able to act quickly and avoid damage. In Georgetown County, crews acted fast, and evacuates neighbors from the Prince George community.

Brandon Ellis, Director of Emergency Services for Georgetown County, said, “For it to be of this magnitude was kind of unique. We planned for this, we trained for this, we've exercised this internally before, so we were able to very quickly, within a matter of just a few moments, initiate that evacuation to get the word out to the public within that community that they needed to leave.”

Georgetown County officials says there was minor structure damage but residents were allowed back in their homes Saturday night. Burning bans are still in place statewide.

“When we're done with this, when all this is over with and where the burn band has been taken off, we really encourage our homeowners to think before you burn,” Johnson said.

The causes of all these forest fires are still under investigation. South Carolina Forestry Commission says their number one issue is human caused fires.

GEORGETOWN — Georgetown County wants to purchase three pieces of land owned by International Paper as part of its effort to redevelop waterfront property in the longtime industrial hub, local officials said.

No specific plans for the property have been presented, but County Administrator Angela Christian said the county would like to pursue a large-scale redevelopment that includes the nearby county-owned port.

The county intends to quickly make an offer on the properties, Christian said. The land would have to be appraised, so she’s not sure how much the county would offer yet.

"That’s part of the process of where we are … exploring what those price points would be," she said.

The properties are not part of the main paper mill site, Georgetown County Councilman Raymond Newton said. He said they are located on the east side of U.S. Highway 17, next to the Georgetown port. IP hasn't used this land in many years, he said.

IP announced in October that it would close its 87-year-old Georgetown mill, eliminating the jobs of roughly 700 workers and some 200 contractors. The mill ceased operations at the end of 2024 and is expected to be decommissioned by the summer, local officials said.

For weeks, local leaders have explored potential options for the mill site and surrounding properties.

State Sen. Stephen Goldfinch, R-Murrells Inlet, said several developers are interested in Georgetown's waterfront, and he would like to see the port, defunct paper mill and idled steel mill rolled into the same redevelopment package.

Goldfinch said he hadn't heard anything about the county's interest in IP properties until after Christian discussed the idea at the county's Feb. 6 budget retreat. He hopes to see "some commercial, industrial-type stuff up on the hill," but he'd like much of the port and steel mill land converted into a mixed-use development with restaurants, shops and second-story apartments above commercial spaces.

"Just an extension of Front Street," he said. "Obviously the steel mill's got to come down for that to happen. So (it's) a waterfront that Georgetown can be proud of that's aesthetically pleasing but also produces some jobs and some taxes."

Goldfinch doesn't see the main IP site as ever being suitable for housing, but he wants the redevelopment effort to factor that entire area into any long-term plans.

The steel mill land is still owned by Liberty Steel, but that facility has been idle since Oct. 11. Shortly after it halted production, it was announced that the mill had sold some of its equipment and assets to Insteel Industries Inc., a North Carolina company that makes wire-reinforcing products.

The steel mill has also stopped receiving power from Santee Cooper because its electric furnace and rolling mill aren't being used, according to a statement from a Liberty Steel spokesperson. If the mill remains idle for 365 days in a two-year period, it could be forced to close.

The hope for a mixed-use development on the waterfront coincides with recommendations from a 2016 Urban Land institute study commissioned by Georgetown government and business leaders. The study identified potential uses for the steel mill and port properties.

The report suggested mixed development that would encourage recreation along the waterfront while saving space for traditional maritime businesses.

Newton said the IP properties beside the port could work well for that vision.

"The bigger, the better when it comes to that waterfront right there," he said.

Charles Perry contributed to this report.

The exit to historic Georgetown is easy to miss, due in part to the smog created by the International Paper mill that looms over the port city. As a result, many travelers are unaware of the magical experiences Georgetown has to offer.

Brimming with stylish cafes, coffee shops, boutiques, art galleries and five cultural museums along Front Street, Georgetown also boasts tree-lined streets set against a backdrop of stately pre-colonial homes and gardens with exquisite views of the Sampit River.

Despite this juxtaposition of beast and beauty, Georgetown has embraced the International Paper company since it opened nearly 88 years ago. Without the paper mill, the county would most likely not have recovered from an economy that was on the verge of collapse, having lost its wealth-producing rice crops after the Civil War and the Great Depression that followed.

According to George C. Rogers, Jr.’s book “The History of Georgetown County, South Carolina,” construction of the International Paper plant began on the 525-acre site in October 1936 and was completed in nine months. Between June and July 1937, the No. 1 and No. 2 machines rolled off the first reels of paper. By 1942, the No. 3 machine began production of container boxes used by the armed services for shipping supplies overseas during the war. Consuming 2,100 cords of wood per day, mostly pine from surrounding forests, the International Paper mill became the largest kraft paper manufacturer in the world.

The presence of the International Paper company transformed the county, Rogers said, citing that by July 1962 the plant employed 1,700 persons in the mill, 400 in the container plant and 250 in its Woodlands Division — a total of 2,350 employees. As there were only 34,798 residents in the county in 1960, the mill’s importance to the local economy was significant.

For example, through its Woodlands Division, which helped farmers with scientific resources, the mill created a revolution in the region’s agricultural production. With the exportation of its goods, the mill also revived the port where for 30 years the International Paper mill had a marine terminal. While Georgetown’s main import was fuel oil, her exports were paper and paper board, and many of these products were transported by the one railroad and the 20 trucking firms that served Georgetown.

According to Rogers, the primary source of income for the residents of Andrews came from working at the International Paper mill or from the local dealers who contributed parts and services to the manufacturing plant. Because of its higher wages and fringe benefits, International Paper became a model for other employers, he said.

Consequently, over the decades, working at the mill became a family tradition that in some cases was handed down for four generations. That is, until Oct. 31, 2024, when International Paper announced the closure of Georgetown’s mill, laying off 700 employees and 200 contractors.

Citing lower sales volumes over the last two years, CEO Andy Silvernail said the facility was “underutilized” and by slashing expenses the company would be able to “optimize their footprint.” An International Paper press release further stated that the company is focused on increasing profits from its global cellulose fibers business, which generated $2.9 billion in 2023. “The International Paper Mill is committed to maximizing value for our shareholders,” Silvernail added. According to 102.1 The City’s Raymond Owens, company officials expressed that closing the Georgetown factory will help with that strategy.

Former mayor and resident of Georgetown Jack Scoville said that following the termination of the port authority and steel mill, the shutdown of International Paper marks the end of an era. He added that in the short-term, this offset will see a major economic impact across the county, but the bigger picture projects great opportunities for jobs and expansion.

Since announcing its closure, International Paper has offered terminated workers severance packages and services, including a job fair, to assist with the next chapter. However, the wages most local companies offered weren’t competitive with International Paper’s. Now, many laid-off workers are looking for jobs in the greater Charleston and Myrtle Beach areas, preferring the commute over having to relocate.

Although the clouds of smoke no longer billow from the manufacturing plant, its iconic facade continues to punctuate the skyline as a reminder of Georgetown’s stimulating history and hope for a fulfilling future.

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