Surfside Pier and Pier
Outfitters
Surfside Pier was originally built in 1953. It has
been rebuilt at least three times. The last time was March, 1993.
As far as we can tell, a wealthy group of businessmen first built the
pier and the Tillman Family later purchased it.
During the 1970's and 80's the Holliday Family owned and operated the
pier.
After the "Storm of the Century" knocked it down for the third time,
Our pier was rebuilt and sold to The Scalise Family. Last year the city
bought the pier and now leases it to Mr. Mike Callahan.
A Brief history of Surfside
Beach
Surfside Beach was first
incorporated in 1964 with 881 residents. It was previously known as
Roach's Beach and had only a few buildings surviving the hurricane of
1893. Principal industries were lumber and feed farming for the 30 or
so horses and mules in the area. The new owner, Mr. George J. Holiday,
renamed the area Floral Beach for his wife, Flora, and daughter,
Floramay. In the late 1920s, a group from Columbia purchased and
partially developed the land. In 1952, most of the land changed hands
again and became known as Surfside Beach. The undeveloped beach area
was covered with sand dunes; a one-lane sandy road led from the highway
to a quiet, family beach.
Hurricane Hazel in 1954
destroyed 18 of the beach's 65 houses, but did not dampen the spirit of
the developers. Lots were cleared, the sand was leveled, topsoil was
brought in and T. J. Harrison, who later became the town's first mayor,
opened the first grocery store in 1956 for the six permanent families
and summer residents. Significant growth didn't happen until after 1956
when Myrtle Beach Air Force Base was reactivated. By 1964, its
reputation as a family beach was further established and the town was
becoming a popular place to retire. The new town government increased
police protection, mosquito and sanitation control, and street lights
and zoning ordinances which resulted in increased property
values. Public parking and walkways to the beach were established, and
government offices were constructed in the next few years, the town
continued to grow through annexation. Improvements were made to
streets, water lines and business and residential building boomed.
Surfside Beach, as well as the rest of the Grand Strand, became one of
the fastest growing parts of the country.
