It's a great place to visit to get a sense of South Carolina's past and to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. Today, the town's historic live oak trees and the beautiful Waccamaw River provide the perfect setting for a South Carolina Historic river town.Ĭonway is a charming small town with a rich history and is a popular tourist destination. In the early 1900s, much of present-day downtown Conway was built following a destructive fire. The town was incorporated in 1898and elected its first mayor. In 1883, the South Carolina General Assembly shortened the town's name to Conway, and in 1887, the railroadreached the town. The naval stores industry continued to expandin the 1870s, and riverboats transported passengers and goods along the Waccamaw River between Conway and Georgetown. During the Civil War, area residents rallied to the Confederate cause, and at the end of the war, Union soldiers from Maine occupied the town for a time. The area was home to both large and small plantations, small farms, and forests, and the most important industry was ' naval stores,' such as turpentine and lumber. In 1860, it had a population of 273 whites and 203 blacks, with the Waccamaw River serving as the main transportation link.

The village of Kingston was later renamed Conwayborough, after General Robert Conway, a general in the South Carolina State Militia.ĭespite the establishment of a courthouse and the growth of naval stores industries, the village of Conwayboroughwas slow to grow.

The county's name was later changed to 'Horry District' in honor of General Peter Horry in 1801, and a courthouse was established in Kingston at that time. In 1769, the land comprising what is now Horry County became part of the newly created Georgetown Judicial District, and in 1785, ' Kingston County' was created out of the old district. Frances Marion, known as the “Swamp Fox,” and his troops encamped in the village of Kingston on his way to the battle of Black Mingo. Small engagements were fought near Kingston at Bear Bluff on the Waccamaw, at Black Lake along the Little Pee Dee, and in the Socastee area. By 1732, the site of the town of Kingston (Conway) was marked out, and the first settlers arrived in 1735.ĭuring the American Revolutionary War, many area residents fought. The area was part of old Craven County established in 1682, and in 1730 it was included in a plan by Royal Governor Robert Johnson to encourage development in the Province of South Carolina.

Previously known as Kingston, Conway, located in Horry County, South Carolina, has a rich history dating back to the early 18th century. Founding of Kingston: Tracing Conway's Origins in the 18th Century

Civil war battles around myrtle beach