As
we residents know, Myrtle Beach is an amazing place to live--beautiful beaches
abound, entertainment venues flourish, the climate is typically moderate, and
the people are genuinely nice to be around. It is no wonder that there is a large
influx of new residents from the Northeast and other regions of the United
States.
My
original roots were planted in North Carolina, although we moved to Southern
California when I was a youngster; however, there are two things I remember
hearing about Myrtle Beach: 1-People from NC simply called it “the beach.” If
they said they were going to “the beach,” everyone knew they were going to
Myrtle Beach, as though there were no other beach in existence; 2- I recall that
the high school seniors in NC have a time-honored tradition of heading to
Myrtle Beach for a brief vacation immediately upon graduation. No one really
wanted to know the details of these group trips, but it was simply considered
to be one of those venerable rights of passage.
There
are so many transplants in the Grand Strand area--people who want to live near
the ocean, but don’t want to move all the way to Florida. Yet how many really
know about the history of Myrtle Beach? I
Remember Myrtle Beach When…is a book containing the personal stories of Dr.
J. Marcus Smith, as compiled and edited by J. Marcus Smith, Jr. Packed full of
rich historical facts and interesting details, I admire Dr. Smith for having
taken the time to capture stories from the past. And I especially admire J.
Marcus Smith, Jr. for making these chronicles available to the public. If these
particulars are not preserved, how do future generations ever begin to know the
authentic history and visualize exactly what their ancestors experienced?
What
was it like to be a pioneer of the Myrtle Beach area? Back in 1900, it was a
major undertaking to travel from Conway to the beach! And who knew that the
Intracoastal Waterway (Massachusetts to Florida) was finally complete when the
Horry County portion was finished with a ribbon cutting at a dedication
ceremony being held at the Socastee Bridge in April, 1936? How about when live,
human telephone operators actually connected phone calls between people? This
is history, friends.
Now
that I have read this book, I have a much better understanding of the
origination of many of our local street names. For instance, there really was a
Mr. Joe White, a beloved longtime Myrtle Beach resident.
Complete
with photos and personal accounts of life in the Myrtle Beach area, one doesn’t
have to be a Myrtle Beach native to appreciate this book, but I have a distinct
feeling that this treasure chest of memories is a favorite of the families
whose relatives are featured. Why wouldn’t it be? It is a valuable legacy.
I Remember
Myrtle Beach When…for
anyone who enjoys local history and an informative step back in time!
Book Description
Myrtle
Beach … a seaside resort that has given wonderful memories to millions of
people who have visited – whether to enjoy golfing, shopping, the spectacular
beaches, the many attractions, or just to take in the beautiful weather. It has
not always been this way. At the turn of the previous century, in the early
1900s, it was difficult to get to Myrtle Beach and there just wasn’t much
there, except sand. Over the last century, Myrtle Beach has grown from a sleepy
seaside town to a booming resort. Dr. J. Marcus Smith was a native of the area.
He grew up in nearby Conway and later moved to Myrtle Beach. He married his
childhood sweetheart Frances Marian Johnson, and they raised their three sons
in Myrtle Beach. While he practiced optometry for fifty years, he also wrote
many stories about his two hometowns – Conway and Myrtle Beach – most being
published in The Sun News. He loved this area and all of its rich history. This
collection of stories has been compiled and edited by his oldest son J. Marcus
Smith, Jr.
In the Words of J. Marcus Smith, Jr.
“My Dad
had all intentions of publishing his collection of personal stories of Myrtle
Beach before he died. He had a rough time in thinking through the articles and
the book in his later years. In his many years of writing, he made the
transitions from typewriter to word processor to Word Perfect to Microsoft
Word. He loved his typewriter, and he never truly embraced the personal computer,
but he did try.”
About the Author
 |
| Dr. J. Marcus Smith |
Dr. J. Marcus Smith was a native of
Horry County. He grew up in Conway, graduating from Conway High School in 1942.
He then went to the University of South Carolina for a year before heading off
on a train to Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee.
He married his childhood sweetheart
Frances Marian Johnson in 1950, and they raised a family in Myrtle Beach. He
practiced optometry for fifty years, and was also very active in the community
with the activities of his three sons, as well as the Jaycees, being leader of
the Methodist Youth Fellowship at the First United Methodist Church in Myrtle
Beach and in the Horry County Historical Society.
He wrote many articles on his two
hometowns--Conway and Myrtle Beach--most being published in The Sun News. He loved this area and all
of its rich history.
***
Please
visit Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Remember-Myrtle-Beach-When-Photographs/dp/148279862X or contact J. Marcus Smith, Jr.
at 843-995-1878
for additional information or direct purchase. Net proceeds from the sale of I Remember Myrtle Beach When… will be utilized by J. Marcus
Smith, Jr. for a Grand Strand area memorial honoring Dr. and Mrs. J. Marcus
Smith.
 |
| Dr. & Mrs. J. Marcus Smith |
See
you soon!
Mary
Anne Benedetto
Author of Eyelash, 7 Easy Steps to Memoir
Writing: Build a Priceless Legacy One Story at a Time!, Never Say
Perfect, From Italy with Love & Limoncello and Write Your
Pet's Life Story in 7 Easy Steps!
*****
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