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   Visitors to the quiet little beach town of Cherry Grove South Carolina in the 1950's were greeted with the scene to the left after crossing the "swing bridge", where King's Highway (Highway 17) South branched off of Sea Mountain Highway, the access road to Cherry Grove.

   In those days, the destination for many visitors and vacationers alike was the new Cherry Grove Fishing Pier, a wooden structure extending 985 feet out into the Atlantic Ocean with some of the best fishing and scenic beauty in the Carolinas. In 1964, The 1,780-pound, world record tiger shark was caught by Walter Maxwell from Cherry Grove Pier. It remains to this day the only all-tackle world record ever caught in South Carolina. The shark is estimated to have weighed in at 2,000 lbs when it was caught, but it was not weighed until the next day when it could be trucked to Loris and placed on the scales. (Additional pictures are in our photo gallery).

   In 1963 The Prince family built the Holiday House Motel on the adjoining property to the pier, and in 1965 they bought the Pier. In 1968 Cherry Grove Beach joined with three other small beach towns, Windy Hill Beach, Crescent Beach, and Ocean Drive Beach to form the present day City of North Myrtle Beach. Today the Cherry Grove section still retains its "small town charm" and relaxed family atmosphere even though North Myrtle Beach is the home of more than 12,000 permanent residents, and one of the fastest growing areas on the South Carolina coast. In the early 1970's the pier was renovated into its present form and the tackle shop was expanded and restaurant added.

   The Cherry Grove Pier also has a colorful history when it comes to Hurricanes. In 1989 the Pier was destroyed by Hurricane Hugo which left a widespread path of destruction across the state of South Carolina. It was rebuilt and the two-story observation deck that was added became a very popular sightseeing destination. In September of 1999, Hurricane Floyd left its mark on the Cherry Grove Pier by snapping off the observation deck and depositing it 1000 yards down the beach. It was rebuilt and renovated in time for the next summer season. In the spring of 2001 the tackle shop was renovated and access to the pier widened to handle the record crowds as the pier continues to grow as one of the most popular family fishing and sightseeing destinations on the South Carolina coast.