Atlantic Beach Historic District
National Register Listing
Street Address:
Generally bounded by Wiley Drive, 29th Avenue S, 32nd Avenue S, and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic Beach, SC (Horry County)
NRHP Nomination
Record Number:
S10817726038
Description and Narrative:
The Atlantic Beach Historic District is significant as one of the state’s only oceanfront recreational sites open to African Americans during segregation. The district encompasses the entire incorporated town of Atlantic Beach. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the city of North Myrtle Beach. The district includes the beach itself, as well as historic dwellings, hotels, motels and/or inns, commercial businesses, entertainment venues, government buildings, and a church. Three of the four north-south streets in the district terminate at sandy trails that provide public ocean access. Except for Highway 17, none of Atlantic Beach’s streets intersects with adjacent North Myrtle Beach streets. The “cut-off” nature of the Atlantic Beach street grid is a remnant of segregation. The district is also notable for its low-density development and lack of high-rise buildings, which stands in stark contrast with the surrounding area. Black entrepreneur George W. Tyson established Atlantic Beach in 1934. The Black-owned Atlantic Beach Company further developed the town in the 1940s and 1950s. Although devastated by Hurricane Hazel in 1954, development continued and the town incorporated in 1966. Atlantic Beach was unusual as a Black-owned and –governed community during Jim Crow. Segregation and the greater American pursuit of entertainment and recreation made Atlantic Beach a hub of Black social life in South Carolina from the time of its founding. Music, dancing, amusement rides, motels, and dining maintained a steady flow of visitors from the across the region into the mid-1970s. The popularity of Atlantic Beach declined following integration. Listed in the National Register January 22, 2025.
Period of Significance:
1934 – 1975
Level of Significance:
State;Local
Area of Significance:
Entertainment/Recreation;Ethnic Heritage: Black
National Register Determination:
listed
Date of Certification:
January 22 2025
