COLUMBIA, S.C. — Laid back, eclectic, edge of America, Folly Beach has been called any number of things.
Now comes Travado with a new moniker — hippies hideout.
Folly Beach was included on a list of 25 hippie locales in the U.S. Not surprisingly perhaps, the company said Asheville, North Carolina, was the No. 1 hippie spot.
But Folly Beach? In staid South Carolina?
Travado went so far as to say, “This place is so far out that you might not even realize you’re still in South Carolina!”
Charleston is about 12 miles to the north.
While people lived on Folly Island since the late 1600s, it has officially been a township for almost 50 years. It’s celebrating its 50th birthday Sept. 22 to 30, 2023. They’re planning to close streets, shag into the night on the pier, show off classic cars and stage a prom-themed gala.
The island name is from the Old English word Folly, meaning a place wild with trees and undergrowth. It is a barrier island, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Folly River, some 18 square miles with 6 miles of coastline. It bills itself as one of the last true beach towns in America, home to about 2,400 permanent residents.
King William III gave the first land grant to William Rivers on Sept. 9, 1696, then the island passed to a series of owners, none of whom lived there. Members of the Bohicket tribe did.
As was the way, the Europeans arrived and the Bohickets were forced from their homes.
Shipwreck survivors in the early years and thousands of federal soldiers during the Civil War lived on the island. One of the stranger stories is that 14 bodies were unearthed during construction in May 1987, believed to be soldiers from the 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment. Twelve of them were missing skulls and other body parts and showed no signs of war casualties. The mystery ensures.
It wasn’t until the 1940s, that the makings of an island resort showed through. Ocean Plaza was built with amusement rides, shops and a pier.
“The Folly Pier was a musical hub for the greater community with all the big bands playing the Folly Pier from Glenn Miller to Maurice Williams,” Gretchen Stringer Robinson wrote in her history of the island. “People from all over the country developed a love for the community that is, more than most, a people’s beach.”
Travado says, “Folly Beach is prime real estate for surfing, so the town attracts all sorts of laid-back, beach bum types — perfect for any hippie at heart!”
Folly is also known for spectacular sunsets and sea turtles who nest on the island from May 1 to Oct. 31. Downtown includes locally-owned stores, seafood restaurants and nightlife in what town officials call “one-of-a-kind bars.”
George Gershwin wrote “Porgy and Bess” while staying on the island.
Travado again: “After a day of surfing, you might even find that a drum circle has spontaneously coalesced on the shore. And don’t forget to give Bert’s 24-hour market when the munchies hit at strange times!”
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