Folly Beach
The history of Folly Beach Island is a story of pirates, shipwrecks, soldiers, and dancing. It is a story of the hardships and hurricanes that have shaped a thriving beachside community.
Folly Island was named after its coastline which was once densely packed with trees and undergrowth, as the Old English name for such an area was “Folly.” The first official document that mentions the island is a land grant from King William III to William Rivers that dates to September 9, 1696. The island had little commercial use to Mr. Rivers so he eventually sold it. For many years ownership was passed through a series of owners who did not reside on the island. Even through this period of essentially absentee ownership, Folly Island was not deserted. The island was home to members of the Bohicket tribe, who remained until the increasing number of Europeans in Charleston forced them to move elsewhere.
During the Civil War, Folly was occupied by Federal troops beginning in 1863. Despite the the jungle-like foliage, the soldiers constructed roads, forts, an artillery battery, and a supply depot. Eventually Folly Island had the capacity to hold up to 13,000 troops and their equipment. The Federal army used Folly Island as its main strategic base for the battle to take Fort Sumter.
After the Civil War, Folly Beach Island was virtually abandoned. But interest slowly arose in what some people began to realize was an island beach retreat in close proximity to a major city. Folly became a melting pot for the regular folks and temporary camps became permanent camps, became cottages.
From the 1940s onward, the building work steadily proceeded, reaching a peak in the 1960s with the construction of the Ocean Plaza with its amusement rides, boardwalk, shops and 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. People from all over the country developed a love for the community that is, more than most, a people’s beach.
The City of Folly Beach is now home to 2400 residents and countless numbers of visitors who come to enjoy this laid-back beach community full of great food, relaxing beaches, and a quaint charm unlike anywhere else in the world!
(Source: http://www.cityoffollybeach.com/about-folly/history/)
Read MoreFolly Island was named after its coastline which was once densely packed with trees and undergrowth, as the Old English name for such an area was “Folly.” The first official document that mentions the island is a land grant from King William III to William Rivers that dates to September 9, 1696. The island had little commercial use to Mr. Rivers so he eventually sold it. For many years ownership was passed through a series of owners who did not reside on the island. Even through this period of essentially absentee ownership, Folly Island was not deserted. The island was home to members of the Bohicket tribe, who remained until the increasing number of Europeans in Charleston forced them to move elsewhere.
During the Civil War, Folly was occupied by Federal troops beginning in 1863. Despite the the jungle-like foliage, the soldiers constructed roads, forts, an artillery battery, and a supply depot. Eventually Folly Island had the capacity to hold up to 13,000 troops and their equipment. The Federal army used Folly Island as its main strategic base for the battle to take Fort Sumter.
After the Civil War, Folly Beach Island was virtually abandoned. But interest slowly arose in what some people began to realize was an island beach retreat in close proximity to a major city. Folly became a melting pot for the regular folks and temporary camps became permanent camps, became cottages.
From the 1940s onward, the building work steadily proceeded, reaching a peak in the 1960s with the construction of the Ocean Plaza with its amusement rides, boardwalk, shops and 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. People from all over the country developed a love for the community that is, more than most, a people’s beach.
The City of Folly Beach is now home to 2400 residents and countless numbers of visitors who come to enjoy this laid-back beach community full of great food, relaxing beaches, and a quaint charm unlike anywhere else in the world!
(Source: http://www.cityoffollybeach.com/about-folly/history/)
