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About the Area
City: Little River, SC
Founded: 1950
Counties Located In: Horry County
Zip Codes: 29566
Area Codes: 843
Square Miles: 10.8
Elevation: 39’
Population: 8,960 (2010)
Density: 830/sq. mile
Little River is one of the oldest settlements along the coast, with fishermen and farmers coming to stay in the late 1600s and 1700s. Indian tribes called the stream Mineola, meaning “little river” and that became its name. The river became part of the Intracoastal Waterway in 1936. The area is mainly made up of pine forests, marshes and swamps, and is bordered by the Waccamaw River and the Atlantic Intracoastal waterway. Live oaks, Spanish moss, and palm trees dot the landscape.
A preferred harbor for pirates in the 1700s and Civil War blockade-runners in the 1800s, Little River became a quiet fishing village in the 1900s where you could buy fresh fish and shrimp right off the fishing boats as they docked after a day at sea.
Today it remains an important destination for boating, shipping, crabbing and a host of other maritime activities. Quieter than Myrtle Beach, its main attractions are golf, fishing, and the Coquina Harbor and Marina. With two casino boats and other entertainment such as the Blue Crab Festival every May, Little River is no longer quaint nor little, but it remains a highly attractive destination. It is easily accessible with hotels and motels, all located along US Highway 17, its main business street.