Folly Beach

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Folly Beach

Folly Beach eight miles south of Charleston

Calm and relaxed, Folly Beach is arguably the best beach in South Carolina. Known as “the edge of America,” Folly Beach is a seven-mile-long barrier reef located just eight miles south of Charleston — the closest beach to the city.

Folly Beach Morris Island Lighthouse

What to Do:

Folly Beach is a great place to play in the waves, collect seashells, and walk to the lighthouse. A fishing pier and beautiful views make Folly Beach one of the last old-timey, "shabby" beaches in the area. Folly Beach is also one of the best surfing destinations on the East Coast. If you’re a history buff, Folly abounds with Civil War history.

Did You Know?

 The Morris Island Lighthouse, originally built in 1876 and rebuilt after its destruction during the Civil War, still stands today on Folly Beach. Initially constructed nearly 1,200 feet inland,  due to shore erosion and rising seas, the lighthouse today is completely surrounded by water.

 

History:

Folly Beach sunsetThe Bohickets Indian tribe was the first to inhabitate the island. English settlers arrived in the 1600s and they coined the west end of the island the “Coffin Land” because ships with plague victims would drop off their sick before entering the Charleston port.

In 1860, the first shots of the Civil War were fired by Citadel Cadets on Morris Island. The Union army eventually took Folly Beach and Morris Island on their way to Charleston.

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