Can’t See The Forest For The Trees
Carolina Forest is situated west of the Intracoastal Waterway between US Highway 501 and International Drive and the western boundary is generally accepted as Gardner Lacy Road on which Carolina Forest High School is located. The area was once part of a larger tract of land known as the Buist Tract. Acquired by Burroughs & Chapin in 1893, it was later sold to International Paper in 1928 where it served as a pine tree farm until the late 1980’s. It was perfect for hunting, fishing, camping, dirt bike riding and all kinds of other mischief for Horry County residents providing a peaceful, natural forest buffer between Myrtle Beach and the western part of the county.
That all began to change in the mid 1990’s when International Paper entered into a development agreement with Horry County Government. A land use plan consisting of 10,000+ acres home to 50,000 residents plus and all the commercial, retail and business property to support that population. From the year 2000 to 2020, the area grew to enough residents that it became its own a census-designated place (CDP) and boasts the 2nd largest high school in the whole state of South Carolina.
Consisting primarily of new residents to Horry County, Carolina Forest has become a force to be reckon with. The homeowners are active and engaged through the Carolina Forest Civic Association and similar groups. And now after moving and settling in, it’s difficult for support for any new projects. Heck, there is talk of incorporating their own municipality and they even challenged a new hospital project. Gone are the days of what used to be, replaced with I have mine and no one else can have any more.
Until next week,
Jimmy Crack Corn: “I don’t care”