| Georgetown is the third oldest city in South Carolina and the county seat of Georgetown County. Located on Winyah Bay at the confluence of the Great Pee Dee River, Waccamaw River, and Sampit River, Georgetown is the second largest seaport in South Carolina, handling over 960,000 tons of materials a year. |
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Georgetown is the third oldest city in South Carolina and the county seat of Georgetown County. Located on Winyah Bay at the confluence of the Great Pee Dee River, Waccamaw River, and Sampit River, Georgetown is the second largest seaport in South Carolina, handling over 960,000 tons of materials a year. |
| Winyah Bay was formed from a Submergent or drowned coastline, ie. the original rivers had a lower base line, but either the ocean rose or the land sank, changing the landform and making a good location for a harbour. The rising of the ocean may be due to melting of glacial ice at the end of the ice age. |
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After settling Charles Town in 1670, the English established trade with the Indians and the trading posts in the outlying areas quickly became settlements. By 1721, the petition for a new parish, Prince George, Winyah, on Black River was granted. In 1734, Prince George, Winyah was divided and the newly created Prince Frederick Parish came to occupy the church at Black River. Prince George Parish, Winyah then encompassed the new town of Georgetown on the Sampit River. |
| In 1729, Elisha Screven laid the plan for Georgetown and developed the city in a four-by-eight block grid. Referred to as the “Historic District”, the original grid city is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and still bears the original street names, lot numbers, and many of the original homes. When the American Revolution erupted, Georgetown played a large part by sending both Thomas Lynch, Sr. and Thomas Lynch, Jr. to sign the Declaration of Independence. Later in the war, Marquis de Lafayette arrived in Georgetown from France to help the Colonists in the war against England. During the final years of the conflict, Georgetown was the important port for supplying General Nathanael Greene’s army. Francis Marion (the Swamp Fox) led many guerrilla actions in this vicinity. |
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In recent years, the economy has become more diversified. A steel mill has located in Georgetown, tourism has become a booming business and many retirees have chosen to settle here in this area of lovely beaches, plantations developed as communities, and pleasant climate. Today, the Historic District of Georgetown contains more than fifty homes, public buildings and sites which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. |
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