By: Skylar Musick

ATLANTIC BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Atlantic Beach recently was added to the National Register of Historic Places registry, making it an American landmark.

Interim Town Manager Linda Cheatham said Atlantic Beach was founded in 1934 by George Tyson, who wanted Black people from all over the country to enjoy the ocean.

Atlantic Beach was established as an isolated community. African Americans were not allowed to visit other area beaches during Jim Crow-era segregation, making Atlantic Beach their refuge.

Cheatham says community members and officials from Atlantic Beach and Horry County have been working on The National Register of Historic Places application since 2023.

They met with the state Board of Review in November, and the town was added to the registry on Jan. 22.

“We are overjoyed,” Cheatham said. “It is just so encouraging. It recognizes the hard work. It recognizes the struggle. It honors our ancestors and all the people whose shoulders we stand on.”

Cheatham says Hurricane Hazel destroyed a large part of Atlantic Beach in 1954. Segregation kept many businesses from rebuilding. However, some did, and the town thrived.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Atlantic Beach saw many Black musicians frequent its clubs and restaurants, including Ray Charles and Tina Turner.

“You get an education in Atlantic Beach about love, and family, and honoring the past,” Cheatham said. “And that’s so important today, when the past is trying to be erased. And so, we refuse to let our past be erased.”

Now that the town has access to special grants and preservation incentives, Cheatham says Atlantic Beach is working for more signage, restaurants, and its own historical museum.