In the 1960s, the Folly Pier was the hub of nightlife on the island. In April 1965, Folly even experienced a small riot when Fats Domino failed to show up for a scheduled performance. Fortunately for future residents and visitors, if there were any efforts to ban live music following that incident, they ultimately failed. But that doesn’t mean the pier was always a haven of responsible decency. Cookie Bragg grew up on the island, and she recalls not being allowed to visit the pier or pavilion at night until she was married (She wed her sweetheart, Jack Wilbanks, at the age of 18).
Image courtesy of Patricia Jamison Wilbanks Bragg. Images like these are included in Stratton Lawrence’s book, Images of America: Folly Beach. To purchase your own personalized signed copies or to share a photo and story for next month’s Folly Flashback column, email Stratton at strattonlawrence@gmail.com.
