Just as Hurricane Hugo paved (or unpaved) the way for mansions by the sea on Folly Beach, Hurricane Gracie in September 1959 also updated the status quo, ending the days of quaint one-and-two room beach shacks along the front beach. The category 4 storm struck near Beaufort and had devastating effects along the southern S.C. coast, totaling $14 million in 1959 U.S. dollars in damage across the Southeast. Twenty years later, Hurricane David would again wreak havoc on the island, but the worst was still yet to come.
Image courtesy of Karen Stringer, via Wallace Benson. 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.
