Conway’s City Hall was completed in 1825; it originally served as the Horry County Courthouse. The building, which was designed by renowned architect Robert Mills, was purchased by the City of Conway in 1908. The public is welcome to visit this historic building during regular business hours.
Directly out front you will find the Conway Town Clock. The current Horry County Courthouse, which is the county’s third, is also nearby, on Third Avenue.
Conway City Hall is listed in the National register as part of the Conway Downtown Historic District:
The Conway Downtown Historic District is significant as the focal public commercial and social center of the city of Conway; as a collection of buildings associated with the commercial and governmental growth and development of Conway from ca. 1824 to ca. 1950; and as a typical example of architectural and commercial development and evolution in a small southern coastal town in the first half of the twentieth century. The Conway Downtown Historic District is a collection of forty commercial buildings, one public building, and one structure in the downtown area centered on Main Street and also including properties on Laurel Street, Third Avenue, and Fourth Avenue.
Thirty-three buildings and one structure contribute to the character of the historic district, while eight buildings are non-contributing. The contributing properties were constructed from 1824 to ca. 1950, with the majority constructed between ca. 1900 to ca. 1940. Many of the historic commercial buildings in downtown Conway were built shortly after an 1897 fire destroyed several downtown businesses. The new brick buildings which were constructed on Main Street from ca. 1900 to ca. 1910 became the core of the city’s business district, an area which grew still larger from ca. 1910 to ca. 1940. The most significant and rapid growth occurred from ca. 1890 to ca. 1930, and was due to a large extent on the successful introduction of tobacco as a cash crop.
More Pictures of Conway City Hall
I was born and raised in Conway and lived across the street from the old court house. When I was five I was elected to draw names out of box for jury selection as I could not read at that time. My dad’s name was J.B. Chestnut and he worked at the fire station and later in the bakery business.
Hi Bill – we just want to say this is one of the most interesting comments we have ever received! Thank you so much for sharing it. That is quite amazing! What a great story!
Love, love this town!
The current Horry County Courthouse is not across the street from the Conway City Hall or the Conway Town Clock. It is nearby on Second Ave. behind the third courthouse which is on Third Ave.
Ben, thank you so much for this helpful correction! We have fixed our info above. SCIWAY welcomes contributions of all kinds, so everyone please let us know if you can add or change anything to make the South Carolina Picture Project better!