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Waccamaw River Memorial Bridge

SC PICTURE PROJECT 4 Comments

SC Picture Project / Horry County / Waccamaw River Memorial Bridge

This historic bridge with Gothic-style arches was built in 1937 and takes travelers across the Waccamaw River in Conway and is a focal point of the Conway Riverwalk. The bridge replaced an earlier one-lane structure that at the time was the only road access from Conway to the then up-and-coming Grand Strand resort of Myrtle Beach. During this period in the 1930s the South Carolina highway system was booming, and the increased traffic – especially to the beach – called for a larger bridge.

Waccamaw Bridge

Benton Henry of Latta, 2014 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

The bridge was designated as a memorial to Horry County veterans of war from the American Revolution through World War I. Around 15,000 people attended the bridge’s opening ceremony on April 1, 1938. The excitement over the new bridge is reflected in a poem written by Mrs. Charles R. Scarborough for the event, which begins:

The Bridge! The Bridge! It was opened today!
The handsome new bridge in the town of Conway
It is your bridge, and my bridge, and everybody’s, too
It is free for the crossing; it is welcome to you!

Waccamaw Bridge in Conway, SC

Sara Dean of Moncks Corner, 2017 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

The 1,270-foot-long multi-span continuous steel girder bridge signified economic growth in South Carolina’s coastal counties. Chief Highway Commissioner Ben Sawyer, who served in that position from 1926 until 1940 and for whom the Ben Sawyer Bridge to Sullivan’s Island is named, stated, “The Coastal section should and could be made a play ground for the people of South Carolina and large numbers of people for neighboring states.” In regards to economic development, Sawyer went on to say that “the one essential prerequisite is more and adequate hard surfaced roads.”

Waccamaw Bridge Arches

Jim Jenkins of Chesterfield, 2015 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

This new bridge, built at a cost of $370,000, did indeed lead to tremendous development. Its unique architecture and influence on the early growth of the Grand Strand region earned it a place in the National Historic Register:

The Waccamaw River Memorial Bridge, constructed in 1937 and opened to the public in April 1938, is locally significant as an example of engineering techniques and architectural design used in the construction of South Carolina highway bridges during a period of remarkable growth in the state’s highway system. It is a multi-span continuous steel girder bridge made up of four steel girder main spans, four continuous steel string approach spans, and concrete piers which support the bridge deck. The entire bridge is 1270 feet long.

Among its notable engineering and architectural features are its long vertical and horizontal curves, the use of 28 cast-iron light standards along the balustrade, and the Gothic-influenced pointed arches cut out of its concrete piers; the arches have been described as “a lavish treatment seldom seen in South Carolina bridges” in a 1993 bridge inventory project sponsored by the South Carolina Department of Highways and Public Transportation. The bridge was designated as a memorial to Horry County citizens who served in America’s wars from the American Revolution through the First World War. It is also significant for its association with the growth and development of the Grand Strand-Myrtle Beach area as a resort in the first half of the twentieth century. Constructed at a cost of $370,000, the bridge replaced an earlier one-lane bridge which had been the only bridge connecting Conway with the developing Grand Strand-Myrtle Beach area.

More Pictures of the Waccamaw River Memorial Bridge


Waccamaw River Memorial Bridge

Chris Austin of Charlotte, NC © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

Reflections on the Waccamaw River Memorial Bridge


Contributor Susan Klavohn Bryant shares, “My sister and I were astonished at the gothic arches in the bridge supports. They look like something you would seein Europe.”

Add your own reflections here.

Plan Your Trip: Waccamaw River Memorial Bridge

Where is Waccamaw River Memorial Bridge located?
Address: US Highway 501, Conway, SC 29526
GPS Coordinates: 33.833056,-79.044167
What else should I see?
Waccamaw River 0.1 mile
Conway Peanut Warehouse 0.1 mile
Conway Riverwalk 0.1 mile
Conway Town Clock 0.3 mile
Show me more like this!
  • See other South Carolina Bridges
  • Conway Historic Sites
  • See other South Carolina National Register
  • See other South Carolina Rivers
    Waccamaw River Memorial Bridge Map

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. tim smith says

      November 25, 2019 at 4:21 PM

      When will the lamps be working on the bridge?

      Reply
    2. Barry Underwood Debsky says

      June 22, 2017 at 10:36 AM

      Hello, I used to drive and bike over this bridge just about everyday, I noticed that it had some characteristics of WPA Bridges up north. Is this a WPA era bridge? A very beautiful bridge in a picturesque setting.

      Reply
      • SCIWAY says

        June 22, 2017 at 12:13 PM

        Hello Barry! We know that some of the Gothic design elements were rarely used in bridges in the state but we haven’t found any link to the WPA assisting. Though, it did come out in that same era! Good observation!

        Reply
    3. Shirley Burroughs says

      August 26, 2015 at 11:50 PM

      I think the bridge is beautiful.

      Reply

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