Page 24 - 4650 50th Anniversary Book Final

“Pier-ing” into the Past Inlet Fishing Pier (of Cherry Grove) in 1955: Gathering of Memories

Shortly after Hurricane Hazel did her horrific play, hide and also would build houses. It was a The police officer was showing dad his new (unload-
damage, the Inlet Fishing Pier was constructed on good way to stay out of everyone’s way. I’d run up ed) gun. Then, boom! The officer said, ‘Horace,
37th Ave E., what is now 60th Ave. N. in North and down the pier barefoot and get splinters. That you’ve been shot.’ Dad looked down and his white
Myrtle Beach. But it was more than a pier. was when you’d heat up a needle (stick pin) with a shirt was turning red. They jumped in the police car,
J James Goodson of Goodson Construction Co. pur- match and dig out the splinter. So, I didn’t tell every with dad in the back and down the boulevard they
chased the land and constructed the pier. At that time I had a splinter!” went. As they were speeding off, the officer radioed
time, it was one of the longest piers (1,050 feet long) H He said he also remembered being so frightened by Merlin Bellamy and told him what had happened
on the southeastern coast. Goodson Construction a storm at the pier that he thought he’d never see and adde
and added, ‘I need you to follow us. I’m not sure we
had its home office in Darlington, and another office his mother again. “I was very little. Mom was on the have enough gas to get to Ocean View Hospital.
in Aynor, according to Tommy Campbell, a life-long beach picking up bottles before the storm came to “My dad said that when they went through the
native of Cherry Grove Beach. prevent them from flying in the air during the storm. light (at Ocean Boulevard and Sea Mountain High-
“My dad (Horace Campbell) worked for Goodson I thought for sure she’d get swept up and away. The way there used to be a big dip in the road), he did
doing heavy construction and my mom (Cecelia) wind started blowing and the pier was swaying and not know what to hold on to--his stomach or the
did accounting for the organization. Mr. Goodson it it was raining so hard, heavy sheets of rain. The floorboard. He lived, thankfully, and it has always
(Uncle James) came to my mom and dad and asked water was so high it reached the floor of the pier (In been a good and funny story talking about him get-
if they would manage the pier.” my mind).” ting accidentally shot by a police officer. Oh, by the
H He continued, “When the pier was finished, my He had a crush on a bicycle rider, too. “You weren’t way, mom (who was right at the pier when it oc-
mom and dad took on running the place. Mom op- supposed to ride bikes on the pier. There was a girl curred) didn’t know anything had happened until
erated the grill and snack shop and dad took care of who lived in a house on the second or third row. I they called from the hospital. She was too busy
the tackle shop and the pier.” would let her ride on the pier, with me on the back working!”
However, Campbell said it was much more than a of the bike, because she would take up time with In those days, residents considered the area busy,
business; it was a gathering place for friends and me.” according to Campbell. The City of North Myrtle
neighbors. Back then, there were less than 50 A And he was bit of a jokester. “One time there were Beach didn’t come about until 1968.
full-time families living in Cherry Grove. “The majori- two girls in bikinis walking up on the entrance of “In 1966, mom opened her beauty salon, Surf
ty of the people came down for the weekend or the pier,” he said. “Uncle James and I pulled up in his Beauty Spot, on 1st Ave W., what we now call 23rd
were people who owned second homes,” he said. Thunderbird. I whistled at the girls really loud. Then, I Ave N.,” continued Campbell. “All sorts of women
“Everyone knew everyone else. People had time to jumped on the floorboard and when the girls and neighbors were customers. I knew them all. I
s stop and talk and catch up.” turned around there was only Uncle James sitting would sometimes give shoulder massages for a
Campbell spent a great deal of time at the pier. His there.” quarter or wash a head or two. My specialty was
parents managed the pier from 1955 until 1965. “I H He recalled another story. “In 1963, my dad and a taking down rollers after they got out of the dryer.”
remember where they stacked the beer. I’d run and local police officer were at the tackle shop talking. H His memories are good ones. “It was nice--I would
play and roam the beach and then stop/show up at
anyone of the local neighbor’s house and get fed.
My favorite was Mrs. Marjory Nixon’s sugar sand-
wiches.”
He purchased his first piece of land at the age of 13.
“I worked at Family Funland Arcade for $1 an hour
handing out coupons on the Skeeball machines. I
hung around until they finally hired me,” stated
Campbell. “I eventually saved enough for a down
payment to purchase a lot in Palmetto Shores.”
T Today, Campbell is still in the property business. He
is the director of annual rentals at Thomas Real
Estate, Inc., in North Myrtle Beach—exactly on the
same street he spent most of his life, 23rd Ave N.
Story and photos and Sea Mountain Highway.
courtesy of
24 Angie Krall