Pawleys Island, South Carolina, located 70 miles north of Charleston and 25 miles south of Myrtle Beach, is known as one of the oldest summer resorts on the East Coast. Pawley's Island is both an Atlantic coast barrier island and an incorporated town in Georgetown County, South Carolina. Pawleys Island is located in coastal Georgetown County, about halfway between Myrtle Beach and Georgetown. This relaxed beach community has only 200 year-round residents, but thousands of part-time residents and visitors. The families of rice planters who owned plantations on the nearby rivers first settled Pawleys Island in the early 1700's. The planters knew that it was unhealthy for their families to remain on the rivers during the summer and that the seashore was much healthier. Even though they didn't know about malaria in the 1700's, they knew enough to get away! They moved their families, horses, cows, bedding, provisions and furniture to Pawleys in May of each year, where they remained until the first frost in November! From this leisurely existence has developed the charm of Pawleys that still remains. Also still remaining are 12 residences in the historic district, which date from the late 1700's to the mid 1800's.