Celebrate Georgetown County history — in the palm of your hand!

Celebrate Georgetown County history — in the palm of your hand!

As America gears up to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday, South Carolina’s Hammock Coast and the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce will produce a pocket-sized history of Georgetown County.

Working in conjunction with the Goss Agency, the Hammock Coast and the Chamber began working on the project in 2025. The 3.5-by-5-inch booklet folds out to a 13.75-by-31.25-inch map-like sheet that showcases Georgetown County’s history from 10,000 BC (when Native American tribes first were believed to have settled in the coastal region) all the way up to a section that covers 1910 until today.

It’s all part of a cultural tourism initiative for South Carolina’s Hammock Coast, the official and registered trademarked tourism moniker for Georgetown County adopted in 2010.

For the initiative various timelines are detailed in small sections of text to highlight the major events in the county’s history over the 30-panel, double-sided booklet.

In the section covering 1729-1774, for example, details of Elisha Screven founding the the City of Georgetown and creating its distinctive four-by-eight block grid. In the section covering 1791-1820, the story of President George Washington’s visit is highlighted.

“It’s a massive amount of history in short bursts delivered in a totally unique way,” said Mark A. Stevens, the Chamber’s director of tourism development. “It’s created to whet your appetite for more — to learn more about the history of Georgetown County and the area we call the Hammock Coast today. History comes alive here, and with America celebrating its semquincentennial, what a great time to debut this new publication.”

In addition to short narratives about the county’s history, the booklet also will feature a map highlighting art, historical and cultural places to visit in the county. A corresponding web page at HammockCoastSC.com will have links to dozens of locations throughout the county, from nature and outdoor adventures; cultural experiences; historic sites; tour information; churches and cemeteries; museums; beaches; and more.

It’s all presented under the header of “Georgetown County, SC: The Gem off the Atlantic Seaboard” inside a Hammock Coast-stamped booklet.

“We have been so happy to work with the Goss Agency, which chose Pawleys Island and the Hammock Coast as yet another location for company operations,” said Beth Stedman, the Chamber’s president and CEO.

Established in 2000 in Atlanta, Georgia, and Asheville, North Carolina, The Goss Agency expanded with the opening of an office in Pawleys Island in 2024.

The Goss Agency specializes in cultural tourism and utilizes a suite of proprietary cultural tourism programs, which were initially created for the launch of Disney Vacation Club’s Hilton Head Island and Vero Beach Resorts, as well as for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in Cherokee, NC.

When the initial launch of Disney’s Vero Beach and Hilton Head Island Resorts fell short of expectations, The Goss Agency team recommended research to identify the area’s historical significance and communicate it in a compelling, emotional manner. This led to the development of campaign themes such as “The Treasure Coast” and “South Carolina Lowcountry, brought to you by Disney.” Historical facts were brought to life with concepts enhancing and expanding the visitor experience.

This approach was then applied to Cherokee, NC, for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, resulting in the development of The Goss Agency’s V.E.E.P. (Visitor Experience Enhancement Program).

The V.E.E.P. program was further expanded with additional culturally focused visitor programs designed to grow destination reach without reliance on media dollars. These include: ATM (Affinity Targeted Marketing)- communicating the individual cultural and historical facts in a compelling manner connecting emotionally with the cultural visitor/outdoor adventurer; Co-Op Architecture — partnering with non-competitive, complementary businesses and entities within a destination’s target zone to share exposure among similar audiences; G.C.O. (Groups, Clubs, Organizations) — assembling special interest groups and creating tailored packages that add value and deepen engagement; and the pinnacle of the program is the Cultural Map/Historical-Nature Guide—a curated map and guide that highlights historical and outdoor experiences while telling the destination’s cultural story and connecting its visitor offerings.

The Goss Agency cultural tourism programs have been executed for a range of national and international destinations, including: The Islands of Palau, St. Lucia, Disney destinations, Cherokee, NC, Natchez, MS, Elizabeth City, NC, Muncie, IN, Haywood County and Mitchell County, NC, Historic Biltmore Village, the Seminole Tribe, San Carlos Apache Tribe, Poarch Creek Tribe, and the Oneida Nation.

The new booklet will be available at a still unset date in May or early June. More details to come.