83.4 F
Evansville
Saturday, June 21, 2025

Arrogantly Shabby

Our family took a beach vacation in early August, the week before our son began high school. We bookended the trip with weddings; our final destination was Belmont, North Carolina, for my niece’s nuptials.

For quite a few years we visited Litchfield Beach at Pawleys Island. Realizing that South Carolina’s Grand Strand beaches would be our best bet before the wedding near Charlotte, we booked a beachfront villa at a property we were familiar with — the completely throwback resort, The Oceanfront Litchfield Inn. While only a 25-minute drive from Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island is worlds away.

Pawleys Island is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and a marsh, where my kids grew up catching crabs. Rich in history and local folklore, tiny Pawleys Island is described by locals as “arrogantly shabby.”  Summer rentals range from simple cottages to plush, multi-level homes with spectacular views. The Oceanfront Litchfield Inn is the only commercial resort in the area. The property’s two towers are just seven stories; our villa room stepped right out to the dunes; the pool and beach bar and grill were just steps outside our screened porch.

We were surprised when we walked out and were greeted by a face behind the book, “Mob Murder of America’s Greatest Gambler” (written by retired Evansville Police detective Steve Bagbey and retired newspaper writer Herb Marynell). The reader was local banker Dave Keller, vacationing with his wife Janet and their son Scott.  They discovered Pawleys Island with Janet’s sister and brother-in-law, Susan and Tom Rearick of Bloomington, Indiana.

▲ Janet and Dave Keller (r) vacationed in South Carolina with Janet’s sister and brother-in-law, Susan and Tom Rearick of Bloomington, Indiana.

Outdoor family activities abound near Pawleys Island.  Just a short drive or a four-mile bike ride is Huntington Beach State Park where you can tour South Carolina landmarks such as Atalay, the Moorish-style concrete winter home of Archer and Anny Hyatt Huntington —a philanthropist and sculptor, respectively — who left the park and the nearby sculpture garden, Brookgreen Gardens, as their legacy.

The chance you’ll see an alligator up close and personal while walking the boardwalks in the park is just about 100 percent. But don’t let that stop you from visiting Pawleys Island where life’s pace truly is a bit slower.

Previous article
Next article
Kristen K. Tucker
Kristen K. Tucker
Kristen K. Tucker formed Tucker Publishing Group, Inc., along with her husband, Todd, in September 1999 and published the first issue of Evansville Living in March 2000. Kristen, publisher and editor of Evansville Living, holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations and English from Western Kentucky University and a master’s degree in liberal studies from the University of Southern Indiana. Kristen has recently served on the board of directors of The Catholic Foundation of Evansville, the Board of Advisors for the IU Medical School Evansville, and Indiana Landmarks. In 2007, she helped found the Women’s Fund of Vanderburgh County. She also is a member of the 125-year-old Social Literary Club. Kristen is the 2003 Athena Award recipient and the 2006 recipient of the Indiana Commission for Women’s Torchbearer Award. Tucker Publishing Group, Inc., magazines have won dozens of awards through the years from the City & Regional Magazine Association, the Advertising Federation of Evansville, the Evansville Design Group, and the Indiana Society of Professional Journalists. A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Kristen moved with her family to Evansville, her father’s hometown, in 1971. She attended Caze Elementary School, and Castle Jr. and Castle Sr. High Schools in Newburgh, Indiana. Kristen and Todd have two adult sons, Maxwell and Jackson. Kristen enjoys walking, travel, Pilates, and reading.

Related Articles

Latest Articles