Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-20
HISTORIC HIGHWAY
TO Be REOPENED
Old Kings Route, Used by
George Washington, Pre-
pared for Motorists.
epecial pispatch to The star.

Special Dispatch to The star.
MYRTLE BEACH, S. c., october 49,.
Historic old Kings Highway, fringing
the Atlantic Ocean, which George
washington used In his travels to the
far South, Is to be rebuilt rs q modern
road by the State Of South Carolina and
opened to tourists as part OF the At
lantic Coastal Highway from Maine to
Florida.
The Kings Highway follows the curve
of the Atlantic from Wilmington, N. c.,
to Charleston, S. G. Its inclusion as a
link In the national North and South
road system will not only materially
shorten the distance between these two
cities, but will cut the time of q motor
tsts run from New England to the keys.
Incidentally. it will open to the tourist
a vast area, rich In historic lore and
scenic interest, which until recent years
was practically isolated by creeks and
rivers.
Bridge Opens Way.
The full use Of the old Kings High
way. as well as the present Route 40
through Horny County, Is made possible
by the completion in August of the
Cooper River Bridge into the city of
Charleston supplanting the archaic
system of ferries-and the building of a
bridge. by Wilmington, designed solely
W SANC COO AAOAll w W JIlSOG
direct southbound highways. The whole
seaboard district lying between Will
mington and Charleston and including
Georgetown has been Handicapped for
years because travel was practically con-
fined TO river transportation and roads
frequently interrupted by slow-moving
ferries.
The South Carolina Legislature voted
s65, 0o0,0 600 bond issue last Spring for
Ia - a. -
and old Kings Highway was Incorporate
ed In the State highway system At q
previous meeting In Richmond, Va, the
Atlantic Coastal Highway Association
had voted formally TO include the Kings
Highway as part of its interstate route
from North TO South.
Once Indian Trail.
Thus, what was once an Indian trail
win be redrawn IN the picturesque sweep
OF sand dunes and pine forest as q
modern ocean boulevard, speeding tour
lists up and down the coast and at the
same time giving them access to new
stretches of seaside playground terri
tory, disable the year round owing to the
temperate climate of this section of the
coast.
From point few miles below viii
mington, N. O., the old Kings Highway
runs within 2 miles of the Atlantic
Ocean as far as Georgetown, s.. O., and
for q great part of the distance it is
within sight Of the sea- The highway
Is parallel with the famous Horny
.Strand--a WIDE, hard beach, edged
With gigantic sand dunes, covered with
luxuriant green shrubs. Between the
road and the beach. at frequent inter-
walls, there are fresh water lakes,
It was along Horny Strand that Gen.
washington travelled on the occasion
OF his visits TO the Far South, the
horses drawing the heavy coach over
is miles of the beach without leaving
scarcely trace, even as heavy auto
mobiles run today.
Washington's Notes.
Brief notes left concerning one of
these trips indicate that the first Pres
1dent was not nearly so impressed with
the grandeur of the sight of sea and
sand dune as are modern day visitors,
but was quite concerned over the dis
lance to the hona6 81 q certain Mr..
Pawley, whereahe was to have dinner.
He made an entry In his diary that the
trip along the beach was one Of lease
and celebrity" but had no more COM
ment.
The new. Kings Highway will exactly
follow the old route. It will be reach
ed by way OF the new bridge out Of
Wilmington ~ when !. completed - and
along State route now being finished,
to its iuncture with South Cardinals
Route No. 9. At Little River the Kings
Highway proper begins and will take
the traveller directly south through the
historic and scenicany beautiful
Cherry Grove district, then it will
cut through the vast acreage of the
Already recreational community. at
which point it is within sight of the
sea; then past the Ocean Forest Coun-
try Club, on through Myrtle Beach,
past Murrells Inlet and Pawleys Island
and thence to Georgetown, where it
viii connect with the existing State
road No. 40, which leads the traveller
on south to Charleston, across the
splendid new Cooper River Bridge.
built at cost Of So 0OO, 900, after many
engineering difficulties had been sur
mounted.
Big Country Estates.
It is in the vicinity of GEORGETOWN
that Bernard M. Baruch and the Ener-
son family of Baltimore have their vast
estates. There are also several large
hunting clubs and game preserves in
this district, whose membership is
largely composed of Northern men.
The present Route No. 40 goes north
from Georgetown by way of Conway to
Tabor, N. c.
In accordance with the present plans
of the State Highway Commission the
Kings Highway is to be maintained by
State funds. The stretch from MYRTLE
Beach to Ocean Forest and Already Is
now paved and lighted.