Few places on the Grand Strand have been rebuilt as completely as Garden City. Hurricane Hazel in 1954 left only two houses habitable, and Hugo in 1989 destroyed 43 percent of the beachfront structures and the Kingfisher Pier, which reopened in July 1992. The community stretches along the Atlantic shore, with Business 17 down the middle, and its developed beach runs south across the county line into Georgetown County, ending on a peninsula at the mouth of Murrells Inlet.
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Hurricane Ian and the Dune Line on South Waccamaw Drive
Ian made its final landfall near Georgetown on September 30, 2022, as a Category 1 hurricane, only a short distance down the coast. The National Weather Service in Wilmington documented surge breaching the dunes and flooding parking lots and streets. Debris lines inside some beachfront homes reached about four feet above ground on the first floor, and more than three feet of sand buried parked cars on South Waccamaw Drive. The surge also removed most of the dunes here and in neighboring Surfside Beach, which leaves oceanfront homes more exposed until the sand is rebuilt.
Two years earlier, Hurricane Matthew had damaged the Garden City Pier. Florence in 2018, by contrast, caused no significant damage on this stretch of beach, a reminder that the track and timing of each storm matter more than its name.
Sand, Salt and Surge: Cleanup on the First Floor
Surge cleanup here involves more than water. Sand and silt pile up in ground floors, garages and under elevated homes, and seawater leaves salt in drywall, insulation and electrical components. A provider doing flood cleanup after an event like Ian will usually:
- Shovel and vacuum out sand and mud before drying starts.
- Remove drywall, insulation and flooring to above the debris line.
- Rinse and disinfect framing so salt residue does not keep pulling moisture from the air.
- Flag wiring, outlets, appliances and HVAC equipment that saltwater reached so an electrician or technician can evaluate them.
Photograph the debris line on each wall before it is cut out. That line is your clearest evidence of how high the water rose.
Elevated Beach Houses and the Space Underneath
Where a beach house is raised on pilings, the area underneath often holds parking, storage and stairs. Surge that passes under a raised house can still wreck enclosed storage rooms, water heaters and ductwork mounted below the floor. Insulation attached to the underside of the floor can stay soaked for weeks. Check that space carefully after any storm, even if the living area stayed dry, because wet insulation under a floor can lead to sagging and mold above it.
Second Homes, Humidity and Mold
The 2020 census found nearly half of Garden City's roughly 10,100 housing units vacant, and the median resident age was 61.5. An older population and a large share of seasonal and rental homes mean storm and plumbing water may sit unseen for a while. In humid coastal air, mold can follow quickly on carpet backing, drywall and closet contents. If you cannot get back soon after a storm, ask someone local to open the house, run the air conditioning and report any wet areas so storm damage cleanup can start before mold does.
Insurance, Evacuation Zones and Rebuilding
Surge and rising water are flood losses, which standard homeowners policies generally exclude, while wind-driven rain through a damaged roof is usually handled under the homeowners or wind policy. Keep both sets of policy documents somewhere you can reach during an evacuation. Horry County's Know Your Zone map shows evacuation zones along this coast, and the county advises anyone living in a mobile home or in flood-prone waterway areas to leave regardless of zone. Before rebuilding a heavily damaged home, ask the county whether floodplain rules will require changes such as elevation.
Where Callers in the Garden City Area Are
Calls come in from across Garden City, including:
- Garden City Beach
The same line also serves nearby communities such as:
Garden City Water Damage Questions
Is Garden City in Horry County or Georgetown County?
Both, depending on where you are. The census-designated place is in Horry County, but the developed beach continues south into Georgetown County and ends on a peninsula at the mouth of Murrells Inlet. Check which county your address falls in, because permits, flood maps and emergency information come from that county.
Ian pushed sand into my ground floor. Can that be cleaned without tearing out walls?
Sand itself can be removed, but if seawater reached the walls, the drywall and insulation it touched usually have to come out. Salt left in porous materials keeps absorbing moisture and encourages mold. After Ian, debris lines inside some beachfront homes here reached about four feet, which shows how high the cutouts may need to go.
How do I protect an empty beach house before a hurricane?
Shut off the main water valve, move valuables and electronics upstairs, clear items stored under an elevated house, and photograph every room. Arrange for a neighbor or property manager to check the house as soon as roads reopen. Keeping the power and AC on after the storm, if safe, slows mold growth in any areas that got wet.