Along the sandy shores of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, there’s a story that has puzzled locals and historians for decades. McKenzie Beach, once a bustling island resort destination, is said to have disappeared from maps after a powerful storm swept through the area.
What really happened to this mysterious place, and why do so few records remain? Some say the storm not only destroyed buildings but erased an entire chapter of coastal history. Others believe the resort was quietly abandoned and forgotten, its legacy buried beneath shifting sands and rising tides.
Today, whispers of McKenzie Beach live on through family stories, faded photographs, and the haunting absence of a place that once thrived.
1. The Storm That Changed Everything
Hurricane Hazel roared through the Carolina coast in October 1954, bringing winds that topped 140 miles per hour. The storm surge reached heights nobody had seen before, swallowing entire sections of beachfront property. Buildings that had stood for decades simply vanished into the angry Atlantic waters…