Myrtle Beach Ocean Forest Hotel 1930 - 1974

Myrtle Beach's magnificent Ocean Forest Hotel opened formally on Friday evening February 21 1930. The hotel standing on land twenty nine feet above sea level was the finest resort between New York and Miami. It stood 10 stories tall and cost 1 million dollars to build in 1929. The hotel was just a piece of the grand plan to be named Arcady after a section of Greece. The development was a vision of Greenville textile magnate John T. Woodside. The stock market crash of 1929 nearly wiped out Mr. Woodside and Arcady would never be. The hotel's amenities included Golf, Tennis, Pools, Horseback riding, In room Salt baths, Hunting and Water skiing. Sadly, it was demolished in 1974.
Use these links for more Ocean Forest and South Carolina history.
Quit Wish'in Go Fish'in
Beachmonkey76

http://www.scencyclopedia.org/oceanforesthotel.htm

http://www.hotel-online.com/News/PR2004_3rd/Sept04_MyrtleHighRise.html

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[Crownsford]

There was a maze of little shops under the hotel. By the 70's only a few were still open, but I imagine in the hotel's heyday they sold some fine clothing, jewelry & other goods. The hotel was red brick at that time, so its interesting to me to see the building was once white. It was a shame it was torn down, but maybe there wasn't a buyer willing to foot the bill to renovate. I seem to remember a copper dome & looking at the photos, it appears there were 2 domes on flanking ends.

[Cathooker2]

@Crownsford Thank you for taking the time to share your memories of the Ocean Forest Hotel with us. I have some forks and spoons with the name on them and a piece of the Bohemian crystal chandelier. It was made in Czechoslovakia by the way.

[stellablue2111]

needless to say.. she quit because she was so freaked out.. Me ? I though he was just a nice old man lol... Was the summer after this that it was demolished.. I have always thought it was a shame to destroy such a beautiful place for more condos.. Yep.. We seem to have a shortage of them around here... Alright.. Sorry for the rambling 3 part post ! :)

[Cathooker2]

@stellablue2111 Thanks for your story.

[brawny0929]

Thanks for the memory!! I played organ and piano in the lower level lounge for the summer season of 1972. Turned into a short gig and I went over to the new Ocean Dunes hotel on north beach!

[Cathooker2]

@brawny0929 Thanks for sharing

[mathmoma11]

My parents took be on vacations to the Ocean Forest in the late 50s and early 60s. It was an adventure for a child to stay in such a large and special place. One of my first crushes was on a parking valet. A preteen really felt quite grown eating in the big dining room and signing the bill after a meal with a friend. I was sad when they tore it down. Rumor was the demolition company said it was so well constructed it would have stood for a hundred more years.

I loved watching the video!

[TIMMBSC]

I walk where it once stood and can only dream about it.

[dvikib]

Thank you so much for posting this video. I still have a postcard of the Ocean Forest Hotel sent to me by my parents in Sep 1950 when I was 4 years old. They said this was their very favorite hotel and they would take me to it sometime. Sadly, I never made it there myself. They passed away before it was demolished.

[CDHaines]

In 1974 I was 7 and we went to the hotel and we were allowed to tour it as the items were being sold. My most vivid memory is going into the huge kitchen where the mixers and hundreds of metal mixing bowls were just lying around. We walked through the halls and I was amazed to see how small the rooms were. All of the chandeliers and lights were sitting on the floors of the hallways. On the row of little shops that were dilapidated and the pool was full of brown water. It was sad to see.

[3932124]

My twin brother and I stayed at the hotel in the late 50's. with my parents and grandmother and grandfather. My father told me the hotel sold for a $1.00 one time when it went into forecloser.

[Crownsford]

I visited in the 60's, 70's - she was a grand dame grown a bit shabby. My family attended a sale of hotel goods before the closing, picking up mementos. I still have a set of rimmed soup bowls & an item that cuts an entire pie into slices! Best memory?- the high panoramic view from the open parthenon-like structure facing the ocean. I gazed thru fat white columns & balustrade rails onto glinting waves & bright blue skies, smelled salty air on warm breezes, & thought her loss was totally tragic.

[stellablue2111]

He took me on the elevator and up a floor or two.. Told me about "famous people" that had stayed there & performed in the ball room... My mom came looking for me and freaked out when when found me.. I was alone and was she wanting to know how the heck I got there.. (I could not have operated the elevator) .. Come to find out, a man had died sitting on the elevator shaft ledge and he would roam the hotel, and operate the elevator .. It would come down and open with no one there..

[stellablue2111]

I remember the Ocean Forest.. I am only 42 but my mom worked there for a little over a year, when I was a toddler.. I must have been about 4, it was the winter, the season being over, everything would close up.. She was doing the accounting and I would go with her to work.. We were pretty much the only ones in the whole place, except for a ghost. At the age of 4 I had no idea what a ghost was, so I was not scared, and thought he was a friendly man that worked there.