Head to Folly Beach with the kiddos and have your camera ready as it’s the last chance to say goodbye to the Folly Beach Fishing Pier, the current one at least!
Few knew that the summer of 2020 would be the last for the iconic Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier. Opened in 1995, the all-wooden structure has served Folly and greater Charleston well with over 6 million visitors during its 25-year span.
The second-longest pier on the East Coast at 1,047 feet in length (Myrtle Beach’s Apache Pier is the longest), its latticework pilings, cross-hatch beams, sunbaked planks, and aquamarine roof will leave a permanent mark on our collective memory.
Mention Folly and images of the pier instantly emerge: beachgoers setting up camp underneath, anglers casting their reels from up above, tourists and locals alike walking out over the ocean to catch a glimpse of the shoreline. Nothing says “summer beach day” quite like it.
The time has come for the pier to be replaced as it is deteriorating from damage caused by ocean wear and tear and pesky marine borers. After more than a year of waiting for permits, the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission (CCPRC) was given the green light to proceed with construction. Sunday, October 18th will be the last day for public visitation before the site becomes a construction zone.
Design plans for the new pier were recently unveiled by the CCPRC. The new pier will be built of concrete pilings and wood decking and will maintain the same footprint and many design elements of the current pier. Expect widened pedestrian walkways, covered shelters, expanded fishing stations, and an updated version of the diamond-shaped pier head. Public restrooms, retail facilities, and benches will also be available.
Construction will last approximately 28 months starting with the “apron” area behind the restaurant and gift shop. Parking and some beach access points will be limited during this time. Follow along with the construction progress here.
For those wishing for more than photos and memories, the CCPRC will sell fragments of the wood pilings as mementos with proceeds benefiting Charleston County Parks Foundation. Only time will tell what energy the new pier will bring to Folly Beach, but until then, we’ll just have to wait and see!