Georgetown County, South Carolina: History
The early history of Georgetown County is closely tied to South Carolina's population growth. By an Act passed in 1768, the Province of South Carolina abolished its many counties and implemented just seven large districts with corresponding judicial seats. To be specific, there were too few government officials to have county circuit courts, consider and legislate local issues, and execute the law. Although the districts de facto began in 1768, they only received their official charters in 1769, after approval by the British Parliament of a modified provincial Act. George Town was one of the seven judicial seats, so it was the namesake and remained the seat of Georgetown District until and through the American Revolution. The 1785 County Court Act created 34 counties state-wide, with four counties within Georgetown District. The four subordinate judicial counties of Kingston County, Liberty County, Williamsburg County and Winyah County (named after the Winyah Bay) within Georgetown District were abolished in 1798. All overarching Districts were dissolved in 1800 with the respective areas of each former judicial county reformed with the executive, legislative and judicial functions that previously powered districts, as Horry District (est. 1801), Marion District (est. 1800), Williamsburg District (est. 1804) and Georgetown District (est. 1800). The current county dates its establishment from 1800 for this reason.
The legislative processes instituted by the post-Civil War state constitution provided for a fundamental decentralization of power from state to local control, so the districts were renamed counties – Georgetown District became Georgetown County in 1868. The county is named after its county seat, Georgetown, which was named about 1734 for George III of the United Kingdom, when he was Prince George. The largest community in the county is Murrells Inlet.
The economy is partially based on trade due to its transportation network and port facilities.