South Carolina's Small Community An Hour Outside Of Myrtle Beach Has A Strange Name And Unique History

In the depth of the rural south, 35 miles from Myrtle Beach and 21 miles from Conway (one of South Carolina's oldest cities), lies a tiny community with a strange name. Ketchuptown (or Ketchup Town) is a quaint, unincorporated community within Horry County, which provides a glimpse into a world of pastoral, close-knit farming communities. This is a very small town with a population of under 100 residents and, apart from a few churches, a cemetery, and its iconic store (now closed), there's honestly not much to see here .

This formerly swampy area is more of a drive-through-and-take-pictures-of-the-sign-on-the-way-to-somewhere-else type of situation. There are no hotels within Ketchuptown itself, but you can find Airbnb options in Aynor, Mullins, and Marion which are all under 20 miles away. Jeffcoat's Black Water Campground is 17 miles away if you fancy more of a nature vibe. While you might not spend the day there, Ketchuptown is a nice stop along a rural road trip to take some photos and soak up those agricultural vibes. So why is it called Ketchuptown? It has to do with the town's origin. 

You'd probably expect a place with the name Ketchuptown to be associated with the sweet-and-savory tomato sauce condiment. However, Ketchuptown has nothing to do with the condiment at all. It got its name because one little girl loved the letter K.

In 1927, a man called Herbert Small bought a small piece of land at a crossroads and built a general store to sell food, clothes, hardware, and ice to local farmers. The area was rural swampland which didn't get electricity until the 1930s. Small's store also served as the local post office and social hub, helping connect people from miles around. The shop became a popular hangout space for the farmers who had to travel long distances to get there and back. They took to catching up with each other at the store before heading back to their respective farms. Because of this, the area became known as the place to "catch up" with one another.

Small had four children, including a little girl called Ruth. The story goes that, as a kid, Ruth loved the letter K and would doodle it in her spare time. When in the store, she would sometimes write "Ketchuptown". The name stuck, and the shop became known as Ketchup Town General Store.

The shop eventually closed, but you can visit the shop front which still has the "Ketchup Town" sign. Afterward, you can learn more about the history of this rural region at the Horry County Museum which is about a half an hour away. If all this leaves you wanting to soak up more of that unique Southern charm, then take a 61-mile drive to visit Andrews, a friendly South Carolina town nestled between Charleston and Myrtle Beach.

Ketchuptown has several churches, a cemetery, and charming Southern street names like Wolf Pit Bay Road and Lake Swamp Road. It's a nice place to drive through rural South Carolina and see a world far removed from city life. While you're here, you can go hunting at Wicked Boar Outdoors (3 miles away), shooting at Echo 6 Outdoor Shooting Park (5 miles away), or hiking at Little Pee Dee Heritage Preserve (12 miles away).

Nearby attractions include Alligator Adventure where you can meet the knobbly reptiles and say hello to owls, llamas, and spotted hyenas. There's also the South Carolina Tobacco Museum where you can learn about the history of this controversial crop. If you're in the market for some tranquil beach vibes afterward, head to South Carolina's Coastal Escape Cherry Grove, just 43 miles away.