The City of Myrtle Beach is “First in Service” The City of Myrtle Beach is a full-service resort at the heart of the Grand Strand, a 60-mile stretch of natural beauty on South Carolina's northeastern coast. Our 35,000 permanent residents and millions of visitors enjoy the wide beaches, the warm weather and an incredible range of entertainment, nightlife, golf, shopping, dining and live theater. Myrtle Beach was incorporated in 1938 and became a city in 1957, when the permanent population first topped 5,000. By the way, the name "Myrtle Beach" comes from the wax myrtle, an abundant local shrub, and was chosen in a name-the-town contest in 1900. "Edgewater" finished in second place. Previously, the area had been known as Long Bay, Withers and New Town. For nearly 50 years, Myrtle Beach was a military town, first as home to the U.S. Army Air Corps in the 1940s, and then to the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base beginning in the 1950s. The base closed in 1993, and the property has since been redeveloped as the Market Common District, complete with an urban town center known as The Market Common, a Grand Park that features open space, recreation fields, a large lake and a 1.1 mile walking and bicycling trail. Today, Myrtle Beach is a well-known destination for vacationers from around the country, Canada and abroad. The city's staff members are dedicated to being "First in Service," and we are ready to provide assistance and answer your questions at any time. For more information, please contact the Public Information Office at info@cityofmyrtlebeach.com.