Folly Beach Fishing Pier to be dedicated Wednesday

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCSC) - Charleston County Parks and Recreation Officials say they look forward to formally celebrating the Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier Wednesday.

The pier will be dedicated at 10 a.m. with a ceremonial cast of fishing lines following a quiet opening back in December.

Charleston County Parks and Recreation spokesperson Sarah Reynolds said the history of a pier in this location dates back to the 1930s.

Reynolds said Charleston County purchased the land in 1992 and built the “original” wooden pier, which opened in 1995. After it showed signs of deteriorating, officials closed that pier in 2020, tore it down and built a new one from scratch.

But Reynolds said they didn’t want the new pier to lose its original feel, so they decided to build it in the same footprint.

The structure is made from concrete, meaning it will last generations longer than the original, but the walkways, railings and fishing stations are all wooden.

“We knew it was so important to the Lowcountry and to so many visitors and people who have made memories on the pier with fishing and, I’ve heard so many stories of people getting engaged out there and going there after their weddings and stuff, so we knew it meant a lot to a lot of people. So we wanted it to be reminiscent and nostalgic of the previous wooden pier at the site,” Reynolds said.

The pier stretches 1,049 feet and is 25 feet wide and 22 feet above sea level. Charleston County Parks and Recreation says its amenities include a 7,500-sq.-ft. diamond-shaped platform at the end of the pier, beach access, accessible restrooms, showers, rod rentals, a gift and tackle shop and oceanfront dining at Pier 101 Restaurant & Bar.

She said the pier is being dedicated to Edwin S Taylor, a prominent member of their commission in the 1990s and an instrumental part of building the original wooden pier.

The new pier is being dedicated to Taylor once again along with honoring many others who played key roles in its construction.

She said the pier is an iconic landmark, and it is important to acknowledge people who have invested so much time into making the pier a reality.

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