Located on the corner of Third Avenue and Elm Street in Conway, the Horry County Courthouse was built in 1908. Court was moved to this site from what is now the Conway City Hall on Main Street to escape the noise of passing trains which ran down a track on Main Street to the nearby riverfront and disrupted court proceedings. Graced by white, Greek-style columns and topped by a domed cupola, the brick courthouse is surrounded by century-old shade trees planted at the time of its construction. The courthouse provided various modern features when it opened in 1908, and matching wings were added in the 1950s.

In the 1920s, the courthouse was the scene of the sensational Bigham trial, in which Edmund Bigham - a member of a prominent, controversial Florence County family - was tried for the murder of five family members, including his brother Smiley Bigham who was a state senator. Crowds packed the courtroom daily and the trial attracted newspaper reporters from as far away as New York City. One potential witness was murdered, another died of a heart attack while testifying, and some locals believed that the defendant somehow made the nearby Waccamaw River overflow its banks. The courtroom drama ended when the defendant suddenly accepted a guilty plea.

Today, the renovated and enlarged courthouse retains many of its early 20th century elements. Visitors may examine the original courtrooms when court is not in session. The courthouse and grounds feature numerous locally-relevant monuments, including a portrait and bust of county namesake Peter Horry, a prominent officer in the Revolutionary War who lived in neighboring Georgetown County.

Site Access: Public
Admission: Free
Ownership: Public/Horry County

Guided Tours: Self