Holden Beach - East End

Bill Grady's Grocery Store Site

This was built where the first swing bridge came down. The first public telephone was located outside. Many nights there would be would be a line for using it.

J & K site

This was the first store/ pavilion and was built by John and Kemp Holden after their return from World War II. Locals thought it meant "Jump and Kick." It provided a nice place for families to gather. John located a juke box and called square dances in the round for all ages. Songs were a nickel. Some groceries were sold there and later a restaurant was added. The larger Surfside Pavilion was built on the ocean side of the J&K in 1952. After Hazel devastation, a smaller second pavilion was built in 1958. The J&K was moved away and converted into duplex on Hillside Street. In the 1980s, it was moved again and one part was converted to a house on Gerda. Post Office: Johnsie Holden (Mrs. John) ran a postal service in her home and later in the J&K.

Old Hotel

This was the first building on the beach besides the fishery. Built in 1926 by Mr. John Holden Jr. for visitors. It had a dining room where his wife did the cooking.

Eagle Lake

Civil War Shipwrecks

Three Civil War blockade runners sank off the coast. Detailed information is printed on three separate stone tablets along Ocean Boulevard East.

First Public Water System

Deep freshwater well located in a cinder block building, which served about 30 homes and businesses on the island. Coast Guard Station and horse barn were nearby

Old Ferry

In the 1930s, the ferry was only large enough to carry one car and was pulled across the waterway by hand on a cable. The operator caught the cable with a notched wooden pole called a "jack stick" and pulled the ferry across. In 1946, the second ferry held two cars and was powered by an old car engine. The steel cable that held it on course had to be lowered for each boat that came. Long lines of cars backed up in the early 1950s on the weekends. The cable had to be raised by hand was extremely heavy.

Halstead Street Park

Project of Holden Beach Beautification.

Town Hall

The current Town Hall was built in 2008/ 2009 and replaced the old Town Hall originally built by John Holden, Mayor and volunteers in 1973.

Holden Beach Chapel

The first worship service was held on June 11, 1961. Prior to building the Chapel, Mr. Luther Holden arranged for services to be held at the old Pavilion. Ministers from various denominations receive a week's stay at the Parsonage in exchange for leading Sunday's worship services. The current Sanctuary was dedicated in November 2003.

Airfield

Luther Holden smoothed and planted this with Bermuda grass for his son, Kemp in the mid-1940s. Piper Cubs, Aronicas and Comanches were the planes of that time. A Breakfast Club of fliers would come to eat at the hotel. The airfield was open to the public.

Ocean View Tavern Site

Ocean View Tavern was built in 1949 by Dr. Rothschild Holden on his property. There were eight rooms for rent upstairs and a restaurant on the first floor. It survived Hurricane Hazel in 1954 on the original lot.