Little River was one of the earliest settled sections of Horry County. Before contact, Native Americans made temporary encampments nearby to collect fish and shellfish. White settlers established plantations by the 1730s. In the 19th century, the village of Little River was an important entrepôt in the Carolinas’ coastal shipping industry, with commerce centered on the river southeast of here. Major exports during that time were lumber and naval stores, much of it locally produced by enslaved people. Commercial fishing grew after the Civil War, while recreational fishing flourished in the 20th century, especially after World War II. Once described as “the seaport town of Horry,” Little River remained primarily accessible by boat until the paving of U.S. 17 and S.C. 9.