Myrtle Beach lost a big part of its history in August with the demolition of the Chesterfield Inn, the oldest oceanfront hotel that was still standings after seven decades of service. Built in the 1940s, the Chesterfield Inn was the centerpiece of Myrtle Beach's downtown historic district until owners, citing outdated accommodations, decided to raze the building rather than remodel it.
Myrtle Beach's oldest oceanfront hotel is no more — Photo courtesy of Curtis and Eric
The Chesterfield survived numerous hurricanes, including Hurricane Hazel in 1954 that saw Mother Nature level most of the oceanfront structures that were built in that era. The Chesterfield withstood that blow, but could not overcome the march of time.
While new hotels sprang up around it and offered such modern amenities as lazy rivers and in-room kitchens, the Chesterfield became a relic from a different age. Three stories of hardwood floors and the red brick exterior are now a pile of rubble.
Located in the heart of the Myrtle Beach downtown district, the once-famed landmark leaves a noticeable gap in the oceanfront skyline. But the good news is it won't stay that way for very long. The property will undergo an offseason makeover to construct Myrtle Beach's only oceanfront miniature golf course on the site. A new restaurant is also planned for the plot, but details of the eatery have not yet been released. Both are planned to open in the summer of 2013.
