Folly Beach Pier Replacement

The new Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier opened on December 26, 2022.

Construction Notes

  • The former pier opened in the summer of 1995 and had reached its end-of-life due to deterioration in the wood pilings caused by marine borers. Timber pile piers typically have an average life expectancy of 20-25 years. 
  • The pier was rebuilt by Cape Romain Contractors in a modified “top-down” manner: the deck behind the restaurant and gift shop were constructed first and then demolition and construction began at the diamond head end and worked back towards the shore.
  • Construction work began in October 2020, and the full pier reopened to the public on December 26, 2022. 
  • The new pier was constructed using pre-stressed concrete piles, a concrete substructure, concrete beams, and wooden timber deck panels. It is reminiscent of the old pier but now offers modern improvements and a longer lifespan.


Folly Beach Pier History

The original Folly Pier was 120-feet wide, 97-feet long and was a green and white structure built with palmetto tree logs. Known for its sheltered dance floor the size of a basketball court, the pier attracted many famous bands and artists, including Jerry Lee Lewis, The Drifters, and The Coasters. Following a fire at the nearby Ocean Front Hotel, the pier and pavilion area reopened as the Ocean Plaza in 1960 and featured a boardwalk, amusement rides, a roller skating rink, and concessions. 

The Folly Pier and pavilion were lost to another fire in January 1977. After the remains were removed and the boardwalk was sold, a Holiday Inn hotel (now Tides Folly Beach) was built adjacent to the site in 1985.

As part of a 1992 bond, Charleston County Parks was able to purchase the 1.4 acres of beachfront property on Folly. Nearly 20 years after the previous pier burned down, we opened the Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier on July 4, 1995. Costing approximately $3.4 million to build, the current pier is 25-feet wide and 1,045 feet long.