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Channel houses and beach cottages in North Myrtle Beach
Cherry Grove Homes for Sale
Cherry Grove is where people come to keep a kayak at the dock and walk to the pier at sunset. It is also where flood-zone homework matters most.
Why do buyers choose Cherry Grove?
Cherry Grove, the northern section of North Myrtle Beach, is known for raised beach houses on marsh channels with docks, oceanfront homes and the Cherry Grove Pier, giving buyers water access on both the marsh and the ocean side. Because most of those homes were built on filled marshland, flood zones, elevation and insurance shape value here more than almost anywhere on the Grand Strand.
Here is how Cherry Grove was built and what that means for you.
Built on the marsh
In the 1920s, Nicholas Nixon bought fifteen square miles of land to develop what became Cherry Grove, and lobbied for the road from Loris that became Highway 9 (NMB Comprehensive Plan). The inlet that separated Futch Beach from Cherry Grove was later filled; the SC Encyclopedia dates it to 1950, while the city plan says 1954.
According to the plan, most Cherry Grove beach houses were built on filled marshland between 1954 and 1969. The 1969 National Environmental Policy Act stopped further filling, and there are still platted lots under water in Cherry Grove Marsh. The encyclopedia adds that numerous channels were dug, draining and filling wetlands for development.
The pier
The Cherry Grove Pier reaches 985 feet into the Atlantic. In 1964 Walter Maxwell caught a 1,780-pound tiger shark from it, still the only all-tackle world record caught in South Carolina, according to the pier. The Prince family bought the pier in 1965. Hurricane Hugo destroyed it in 1989; it was rebuilt with a two-story observation deck that Hurricane Floyd snapped off in 1999 and carried 1,000 yards down the beach. The Prince family had built the Holiday House Motel next to the pier in 1963. In the 1950s, the pier recalls, visitors reached the quiet beach town by crossing the swing bridge where Kings Highway branched off Sea Mountain Highway, the road into Cherry Grove. That history is a good reminder of why storm-ready construction and insurance matter here.
What to check on a Cherry Grove home
Elevation and flood zone
Look up the address on the FEMA flood map and ask for an elevation certificate. Your flood premium follows the home's elevation and zone, not the list price. FEMA's Flood Smart site explains how coverage works.
Docks and channels
Ask about dock permits, condition and how much water the channel holds at low tide.
Marsh-side lots
Because filling the marsh is no longer allowed, what you see is largely what you get. Check the survey for wetlands lines before planning a pool or addition.
Rentals
Cherry Grove is in North Myrtle Beach, so a city business license, renewed every year, is required for short-term rentals (City of North Myrtle Beach).
Federal flood rules matter for financing too. FEMA explains that homes in Special Flood Hazard Areas with mortgages from federally regulated or insured lenders must carry flood insurance, and new policies typically have a 30-day waiting period (FloodSmart). Bind coverage well before closing.
Living here
Life in Cherry Grove is about the water: paddling the channels at high tide, crabbing off a dock, fishing the pier and walking to the beach. North Myrtle Beach restaurants and Main Street in Ocean Drive are a short drive south, and Little River is just across the waterway.
Related: waterfront homes, homes on the waterfront and Cherry Grove posts.
Keep exploring
Back to the Myrtle Beach real estate guide, or continue with these related pages:
Frequently asked questions
Is Cherry Grove part of North Myrtle Beach?
Yes. Cherry Grove Beach joined Ocean Drive Beach, Crescent Beach and Windy Hill to form North Myrtle Beach in 1968.
Can more of the Cherry Grove marsh be filled for building?
No. According to the city's comprehensive plan, filling the marsh ended with the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act, and some platted lots remain under water.
How long is the Cherry Grove Pier?
The pier extends 985 feet into the Atlantic, per the pier's own history page.
Do Cherry Grove channel homes need flood insurance?
Many do. Homes in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas with a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender must carry flood insurance. Check the flood map and get a quote before you offer.
Dreaming of a channel house?
Book a consultation and I will help you weigh elevation, dock and insurance on every Cherry Grove home you like.
Sources
Facts on this page come from these sources, checked November 2026. Rules and programs change, so confirm details for your specific property.
