The brick building at 4316 Main Street has been part of Loris’ story for decades, serving generations of residents as a place to learn, discover and connect. It’s where the Loris Library has called home for the past 50 years.

On Oct. 2, 2026, the branch marked its milestone anniversary, celebrating five decades at its current location and the role it continues to serve in the community.

But the library’s story began long before it opened its doors on Main Street in 1976. Its story dates to the late 1930s.

“There has been in a library in Loris since 1939, but this building was specifically built and dedicated to house the library,” Loris Library Branch Manager Jeni Huber recounted.

The first public library in Loris was established by the American Legion Auxiliary. Housed in the new Masonic Hall on Main Street, the Loris Library received funding from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) for its first two and a half years.

Over the decades, the library moved several times before finding a permanent home at 4316 Main Street. On Oct. 2, 1976, it opened its doors at the location where generations of readers would come to learn, explore and connect.

“This building is the result of citizens who wanted the library to have a building of its own,” Huber expressed.

Today, a vision developed before our time continues to serve those who call the area home through an array of resources, even some that may surprise you.

“The library has evolved from just a repository of books to providing DVDs, computers for public use, State Park passes, providing Wi-Fi hotspots, technology that wasn't even thought of 50 years ago,” Huber said. “If you want to bake a cake for a special occasion and you don't want to have a cake pan, and you don't want to spend the $50 to buy a cake pan, you can borrow a cake pan from the library.”

While the services have evolved, the support from the community remains a consistent theme in this story.

Organizations like the Friends of Loris Library and the Loris Garden Club continue to lend their support for programs and services.

As the Loris Library turns the page to enter the next 50 years, a splash of color is being added to its walls. A new mural is taking shape in the entryway to welcome patrons and pay tribute to the town and the foundations that have helped shape its story.

“When they come in the front, I want them to go, ‘oh, wow, this is a cool place. This is fun.’ That's what we're aiming for,” Huber said while describing the artwork. “It represents everything that the library is and it ties in a sense of community. It incorporates the railroad that's important to Loris. It brings a sense of whimsy and imagination.”

The mural is funded through donations from the Lewis E. Sikes Foundation and the Eldred Prince Foundation, serving as another example of the community’s lasting imprint.

“We're here because the community shares our belief that libraries are important,” Huber said.

The new mural is expected to be completed in the next week. All are invited to visit 4316 Main Street in Loris to see it for themselves.

The Loris Library is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To learn more about the Horry County Memorial Library, tap here.

MORE ON THE HISTORY OF THE LORIS LIBRARY:

In the spring of 1949, the Loris Parent Teachers Association sponsored and secured a room in the local high school to house a library.

In 1952, the location was again changed, and the Loris Garden Club acquired a room on the second floor of the new Town Hall.

On Nov.17 of that year, the Club held a reception formally opening the branch in its new quarters.

In Oct. 1965, the Library’s book collection was again moved, this time into an office building at 4131 Main Street. By Jan.1968, the County Legislative Delegation had introduced legislation to appropriate $30,000 for a building to house the Library. Representative James Blanton was a prime mover in this action.

On Jan. 17, 1969, the committee finalized the purchase of land at 4316 Main Street from Elaine Hughes and Mrs. D. C. Prince. Funds, however, did not become available until 1976. On Oct. 2, 1976, the new $70,000 Loris Library was completed and opened its doors to the public. The original square footage of the building was approximately 1,600 square feet.

In 1994, Charles Freeman and the Felburn Foundation provided a $60,000 matching grant if the County would expand the Library. By Spring 1995, the County followed through with matching funds and the Loris Library was enlarged to 4,300 square feet. In Nov. 2007, the Library expanded once again with the addition of a 1,500-square-foot children’s wing.

The entire expansion was estimated at a cost of over $285,000. Funding was provided by a fundraising event sponsored by the Friends of Loris Library. Other contributors were Charles Freeman and the Felburn Foundation, the Kelly Anne Cox Foundation, Waccamaw Community Foundation, Lewis E. Sikes Foundation, along with many community leaders and local businesses.

To read more about the history of the Horry County Memorial Library, click here.