Pictured on Folly Beach in 1942, 19-year-old Helen Laufer of Wagener Terrace catches the breeze from the front seat of a friend’s Jeep. Before the banning of cars on the sand, prime parking was found next to the Atlantic Pavilion, where folks gathered for sun and shagging. A hot spot in the early 1940s, Folly boasted attractions including an amusement park and bowling alley, though perhaps the biggest draw was the dance pier, the heart of the island’s nightlife. Opened in 1931, the pier drew national music acts such as Benny Goodman, Fats Domino, and The Drifters to the bandstand on the “Edge of America.” —Alex Keith (granddaughter of Helen Laufer)
