Back in 1989, the original Pawley's Island Rope Hammock was created
at Pawley's Island, which is among the oldest summer resorts in South
Carolina.
The riverboat pilot, Captain Joshua John Ward, used the South Carolina
coast for hauling rice and miscellaneous supplies from Georgetown to
the rice plantations in the low country, and then back again. The trip
was long and hot and as a way of staying cool, he took cotton rope and
decided to create a hammock for the boat. The spreaders he used were
made from wood but had no knots. Immediately, he was amazed at the
level of comfort and before long, people started paying attention and
wanted to know about this "hammock."
While the traditional hammock was made from all cotton or polyester
rope that had been spun soft, today's hammocks are made from a variety
of materials. At Pawley's, stretcher bars are made from cut, seasoned
Carolina red oak. The wood is then steamed, bent into the desired
shape, holes drilled for the rope, sanded, and finally varnished for
a nice finished look. These spreaders are designed to provide a gentle
swing of the hammock and to keep the ropes spread out evenly for
comfort and stability.
When visiting Pawley's Island, you can look into the weaving room as
each hammock is knitted. These artisans are skilled and work with a
needle of rope as they create the hammock's body. Each pattern is
symmetric, adding a special touch to the unique craft. If you listen
to the people making hammocks, you will enjoy an unusual southern
style of dialect that comes from the low country and is very much a
part of their heritage.
When the hammock body has been woven, it is then connected to the
plaited ends and strung through the red oak stretcher bars. Once the
rope is through, special nautical knots are tied, keeping the rope
securely in place. Before any of the hammocks can be shipped out to
customers, they are thoroughly inspected and marked with a special
metal tag, verifying authenticity of being an original Pawley's Island
Rope Hammock, which is registered.
The Pawley Hammock is now sold around the globe, providing the
opportunity for people to experience the same extraordinary hammock
Captain Ward experienced. In fact, Pawley's Hammocks were recognized
in 1997 as the National Association of Casual Furniture Manufacturer
of the Year. Additionally, Pawley's Island was the very first
manufacturing company in the United States making hammocks. When
looking for the best hammocks in the world, turn to Pawley's Island,
Magic Johnson, Tom Sellect, Barbara Mandrell, and Karem Abdul Jabar
did.
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