On their 64th wedding anniversary, Mary
Emily and Nelson Jackson, founders of The Jackson Companies are being honored statewide
in South Carolina. Representative Alan Clemmons presented the couple with South
Carolina House Resolution H*4885 on Friday, May 12, 2006. The
resolution honors the Jacksons for their lifetime of service to their community
and the state and designates June 2, 2006 as "Mary Emily and Nelson Jackson Day"
in South Carolina.
(Photo: SC House Representative Alan Clemmons presented Nelson (center) and Mary
Emily Jackson (right) with SC House Resolution H*4885 on May 12, 2006.)
A Family Business
The Jacksons have an incredible story that has deep roots in the land on which their
businesses are built. "My father, V.F. Platt, was a pharmacist with Platt's pharmacy
on Main Street in Conway, SC," shares Mary Emily Jackson. "Father bought property
in Murrells Inlet and found out it was more costly to develop then he had planned.
A friend of his had a sawmill and told him about good piece of property with timber.
This property was owned by a man in North Carolina, who was having money problems
due to the depression during 1929. So in 1930, my father swapped his Murrells Inlet
land along with some money for what is now Ocean Lakes Family Campground." The national
award winning campground received the 2006 Governor's Cup on February 7, 2006 for
its economic impact on its community and state while also helping to improve the
quality of life in South Carolina. Nelson Jackson smiles, "We are in the 'family'
business." Many people see what the Jackson have accomplished, but are not aware
of the hard work and risks they endured on the road to success. "Mary Emily's father
and mother, Dr. and Mrs. V.F. Platt were a most brilliant and loving couple," recalls
Nelson Jackson fondly. "They enjoyed buying land, cutting timber, and then buying
the land next to it. At one time they had their land built up to approximately 5,000
acres. We often have said that they didn't know exactly what to do with the land,
but they were smart enough to hold on to it. Unfortunately, we lost them in 1960,
many people of this area and the government tried to take the land away form the
family. After paying the government millions of dollars in inheritance tax, it was
our choice to either sell the land or make it work for itself. As you can see we
have developed the Jackson Companies which consists of Ocean Lakes Family Campground,
Prestwick Golf & Country Club,
Ocean Lakes Properties, Crystal Lakes Mobile Home Village, Ocean Lakes RV Center,
the Jackson Farm, Sunway Charters and the new master planned mixed use development
"SayeBrook."
The Jacksons weave their family history into many aspects of their businesses. Nelson
Jackson explains, "The name SayeBrook has great meaning to our family. When the
young people started to develop it, the name 'The Marketplace' was suggested and
that did not have meaning. Mary Emily's forefathers were the Sayes and my forefathers
on my mother's side, the Chapmans, came into this country at SayeBrook, Connecticut.
Therefore it was our privilege to name this development SayeBrook. Resolution H*4885
includes a detailed history of this amazing couple. When asked about their success
Nelson Jackson replies with great emotion, "It wasn't Mommy and I that did all this,
it was every teammate that ever worked with us, and every guest that every stayed
with us that helped us accomplish everything."
South Carolina House Resolution H*4885, by
Clemmons
TO HONOR MARY EMILY AND NELSON JACKSON OF HORRY COUNTY FOR THEIR LIFETIME
OF SERVICE TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE STATE AND TO DESIGNATE JUNE 2, 2006, AS "MARY
EMILY AND NELSON JACKSON DAY" IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives takes great pleasure in recognizing
those individuals who, through their avocation, contribute in a significant way
to the furtherance of South Carolina's economy and who give of their own time, talent,
and energy for the betterment of their local community and the State; and
Whereas, Mary Emily and Nelson Jackson of Horry County are certainly South Carolinians
and entrepreneurs deserving of special recognition. Married on June 2, 1942, just
days before Mr. Jackson joined the United States Army, the couple lived in Tryon,
North Carolina, after Mr. Jackson completed his service to his country; and
Whereas, the Jacksons began working together in Tryon as Mr. Jackson started out
as a traveling salesman for Cloth of Gold Fabrics, Mrs. Jackson made clothing for
their five beautiful daughters from the cloth, and the family often traveled with
Dad modeling the dresses made from the fabric he sold; and
Whereas, with the love and support of his family, Nelson Jackson worked his way
all the way up to President of Jackson & Jackson, Inc. - Cloth of Gold Fabrics;
and
Whereas, so the girls could accompany him more comfortably on the road, Mr. Jackson
engineered one of the first fifty motor homes in America out of an old Trailway
bus. This innovation would change the course of the family's lives forever; and
Whereas, the family relocated to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in 1970 to develop
the world-renowned Ocean Lakes Family Campground which opened on July 2, 1971, with
thirty campsites and one bathhouse; and
Whereas, the couple spent the better part of their lives and marriage developing
The Jackson Companies, which include Ocean Lakes Family Campground, Ocean Lakes
Properties, Prestwick Country Club, Ocean Lakes RV Center, Sunway Charters and Tours,
Crystal Lake Mobile Home Village, and SayeBrook; and
Whereas, the Jacksons will always be remembered for their contributions to the Myrtle
Beach area. They helped put Myrtle Beach on the map on the first day they opened
Ocean Lakes Family Campground, and the campground and the company's other subsidiaries
continue to improve the quality of life in the area and add so much to the local
and state economy; and
Whereas, Ocean Lakes Family Campground was the first campground in the State to
be named National RV Park of the Year by the National Association of RV Parks and
Campgrounds, recognizing exceptional operations excellence, community service, association
involvement, park promotions, management skills, and education and employee training
techniques, and the campground was also the recipient of the prestigious Governor's
Cup Award in 2006 which is presented annually to an outstanding organization that
has demonstrated a significant tourism-related economic impact on the State and
local community and which has markedly improved the quality of life for all South
Carolinians; and
Whereas, their economic contributions to the State perhaps unmatched, the couple
is also active within their local community and continue to support many charitable
organizations. Mary Emily Jackson is the recipient of the First Presbyterian Church
Woman of the Year Award and the Converse College Mae Kilgo Alumnae Award, Mary Emily
and Nelson Jackson are Order of the Palmetto recipients, both have served on numerous
boards of civic organizations over the years, and the couple were honored to receive
the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce's 2001 Citizen(s) of the Year Award and
the House of Representatives District 107 Distinguished Citizens of the Year Award;
and
Whereas, the Jacksons are the proud parents of Emily Jackson Vallerino, Laura Jackson
Hoy, Kathryn Jackson Williamson, Rachel Jackson Gandy, and Jeanne Jackson Mize,
and "PoPo" and "MaMo" are happy to boast ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren;
and
Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are privileged
to honor the Jacksons for their hard work and determination over the years in building
a successful family empire and to thank them for allowing the people of South Carolina
to share in their success as we have all benefited from that success in countless
ways. The lives of Mary Emily and Nelson Jackson so nicely represent a true South
Carolina success story worthy of admiration. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the members of the House of Representatives of the State of South Carolina,
by this resolution, honor Mary Emily and Nelson Jackson of Horry County for their
lifetime of service to their community and the State and to designate June 2, 2006,
as "Mary Emily and Nelson Jackson Day" in South Carolina.
(Source: www.scstatehouse.net)
The Jackson Companies founded by Mary Emily and Nelson Jackson and their five daughters,
includes Ocean Lakes Family Campground, Prestwick Golf & Country Club, Ocean
Lakes Properties, Crystal Lakes Mobile Home Village, Ocean Lakes RV Center, the
Jackson Farm, Sunway Charters and the new upscale master planned mixed use development
"SayeBrook."
High resolution photos available on CD or via
email.