The Quiet Charmer

A quintessential small Southern town, Summerville offers more than meets the eye.

Fine dining can be found all over the town.

Wide front porches are always inviting in Summerville.

Just a short drive from the infinitely popular port city of Charleston, where travel magazines, food bloggers, and more than a few television and movie production companies have focused their attention in recent years, Summerville is a quiet charmer, one that feels like stumbling upon a hidden gem when you drive into town. Centrally located near the Edisto and Ashley Rivers and not far from the city and beaches, Summerville is the perfect place to spend a day or a lifetime. Here, like in the oft-more renowned Holy City, you will find delicious food, stunning architecture, cultural and historical sites, and sweet southern hospitality, but without a bustling atmosphere inundated with tourists. Rather, visitors are given an opportunity to slow down, encouraged to browse, meander, mosey, stroll, or wander to their heart’s content. In Summerville, no matter where you are from, you are home, welcomed like an old friend by not only the people, but the inviting spirit of the town as a whole.

BEGINNINGS

Not far from the ocean, close to the Ashley River, and covered with towering pine trees, the land on which Summerville sits was a haven waiting to be discovered for centuries. In the late 1600s and early 1700s, it was: first by pioneering puritans from the North who settled in the nearby colony of Dorchester, and later by summering wealthy Charlestonians. Seeking a place to escape the oppressive heat and mosquitos of the hotter months, the city dwellers found refuge in the forested ridge of Summerville, and felt rejuvenated by the scent of the surrounding pines. Later, in 1888, the International Congress of Physicians declared the town one of two of the best places in the world for the treatment and recovery of lung diseases, and word quickly spread that Summerville was the place to go for a health retreat. The distinction brought scores of new visitors to the area seeking to breathe clean air and improve their health, benefiting the local economy greatly as opulent inns and guesthouses welcomed presidents, celebrities, and vacationers to the “Flower Town in the Pines.”

BIRTHPLACE OF SWEET TEA

In the late 1700s, French explorer and botanist Andre Michaux imported the very first tea plants onto the North American continent, planting them in the soil of Summerville, South Carolina near what is now Middleton Plantation. Later, Dr. Charles Shepard founded Pinehurst Tea Plantation closer to Summerville proper, growing an Oolong tea that won first prize at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. While many believed that sweet tea originated at the very same World’s Fair, a deep dive into wartime confederate rations and tales passed down for generations suggests that Summerville, South Carolina can more accurately lay claim to the phrase “the Birthplace of Sweet Tea.” As the original site of the very first tea plantation in the United States, Summerville’s history is deeply entwined with the consumption of the beverage, and sweet tea holds a venerated place in the hearts and memories of those with Southern roots. The town is more than happy to share its legacy with visitors from near and far, offering sweet tea-themed attractions such as an annual sweet tea festival, giant, photoworthy sweet tea mural, and more. Don’t miss Mason, an enormous mason jar parked outside of city hall that earned the Guinness World Record title of “World’s Largest Sweet Tea” in June of 2016.

COACH MCKISSICK

Alongside its natural blooming azaleas, sprawling oaks, and grand pine forests, Summerville boasts a more cultivated accolade: a place where community is paramount. Indeed, though the population of this charming town grows every day, the feeling of being connected to our neighbors in a welcoming atmosphere is unrelenting. Many individuals and organizations have helped shape the town into the pleasant enclave it is today, but perhaps none more so than Coach John McKissick, the recently-retired football coach at Summerville High School who coached for a staggering 63 years. Beginning in 1952, McKissick led the Summerville Green Wave to victory time and time again, bringing a sense of pride to the town and filling the stadium with fans. In 2012, he became the first American football coach in history to win 600 career games, earning him the title of “the Winningest Football Coach in History.” By the time he retired in 2015, he had coached the team to 621 victories and 10 state championships. For over half a century, McKissick was the man behind Summerville’s most popular past time, investing his time in his team and his town as they came together in support of a common, wholesome cause. Though McKissick is no longer pacing the sidelines, his service to the town is a legacy not soon forgotten, and the spirit of community his work fostered continues strong today.

A bounty at Coastal Produce Market.

Peter Nickle, mixologist extraordinaire at The Icehouse.

The Summerville Orchestra adds vibrancy to the town.

Craftsman details abound in Summerville homes.

Kevin Morrissey paints a sweet tea-themed mural on the back of the Summerville Visitor’s Center.

Richard Mallett is the man behind the beans at Coastal Coffee Roasters.

Cold sweet tea is a must-have in this small town.

Locals regularly gather for festivities in the town square.

Chicken and waffles, a Southern classic at Five Loaves Cafe.

Guerin's Pharmacy is a treasured homage to days gone by.

Hunting is a time-honored tradition near the Ashley River.

Drives around town are rewarding.

Oak Road Brewing offers some of the best brews in the ‘Ville.

Dirt roads beckon to be explored.

Barber Trevor Elam of Mod Barber gets a client ready for a shave.

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN

Downtown Summerville is a quintessential small town, one that celebrates locally-owned businesses. In the highly walkable historic district, there are boutiques for every style, delicious restaurants spanning multiple cuisines, enough bars to find your atmospheric fit, and a couple of coffee shops for fueling up to explore it all. Then there is 12-acre Azalea Park, filled with bronze sculptures, winding paths, and reflection ponds. For cultural excursions, the Summerville Dorchester museum is filled with information about the town’s past, and the historic Timrod Library is as beautiful as it is informative. In the center of it all is the Flowertown Players, Summerville’s community theater that consistently features incredible productions. With musical and cultural events happening monthly around this part of town, it is always a good time to check out Historic Downtown Summerville.

INCREDIBLE ARCHITECTURE

Summerville’s history is one that can be felt on a quiet walk through town, as old homes framed by majestic oaks whisper their stories and towering church steeples built a century ago recall the town’s foundations. Many of the homes and businesses around town were built around the turn of the twentieth century, after the Earthquake of 1886 reduced much of the town to ruins. Now, a few dozen local structures are officially on the National Historic Register, and many are one-of-a-kind, breathtakingly beautiful buildings. Here in Historic Summerville, no two homes are alike, and an afternoon spent with a cup of local coffee and a sense of adventure can reward one with a myriad of beautiful architectural visuals. For tips and maps, stop by the Summerville Visitor’s Center, which can get any visitor set up with a self-guided walking tour that passes by some of Summerville’s most hidden gems.

CRAFT CULTURE

All over the world, a movement is occuring in the food and beverage industry, one that honors traditional practices and prioritizes local everything. In Summerville, the movement reigns: craft culture is here to stay. At Coastal Coffee Roasters, the passionate team roasts their sustainably-sourced coffee on-site, creating custom blends that amass a dedicated fan base as locals sample them. Next door, at Oak Road Brewery, brewmasters perfect the art of creating micro batch brews for the constant flow of visitors to enjoy. Just down the road, in the heart of Downtown Summerville, Homegrown Brewhouse pours South Carolina beers from 40 taps, creating an atmosphere that celebrates the craft culture movement and its role in the Palmetto State. Around the corner, at the upstairs bar within the Icehouse Restaurant, you can find locally-created flavored vodkas and thoughtfully crafted cocktails that rival anything found in more cosmopolitan areas. Located in close proximity to one another, it is easy to create a short “coffee and beer brew tour,” allowing one time to sample the delicious work of the four major players in downtown Summerville’s craft beverage game.

HISTORIC SITES

No visit to Summerville is complete without a visit to some of its treasured historic sites. At Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site, visitors can check out one of the best-preserved elements of the town’s past, where the ruins of the area’s first non-indigenous settlers, by way of Dorchester, Massachusetts, first built a colony. Situated along the Ashley River, the property is is beautiful, and self-guided tours are an inexpensive way to explore the land. Not far away, Plantation Row sits quietly on Highway 61, the grand entrances to culturally significant estates open to the public. Though Middleton Place is the only plantation that is technically in Summerville, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens and Drayton Hall are only a couple of miles up the road. All offer unique glimpses into the rich history of this hallowed land.

EDISTO RIVER

Just a short country drive from Downtown Summerville, the Edisto River snakes through swaths of forested areas, offering an oft-overlooked attraction ideal for both the Lowcountry’s hot and mild months. As one of the longest free-flowing blackwater rivers in North America, the Edisto is a wild and fascinating ecosystem, and perfect for a short day trip out of town. Access to the river can be found at Givhans State Park, which sports a public beach as well as hiking and camping options, or at private providers such as Edisto River Adventures. There, you’ll find rental equipment and customized tours for kayaking, tubing, and stand up paddleboarding, allowing for a multitude of excursion experiences. Back at the Edisto River Adventures outpost, visitors can relax by the water, play beach volleyball, make use of their outdoor kitchen, and more. No matter how you decide to enjoy it, the Edisto is a veritable playground in Summerville’s own backyard, ready for exploration.

An aerial view of Middleton Plantation shows how beautiful the grounds truly are.

Find the latest trends at Fly Modern Apparel.

Rides at the Flowertown Festival are always a hit with kids and adults alike.

FLOWERTOWN FESTIVAL

Every spring since 1972, the annual Flowertown Festival draws scores of visitors from all over the country to Summerville’s Main Street and Azalea Park. Featuring food vendors, jury-selected artisans, live entertainment, carnival rides, and other local events, the three-day affair takes over the entire downtown area, bringing with it a buzz of excitement and community. Proceeds from the festival support the mission of the Summerville Family YMCA, helping fund events for the rest of the year. In 2019, the festival will be held from Friday, April 5 to Sunday, April 7, hopefully coinciding with the brilliant pinks and purples of blooming azalea bushes and wisteria vines. Fingers crossed!

visitsummerville.com

by JANA RILEY

Photos by DOTTIE RIZZO & PAUL ZOELLER