Welcome to Sumter

Swan Lake Iris Gardens is a city park open and free to the public. People travel from all over the world to see the large collection of Japanese irises bloom each spring.

Sumter

Where you’re in the middle of everything!

Sumter is a medium-sized community in the heart of South Carolina that offers all the services and amenities of a metropolitan area while embracing you with its small-town Southern charm. Sumter, also known as the Gamecock City, embodies its slogan, “Uncommon Patriotism,” as we are proud to have Shaw Air Force Base and its 9,000 airmen and soldiers as part of the Sumter community.

With 107,000 residents that call Sumter home, our growing, family friendly community is perfectly located with just short drives to both the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. You can also go anywhere in the world with commercial airports only about an hour’s drive from Sumter and a major international airport just two hours away; unless you have your own plane, in which case you can use the Sumter Airport for your personal travels. The best part is that there is an abundance of leisure activities available right here in Sumter for all ages to enjoy yearround thanks to our moderate climate, including: golf, cycling, tennis, running, festivals and community events, a vibrant arts community, little leagues, church leagues, hunting, fishing and water recreation at nearby lakes and rivers. A local favorite pastime is to visit Swan Lake-Iris Gardens, the only public park in the United States with all eight known species of swan and home to the oldest continuous festival in South Carolina, the Iris Festival.

During the 20th century, Sumter grew into a major industrial center. In 1941, Sumter became increasingly known for textiles, manufacturing and biotech industries and had a thriving retail environment and medical center in addition to agricultural products. These industries, coupled with its centralized location and easy interstate access, continue to make Sumter a hub for business and manufacturing to date. Sumter is nationally recognized as the first commu-

nity to implement the council-manager system of local governance; a system that has become the nation’s most-used form of authority.

Yet, it is the people of Sumter that make it such a dynamic and innovative community, such as James Clyburn, U.S. congressman and the fi rst African-American to represent South Carolina in the U.S. House of Representatives since post-Civil War Reconstruction; Robert “Bobby” Richardson, former second-baseman for the New York Yankees and the 1960 world Series MVP., Bill Pinkney, a WWII veteran and talented musician who introduced the world to Carolina “beach music” as an original member of The Drifters, helping defi ne an era; Freddie Solomon, NFL wide receiver and two-time Superbowl Champion; player in the NFL; 1st Lt. Ervin David Shaw, Shaw AFB’s namesake and one of the fi rst Americans to fl y combat missions in WWI; Bubba McElveen, former mayor of Sumter and the fi rst civilian to be named honorary chief master sergeant of the U.S. Air Force; Lee Brice, country music singer, songwriter; and Grainger McKoy, internationally renowned artist and sculptor, just to name a few. Sumter is fortunate to have an active and engaged business community and several community partners that invest in the continued growth, economic development and revitalization of Sumter.

Sumter has a rich history and a bright future. We aren’t perfect, nor do we claim to be, but Sumter is more than just a place on a map … Sumter is a community of passionate people who come together in times of need and in times of celebration. Sumter is home. For any and all who fi nd themselves here, whether by chance or just to visit, you’ll fi nd that Sumter personifi es the state slogan, “smiling faces, beautiful places.” Sumter might not be your hometown, but you will certainly feel at home while you are here. So again, welcome!