SUMTER COUNTY
County Offices
13 East Canal Street
Sumter 803-436-2102
www.sumtercountysc.org
Chamber of Commerce
32 East Calhoun Street
Sumter 803-775-1231
www.sumterchamber.com
Major Highways
US Highways 15, 76, 378, and 521
Located approximately 44 miles east of the state capital city of Columbia, rural Sumter County offers four-lane highway access to the high-speed interstate system that encircles the metropolitan area for a convenient lifestyle.
Services
Offering public schools in local districts that have been recognized as some of the finest in South Carolina, Sumter County also provides alternative educational environments in independent and parochial private schools. The county is enriched by the influence and presence of the University of South Carolina Sumter, which also provides higher education opportunities to a significant number of military personnel and veterans associated with Shaw Air Force Base. The main campus for USC is located in Columbia, less than an hour’s drive from Sumter County. Students seeking degrees on post-graduate levels including medical and law professional degrees are able to complete their studies in Columbia.
Sumter County is also home to a regional technical school, Central Carolina Technical College. CCTC partners with the Sumter County Development Board, the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce, and the community to provide workforce improvement classes in addition to technical degree programs. The highly respected private institution of Morris College completes the options for higher education within the county, offering four-year degrees in a wide variety of fields and located in downtown Sumter. Serving as a community and educational resource, the Sumter County Public Library holds more than 100,000 volumes and maintains three branch libraries and a bookmobile in addition to the main library.
State-of-the-art healthcare services and facilities are available close to home through Tuomey Healthcare System, which is anchored by the 266-bed Tuomey Medical Center in Sumter. Both routine and specialized care needs are met in a wide spectrum of facilities, including a dedicated nursery, an intensive care unit, a cancer treatment center, a patient and family resource center, an outpatient surgery center, and a comprehensive medical park that includes an off-hours emergency care center. The medical park provides a number of convenient services several miles from the city center in Sumter to offer convenient and high-quality outpatient care. This advanced system has just completed a $48 million renovation and expansion that added new wings, an additional medical office building, and an expansive parking garage. The number of physicians that practice in Sumter County continues to grow, drawn by the modern technology available through Tuomey Healthcare and a developing local economy with an expanding population.
Lifestyle
Rural Sumter County radiates from the centrally located city of Sumter, which serves as the governmental, cultural, educational, and healthcare center of the county. The city is home to the Opera House, a recently renovated century structure in the heart of the community that houses the city government offices. The Opera House and its signature clock tower stand as icons of Sumter and are toured by thousands of visitors each year. The crown jewel of Sumter is the attraction of Swan Lake Iris Gardens, nestled in the heart of the city. More than 165 acres of rolling landscape and a picturesque lake are dotted with trails, boardwalks, and exquisite gardens that burst into millions of blooms each spring. Hundreds of graceful swans add an enchanting quality to the area.
Named for the Revolutionary War hero General Thomas Sumter, this region is proud of its historic legacy and rich heritage. Sumter County was the site of events in both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, and students of history can find the frequently visited site of General Sumter’s tomb at the Church of the Holy Cross just west of Sumter. The Sumter County Museum Complex includes a genealogical and historical research center, Williams-Brice House and Gardens, and the living history treasure of the Carolina Backcountry Homestead. Visitors to the complex can trace the region’s history through displays, artwork, and presentations.
Tours of the antebellum home of the late Elizabeth White, a nationally recognized artist that was once honored with a one-woman show at the Smithsonian, are available through the Sumter Artists’ Guild and the Sumter Gallery of Art. The gallery offers exhibits throughout the calendar year. Patriot Hall is the county’s cultural center, housing a 1,200-seat auditorium that showcases recitals, plays, and concerts and hosts special events. Active civic and social groups add to the quality of life in Sumter County, where close-knit communities work together to maintain and improve the quality of life. Annual celebrations and festivals fill the annual calendar with exciting special events that include the world-famous Iris Festival each spring, ShawFest, the Fall for the Arts festival, and the holiday Fantasy of Lights.
Newcomers to Sumter County will discover a family oriented lifestyle enhanced by lush parks with recreational facilities from athletic fields to tennis courts as well as organized programs for all ages. Golf courses, Woods Bay State Park, Manchester State Forest, Lake Marion, and Poinsett State Park add to the opportunities for relaxation and recreation throughout the region. Camping, hiking, biking, nature study, fishing, and hunting are all common pastimes. The Sumter Mall combines with smaller shopping areas to meet retail needs, and the housing selection is diverse and attractive. In addition to city living in Sumter, the county is dotted with small towns and open countryside that offer everything from modest bungalows to quaint farms and elegant country manors. For rural pleasures and urban conveniences as well as access to world-class metropolitan amenities, Sumter County is unrivaled for an affordable and livable lifestyle.
Shaw Air Force Base
General Information
803-895-1110
www.shaw.af.mil
Public Affairs Offices
803-895-1620
www.shaw.af.mil
Just north of the leading city of Sumter is the expansive military installation of Shaw Air Force Base, playing a significant role in the regional economy. The base is located 35 miles east of Columbia and encompasses a community of 5,400 active-duty military personnel as well as 11,000 family members. More than 600 civilians are also employed at the base. Services for residents of Shaw Air Force Base cover a wide range of programs and activities. Child care, programs before and after school, a dining facility, outdoor recreation, library services, hobby clubs, and a fitness center are just a few of the conveniences. One of the most popular nearby sites for outdoor recreation is Lake Wateree State Park, a complex just 35 miles from the base near Camden. Rental cabins, boat and pontoon rentals, and fishing facilities are all available. Just minutes from the base, the city of Sumter offers performing arts, historic sites, world-famous gardens, gracious homes, and true Southern hospitality.
Sumter, East Sumter, South Sumter
Municipal Offices
803-436-2500
www.sumtersc.gov
Chamber of Commerce
803-775-1231
www.sumterchamber.com
The growing city of Sumter also encompasses the distinctive areas known as East Sumter and South Sumter, sections of the city that have emerged through natural growth patterns. Sumter is home to the world-famous Swan Lake Iris Gardens, an exquisitely beautiful attraction reminiscent of a Monet painting. An expanding industrial base, close proximity to Shaw Air Force Base, and the conveniences of a larger city are key elements to continued growth and development in this primarily rural area where high-tech businesses blend with cotton fields. In spite of its status as one of South Carolina’s largest cities, Sumter offers a community where neighbors still wave to each other from wide front porches or stop to chat at locally owned stores and shops. Neighborhoods feature affordable, primarily older homes shaded by mature greenery on tranquil streets. Premier recreational settings close to home include wonderful golf courses, Poinsett State Park, and Woods Bay State Park. Sumter is home to fine museums and galleries, antique shops, a major healthcare facility, a private college, cultural programming, historic sites, and a public two-year technical college.
