Summerville, South Carolina

Summerville
Town
Downtown Summerville
Seal
Nickname:  Flowertown [1]
Motto(s):  "The Flower Town in the Pines" "Sacra Pinus Esto" (Latin) (The Pine is Sacred)
Summerville Location within South Carolina Show map of South Carolina Summerville Location within the United States Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 33°0′29″N80°10′58″W / 33.00806°N 80.18278°W / 33.00806; -80.18278
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
Counties	Dorchester, Berkeley, Charleston
Incorporated	1847
Named for	New Summersville [2]
Government
• Type	Council–manager [3]
• Body	Summerville Town Council [4]
• Mayor	Russ Touchberry [5]
Area [6]
• Total	22.67 sq mi (58.72 km2)
• Land	22.54 sq mi (58.37 km2)
• Water	0.14 sq mi (0.35 km2)  5.24%
Elevation	89 ft (27 m)
Population  (2020) [7]
• Total	50,915
• Estimate  (2022)	51,617
• Density	2,259.27/sq mi (872.30/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	29483-29486
Area code(s)	843, 854
FIPS code	45-70270 [8]
GNIS feature ID	1251073 [9]
Website	www.summervillesc.gov

Summerville is a town in the U.S. state of South Carolina situated mostly in Dorchester County, with small portions in Berkeley and Charleston counties. It is part of the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. Summerville's population at the 2020 census was 50,915. ^[10]

History

Historic downtown Summerville

The first settlement in Summerville began following the American Revolutionary War; it was called Pineland Village in 1785. Development in the area resulted from plantation owners who resided in the Charleston area and came to Summerville to escape seasonal insects and swamp fever. ^[11]

Summerville became an official town on 17 December 1847. That year, the town passed a law against cutting down trees, the nation's first such law, and a $25 fine was issued to anyone who did so without permission. The town's official seal reads "Sacra Pinus Esto (The Pine is Sacred)." ^[12]

In 1899, the International Congress of Physicians (or "Tuberculosis Congress" ^[11] ) listed Summerville as one of the world's two best areas for treatment of and recovery from lung and throat disorders, due to its dry and sandy location and the many pine trees that release turpentine derivatives into the air. This notation is credited with aiding Summerville's commercial and residential development. ^[12]

The former Summerville post office built in 1938 contains a mural, Train Time – Summerville, painted by Bernadine Custer in 1939. Federally commissioned murals were produced from 1934 to 1943 in the U.S. through the Section of Painting and Sculpture, later called the Section of Fine Arts, of the Treasury Department. ^[13]

The Ashley River Road, Middleton Place, Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site, Old White Meeting House Ruins and Cemetery, and the Summerville Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. ^[14]

Geography

Interactive map of Summerville

The center of Summerville is in southeastern Dorchester County; the town extends northeast into Berkeley and Charleston counties. It is bordered to the east by the town of Lincolnville and to the southeast by the city of North Charleston. Summerville's town limits extend south as far as the Ashley River next to Old Fort Dorchester State Historical Park.

U.S. Route 78 passes near the center of Summerville, leading southeast 24 miles (39 km) to downtown Charleston and northwest 29 miles (47 km) to Interstate 95 at St. George. Interstate 26 leads through Summerville's northeast corner, with access from Exit 199, leading southeast to Charleston and northwest 90 miles (140 km) to Columbia.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 22.67 square miles (58.7 km²), of which 22.54 square miles (58.4 km²) is land and 0.14 square miles (0.36 km²) (5.24%) is water. ^[6]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	1,371		—
1890	2,219		61.9%
1900	2,420		9.1%
1910	2,355		−2.7%
1920	2,550		8.3%
1930	2,579		1.1%
1940	3,023		17.2%
1950	3,312		9.6%
1960	3,633		9.7%
1970	3,839		5.7%
1980	6,492		69.1%
1990	22,519		246.9%
2000	27,752		23.2%
2010	43,392		56.4%
2020	50,915		17.3%
2022 (est.)	51,617	[10]	1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [15] 2020 [10] [7]

2020 census

Summerville racial composition ^[16]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	33,259	65.32%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	10,460	20.54%
Native American	204	0.4%
Asian	800	1.57%
Pacific Islander	67	0.13%
Other/Mixed	2,942	5.78%
Hispanic or Latino	3,183	6.25%

As of the 2020 census, there were 50,915 people, 19,374 households, and 13,130 families residing in the town.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, ^[8] there were 43,392 people residing in 16,181 households in the town. Summerville's population density is 2,404.7 inhabitants per square mile. Its racial makeup was 72.1% White, 21.4% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.0% of the population.

There were 16,181 households, of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55.

In the town, 27.0% of the population was under the age of 18, and 10.5% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.7 years.

The median income for a household in the town was $54,677. About 11.2% of the population was below the poverty line. The median value of an owner-occupied home was $182,000.

Arts and culture

Starting in 1972, Summerville has supported the Summerville Family YMCA in hosting the annual Flowertown Festival to support health and wellness programs at the YMCA. ^[17] It is South Carolina's largest arts and crafts festival. It is held during the last weekend of March or the first weekend of April in the Summerville Azalea Park. It often coincides with the annual Cooper River Bridge Run held in Charleston the same weekend. During the three days of the Flowertown Festival, Summerville sees about 200,000 visitors. Admission and parking is free to all who attend. No alcohol or pets are permitted at the festival. About 200 artists from around the country are invited and display their works for purchase. Area restaurants are featured in the festival's "Taste" section, where tickets can be purchased to sample their offerings. Children can enjoy the carnival in the Children's Jubilee/Kids Fest section.

In 1925, these flowers led Summerville's Chamber of Commerce to adopt the slogan "Flower Town in the Pines."

Summerville claims the title "The Birthplace of Sweet Tea." ^[18] A recipe for sweet iced tea published in Texas native Marion Cabell's 1879 cookbook Housekeeping in Old Virginia has been cited as evidence against this claim. ^[19]

Education

Public education in Summerville is administered by Dorchester School District Two, which operates Summerville High School. Summerville's 10,000-capacity Memorial Stadium is used for American football games.

Summerville has a public library, a branch of the Dorchester County Library. ^[20]

Notable people

• Christopher Celiz, army ranger and Medal of Honor recipient
• Jenn Colella, comedian, actress, and singer
• Janet Cone, college athletic director at UNC Asheville
• Chuck Eidson, professional basketball player
• Sam Esmail, film and television producer known for Mr. Robot and Homecoming , resident of a few years ^[21]
• Brett Gardner, professional baseball player
• A. J. Green, professional football player
• Charles Green, known as Angry Grandpa on YouTube
• Shanola Hampton, actress
• De'Angelo Henderson, professional football player
• Keith Jennings, professional football player
• Stanford Jennings, professional football player
• Milton Jennings, professional basketball player
• Annie Virginia McCracken, author
• John McKissick, high school football coach
• Fern Michaels, author
• Dro Kenji, rapper and singer

See also

• List of municipalities in South Carolina

References

1. "Is It Flower Town or Flowertown?". Visit Summerville. October 11, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
2. "Summerville". www.scencyclopedia.org. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
3. Hart, Brodie (July 8, 2019). "Summerville Mayor Wiley Johnson says he will not seek reelection". WCIV. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
4. "TOS Organizational Chart". www.summervillesc.gov. July 13, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
5. Wright, Webb; Kayanja, Ian (November 7, 2023). "Russ Touchberry proclaims victory in bid for Summerville mayor, results remain unofficial". WCIV. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
6. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
7. "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
8. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
9. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
10. "QuickFacts: Summerville town, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
11. Historic Facts About Summerville & Dorchester County, archived from the original on July 17, 2011
12. Summerville's Book of History, archived from the original on March 25, 2003
13. Arnesen, Eric (2007). Encyclopedia of U.S. Labor and Working-Class History. Vol. 1. New York: Routledge. ISBN   9780415968263.
14. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
15. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
16. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
17. "Flowertown Festival - Summerville Family YMCA". May 19, 2016.
18. "Brief History of Summerville".
19. Moss, Robert F. "Summerville can't squeeze the facts out of sweet tea's murky history". Charleston City Paper.
20. "South Carolina libraries and archives". SCIWAY. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
21. "Sam Esmail, Class of 1995". Classmates. Retrieved November 5, 2019.

External links

• Geographic data related to Summerville, South Carolina at OpenStreetMap
• Official website
• Summerville & Dorchester County's Official Tourism Site