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Sumter

Sumter County was first settled by Englishmen from Virginia and the South Carolina Lowcountry in the mid-18th century.

Sumter County was first settled by Englishmen from Virginia and the South Carolina Lowcountry in the mid-18th century. In 1800, Sumter District was founded from lands previously belonging to Claremont, Salem, and Clarendon counties. However, over the 19th and 20th centuries, the district became smaller when Clarendon County left the district, and some of the district’s land was used to create Lee County.

The Civil War had a substantial impact on Sumter County. Union troops invaded the county, and a small battle was also fought in the area. Additionally, the area is known as the home of educator Mary Mcleod Bethune and opera singer Clara Louise Kellogg.

Historically, Sumter County served as an important agricultural area. However, the economy shifted away from agriculture over time. Today, the economy relies mainly on the service providing and manufacturing industries. The county and its seat are named in honor of Revolutionary War general Thomas Sumter.

Workforce Breakdown of Economic Sectors. Accessed June 10, 2016. http://www.sumteredge.com/index.php/economic_sectors

Content Type
Mepkin Abbey | Eye on the Past Sumter Court House | Eye on the Past

Video

Grades

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Sumter Court House | Eye on the Past
Story of the current Sumter Court House, built in 1906, and the history of the first Sumter Court House, built in 1802 and completed in 1806. The second Sumter Court House, designed by Robert Mills...
Lady on the Bridge | Eye on the Past

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Grades

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Lady on the Bridge | Eye on the Past
Ghost story about the ghost of the lady who hitch-hikes rides with unsuspecting travelers on the bridge over the Wateree River in the swamps near Stateburg.
Mepkin Abbey | Eye on the Past Melrose Plantation | Eye on the Past

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Grades

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Melrose Plantation | Eye on the Past
Melrose Plantation, home of Matthew Singleton in the High Hills of Sumter, or Santee, near Poinsett Park, in Sumter, S.C.
Suzette Hawkins | Inside Storytelling

Video

Grades

  • Pre K
  • Kindergarten
  • 1
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Suzette Hawkins | Inside Storytelling
Suzette Hawkins views storytelling as a traditional art form. In her family, stories were passed down from generation to generation. She strives to tell tales that lead the listener through the gamut...
Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox | Palmetto Special Rice Cultivation | Palmetto Special

Video

Grades

  • 4
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Rice Cultivation | Palmetto Special
Three students take a field trip in "The Palmetto Special" as it travels from Columbia to Georgetown. After a brief stop at Poinsett State Park in Sumter County, the van arrives in Georgetown where...
Frances Strong | A Literary Tour of South Carolina

Video

Grades

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Frances Strong | A Literary Tour of South Carolina
Frances D. Strong lives with her husband on her parent’s farm in Sumter, South Carolina. Earning a degree in elementary education with a minor in arts from Columbia College, she did not find that her...
Carla Damron | A Literary Tour of South Carolina

Video

Grades

  • 3
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Carla Damron | A Literary Tour of South Carolina
Born in Sumter, Carla Damron now lives just outside Columbia. She draws on her experiences as a Southerner and a social worker with over twenty years in the mental health system, where she says, her...
Clarence Jackson Photos | Digital Traditions

Photo

Grades

  • Higher Education
Clarence Jackson Photos | Digital Traditions
A legendary radio personality and master of the dobro guitar, Jackson was honored for his contribution to the history of country and bluegrass music in the region. Jackson auditioned for and was hired...
Buford Mabry Photos | Digital Traditions

Photo

Grades

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Buford Mabry Photos | Digital Traditions
Born and raised on a farm in the Stateburg area of Sumter County, Buford Mabry always told people there were two circumstances that mainly helped him become the storyteller he was. First was having a...
Donald J. Sampson (1919-2001) | Road Trip

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Grades

  • 6
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Donald J. Sampson (1919-2001) | Road Trip
A native of Sumter, SC, Donald J. Sampson practiced law in Greenville and his sisters, Irene S. Williams and twin, Dorothy remained in Sumter. Both he and Dorothy were civil rights lawyers and...
Dorothy Sampson (1919-2013) | Road Trip

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Grades

  • 6
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Dorothy Sampson (1919-2013) | Road Trip
In 1965, Dorothy Sampson became a partner in the law firm Sampson and Sampson. She was the first African American female attorney in Sumter. Her area of interest was civil rights litigation, voter...
Robert John Palmer (1926-1995) | Road Trip

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Grades

  • 6
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Robert John Palmer (1926-1995) | Road Trip
From the 1960s until the early 1980s Palmer was very active in political, civic and religious activities in the state. His generosity was extended to individuals and various organizations like the...
James E. Clyburn | Road Trip

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Grades

  • 6
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James E. Clyburn | Road Trip
A life member of the NAACP, Clyburn has actively worked to support the principles of inclusion upon which the organization was founded. The Sumter native and graduate of South Carolina State...
Sumter County - Goodwill Parochial School

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Grades

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Sumter County - Goodwill Parochial School
The school building, built circa 1890, is significant as a scarce and relatively intact example of late nineteenth-century vernacular architecture associated with the African American community and...
Santee Cooper Country | A Natural State

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Grades

  • 6
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Santee Cooper Country | A Natural State
Santee Cooper Country is made up of the five counties of Berkeley, Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg and Sumter. Visit lakes and rivers, museums, parks, flower gardens, plantation homes, nature trails...