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
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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.
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Story of the Civil War battle at Dingle’s Mill, south of Sumter, S.C.
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Brief history of the Revolutionary War Battle at Tearcoat Swamp, in 1780, near Sumter, S.C.
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Sumter native Clara Louise Kellogg is featured. Kellogg became a world-renowned opera soprano singer in the mid-late 1800s.
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Melrose Plantation, home of Matthew Singleton in the High Hills of Sumter, or Santee, near Poinsett Park, in Sumter, S.C.
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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...
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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...
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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...