Sumter

 

city (1990 pop. 41,943), seat of Sumter co., central S.C.; founded 1785, inc. 1845. It is the commercial, processing, and shipping center of a timber and agricultural region. Chief crops are tobacco and cotton; livestock, grain, peanuts, and sorghum are also important. Industrial systems, textiles, hand tools, processed meats, and forest products are among the city's manufactures. Of interest are the tombs of Revolutionary War Gen. Thomas Sumter and of Joel Poinsett, for whom the poinsettia is named. Swan Lake Iris Gardens, with its numerous species of swans and Japanese irises, attracts many visitors. Morris College and a campus of the Univ. of South Carolina are in the city. Shaw Air Force Base is to the west. Nearby is Poinsett State Park.

Sumter, South Carolina
Nickname: Gamecock City
Location of Sumter in South Carolina
Coordinates: 33°55′37″N 80°21′49″W / 33.92694, -80.36361
Country	United States
State	South Carolina
County	Sumter
Incorporated	1845
Government
- Mayor	Joseph T. McElveen, Jr.
- City manager	Deron McCormick
Area
- City	sq mi (km²)
- Land	sq mi ( km²)
- Water	sq mi ( km²)
Elevation	ft ( m)
Population (2005)
- City
- Density	/sq mi (/km²)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s)	803
FIPS code	45-704052
GNIS feature ID	12510743
Website: Sumter official website

Sumter (IPA: /ˈsʌmp.tə/ or /ˈsʌmp.tɚ/) is a city in and the county seat of Sumter County⁶, South Carolina, United States. Its population was 39,643 at the 2000 U.S. Census. It is the principal city of the Sumter, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.

It should not be confused with Fort Sumter, which is in Charleston harbor, almost 100 miles away.

Geography

Sumter is located at 33°55′37″N, 80°21′49″W (33.926942, -80.363541)¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 69.3 km² (26.8 mi²). 68.9 km² (26.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (0.60%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 39,643 people, 14,564 households, and 10,049 families residing in the city. The population density was 575.6/km² (1,491.2/mi²). There were 16,032 housing units at an average density of 232.8/km² (603.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.58% White, 26.31% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.27% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.12% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.37% of the population.

There were 14,564 households out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 19.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,590, and the median income for a family was $38,668. Males had a median income of $27,078 versus $22,002 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,949. About 13.0% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.8% of those under age 18 and 15.3% of those age 65 or over.

History

Sumter was incorporated in 1845 as Sumterville, and the name was shortened to Sumter in 1855. The city is named after General Thomas Sumter, who was known as the "Fighting Gamecock", who commanded troops in the American Revolutionary War and served in the United States Congress.

Sumter started as a plantation settlement town, and grew over the years to be more industrialized. Today, industry in Sumter is mostly manufacturing, military, and medical related.

Government

Sumter is served by a six-member city council, whose members are elected to represent a ward. A city manager is employed by council to run the day-to-day business of the city, and serves at the pleasure of council. Sumter has the distinction of being the first city in the United States to successfully implement this form of government, known as council-manager government. A mayor is elected at-large to a four year (renewable) term, and may vote with council only in the event of a tie vote.

City life

Higher education

The area is served by Morris College, a private liberal arts four-year college, Central Carolina Technical College, a public two-year technical college, and the University of South Carolina Sumter. Saint Leo University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Troy University, and Webster University all offer course and degree programs at Shaw Air Force Base.

Shaw Air Force Base

Sumter is home to Shaw Air Force Base, headquarters of the 9th Air Force and the 20th Fighter Wing. Since World War II it has been one of the major sources of employment in the area. Shaw's fighter planes mainly consist of F-16 Fighting Falcons, which are versatile multi-role fighters. F-16's dispatched from Shaw were the primary fighters used in the Gulf War. In response to the city's service, President George H. W. Bush came to Sumter to express his gratitude. The base was named in honor of 1st Lieutenant Ervin David Shaw, one of the first Americans to fly combat missions in World War I. Shaw, a Sumter County native, died after three enemy aircraft attacked his Bristol F.2 Fighter while he was returning from a reconnaissance mission.

Sumter High School

Sumter is home to the third largest school in the state, Sumter High School, whose current student population is 2,300. Sumter High is currently operated by the smallest school district in the state (Sumter District 17). The current building has been in use since 1983 and has undergone additions in 1987 and 2003; the 2003 additions opened to students in fall 2005 for the Class of 2006. Current feeder middle schools to Sumter High are Chestnut Oaks Middle, Alice Drive Middle and Bates Middle Schools. The SHS mascot is the Gamecock, a reference to the city and county's namesake, General Thomas Sumter. The school colors are royal blue and gold.

In 1935 it was named Edmunds High School in memory of Superintendent Samuel Henry Edmunds. The colors were purple and white. This color combination represented the merging of the two Junior High schools; McLaurin Junior High whose colors were red and white, and Alice Drive Middle with colors blue and white. In 1971, the name was again changed to Sumter High School and the colors became the current blue and gold.

In 1990, the Sumter High School Marching Band performed in the New York City Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

SHS's current principal is Rutledge Dingle.

Swan Lake/Iris Gardens

Swan Lake/Iris Gardens is the only public park in the United States with all eight species of swans. The City of Sumter hosts the "Iris Festival" which is centered around Swan Lake/Iris Gardens in May and is open to the public. Traditionally, the festival is held Memorial Day weekend. The park is also the host during the holiday season to the "Swan Lake Fantasy of Lights", a large light display open to the public.

Sports

Riley Park is a 4,000 seat stadium that is primarily used for baseball and was the home of Sumter Braves. Palmetto Tennis Center is a new state of the art tennis court in Palmetto Park.The tennis center has 18 official size tennis courts.The Palmetto Tennis Center host the college level tournements each year.

Notable people from Sumter

• George Edward "Tuck" Haynesworth, born and raised in Sumter, is widely credited with firing the first hostile shot of the American Civil War. He pulled the lanyard that fired the cannon at the "Star of the West", an unarmed commercial steamer, as it entered Charleston Harbor for Fort Sumter on January 9, 1861. Haynesworth was one of several cadets from The Citadel posted on the harbor to keep Union ships from resupplying troops at Fort Sumter.^[1][2]
• Bill Pinkney of the Drifters was born in Dalzell, Sumter County
• Bobby Richardson, of the New York Yankees still resides in Sumter
• Shawn Weatherly, Miss USA and Miss Universe 1980
• Rob Crosby, singer/songwriter whose hits include "She Told Me Yes" and "Love Will Bring Her Around"
• Archie Jordan, two-time grammy nominated songwriter
• Angelica Van Buren, acting First Lady of the United States during the presidency of Martin Van Buren
• Ray Davis ("Stingray") was a founding member of The Parliaments, Parliament and Funkadelic
• Freddie Solomon, National Football League wide receiver, formerly of the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers
• Terry Kinard, a first round draft pick of the New York Giants, played in the 1986 Super Bowl and had an 8 year NFL career
• Virginia Capers, Tony Award-winning actress
• Jim Clyburn, politician, currently a member of the U.S. House of Representatives
• Wally Richardson, former starting quarterback for Penn State
• Lieutenant Colonel George L. Mabry, Jr., Congressional Medal of Honor winner and second most decorated soldier of World War II
• Clara Louise Kellog, famous opera singer
• Robert Talon, contestant on The Price is Right, The Family Feud and the first contestant to win the top prize of $500,000 on the NBC game show, Identity
• Ray Allen, professional basketball player.

References

1. ^ The Citadel Alumni Association
2. ^ Account of Captain M'Gowan of the Star of the West

External links

• Sumter Chamber of Commerce
• Sumter official website
• Morris College website
• Central Carolina Technical College website
• University of South Carolina Sumter website
• Shaw AFB web site

Coordinates: 33.926942° N 80.363541° W

	State of South Carolina Columbia (capital)
Regions	Atlantic Coastal Plain | Blue Ridge Mountains | Grand Strand | Lake Murray Country | The Lowcountry | Metrolina | The Midlands | Olde English District | Old 96 District | Pee Dee | Piedmont | Sandhills | Sea Islands | The Upstate
Larger Cities	Charleston | Columbia | Florence | Greenville | Myrtle Beach | Mount Pleasant | North Charleston | Rock Hill | Spartanburg | Sumter |
Smaller Cities	Camden | Cayce | Easley | Hilton Head Island | Isle of Palms | Forest Acres | Gaffney | Lexington | Mauldin | North Augusta | North Myrtle Beach | Orangeburg | Simpsonville | Summerville | West Columbia | York
Towns	Batesburg-Leesville | Fort Mill | Fountain Inn | Greer | Irmo | Moncks Corner | Mount Pleasant | Newberry |
CDPs	Berea | Carolina Forest | Dentsville | Gantt | Ladson | Parker | Red Hill | Saint Andrews | Seven Oaks | Socastee | Taylors | Wade Hampton
Counties	Abbeville | Aiken | Allendale | Anderson | Bamberg | Barnwell | Beaufort | Berkeley | Calhoun | Charleston | Cherokee | Chester | Chesterfield | Clarendon | Colleton | Darlington | Dillon | Dorchester | Edgefield | Fairfield | Florence | Georgetown | Greenville | Greenwood | Hampton | Horry | Jasper | Kershaw | Lancaster | Laurens | Lee | Lexington | Marion | Marlboro | McCormick | Newberry | Oconee | Orangeburg | Pickens | Richland | Saluda | Spartanburg | Sumter | Union | Williamsburg | York
Topics	History | Famous People | Governors | Legislature | State House | Congressional Districts | Census Areas | State Parks | Rivers | Wildlife Refuges | Historic Places | Amusement Parks | Colleges and Universities | Sports Venues | Shopping Malls | TV Stations | Radio Stations | Highways | Airports

Donate to Wikimedia