Sumter

Sumter, South Carolina
—  City  —
Downtown Sumter
Nickname(s): Gamecock City
Location of Sumter in South Carolina
Coordinates: 33°55′37″N 80°21′49″W / 33.92694°N 80.36361°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
- Total	26.7 sq mi (53.0 km2)
- Land	26.6 sq mi (50.8 km2)
- Water	0.2 sq mi (4.2 km2)
Elevation	171 ft (52 m)
Population (2008)
- Total	59,159
- Density	1,545.2/sq mi (596.6/km2)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s)	803
FIPS code	45-70405[1][page needed]
GNIS feature ID	1251074[2][page needed]
Website	Sumter official website

Sumter (pronounced /ˈsʌmptər/) is a city in and the county seat of Sumter County^{[3][page needed]}, South Carolina, United States. Its population was 59,159 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Sumter, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.

It should not be confused with Fort Sumter, (the site of the first shots fired in the American Civil War) which is on Charleston harbor, nearly 100 miles to the southeast.

Geography

Sumter is located at 33°55′37″N 80°21′49″W / 33.92694°N 80.36361°W / 33.92694; -80.36361 (33.926942, -80.363541)^{[4][page needed]}.

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

Sumter is located about 44 miles from Columbia, the capital of South Carolina.

Demographics

As of 2007, there were 59,159 people, 34,717 households, and 40,049 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,469.5 people per square mile (775.6/km²). There were 46,032 housing units at an average density of 603.0/sq mi (232.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 44.74% Caucasian, 29.88% African American, 1.24% Native American, 14.62% Asian, 1.07% Pacific Islander, 1.12% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.98% of the population. ^[5]

There were 34,717 households out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.0% were married couples living together, 19.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 17.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 1.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the city the population was spread out with 37.6% under the age of 18, 12.28% from 18 to 24, 26.04% from 25 to 44, 19.55% from 45 to 64, and 14.12% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.3 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 $19,264, and the median income for a family was $35,328. Males had a median income of $327,078 versus $322,002 for females. The per capita income for the city was $316,949. About 3.0% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 15.3% of those age 65 or over.

Crime

The following table shows Sumter's crime rate in 6 crimes that Morgan Quitno uses for their calculation for "America's most dangerous cities" ranking, in comparison to the national average. The statistics provided are not for the actual amount of crimes committed, but how many crimes committed Per Capita.^[6]

According to the Congressional Quarterly Press '2008 City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America, Sumter Statistical Metropolitan Area ranks as having the 5th highest overall crime rate out of 338 statistical metropolitan area's in the United States of America. It has become known as MERK CITY due to its high crime rate. ^[7][8]

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 four-year liberal arts college, Central Carolina Technical College, a public two-year technical college, and the University of South Carolina Sumter. Saint Leo 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 largest school in the state, Sumter High School, whose current student population is approximately 4,700.^[9] Sumter High is currently operated by the second-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 2007, the Sumter High School Marching Band performed in the New York City Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

In the 08-09 year, SHS'S football team made it to the 4A State Championships against James F. Byrnes High School, where it was held at Clemson University.

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", the largest free Christmas light display in South Carolina, with nearly 2 million lights.

Sports

It has been suggested that Palmetto Tennis Center be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

Riley Park is a 4,000 seat stadium that is primarily used for baseball and was the home of Sumter Braves, a Single A Atlanta Braves affiliate that competed in the South Atlantic League. Riley Park was home to the Sumter Braves from 1985 until 1990, when the team left Sumter for Macon, Georgia. Notable Sumter Braves that went on to Major League success include Tom Glavine, David Justice, Kevin Brown (right-handed pitcher), Mark Wohlers, Ryan Klesko, and Vinny Castilla.^[10] The Braves were replaced by the Sumter Flyers in 1991, a Single A Montreal Expos affiliate. The Flyers, however, left Sumter after one season.^[11] No professional baseball team has competed in Sumter since the end of the 1991 season.

Riley continues to be the home of the P-15s, an American Legion baseball team with a long history of success. The P-15's have won 14 state titles including 1940, 1950, 1952, 1962, 1977, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009.^[12] They advanced to the 2006 American Legion World Series in Cedar Rapids, IA where they finished 4th nationally. The P-15's made a return trip to the American Legion World Series hosted by Shelby, NC in 2008 and 2009. 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 tournaments each year.^[13] Sumter Memorial Stadium is home to Sumter High School's Fighting Gamecocks. Sumter School District 2 Memorial Stadium is home to the Crestwood High School Armored Knights. J. Frank Baker Stadium is home to the Lakewood High School Gators.

Notable people from Sumter

• Ray Allen, professional basketball player, is from Dalzell, in Sumter County, where his children still reside.
• Lee Brice, country music singer-songwriter
• Ryan Buell, Founder of Penn State Paranormal Research Society. Has a reality series on A&E called Paranormal State.
• Virginia Capers, Tony Award-winning actress
• Pete Chilcutt, played basketball for the University of North Carolina and then the NBA from 1991 to 2000.
• Jim Clyburn, politician, currently a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and House Majority Whip for the 110th Congress
• Rob Crosby, country music artist
• Ray Davis ("Stingray") was a founding member of The Parliaments, Parliament and Funkadelic
• George Edward "Tuck" Haynesworth, born and raised in Sumter, The Citadel cadet 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.^[14][15]
• Wallie Jones, South Carolina Hall of Fame baseball coach.
• Clara Louise Kellogg, famous opera singer
• 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
• Major General George L. Mabry, Jr., Medal of Honor recipient and second most decorated soldier of World War II
• Tony Oxendine, noted square dance caller.
• Bill Pinkney of the Drifters was born in Dalzell, Sumter County
• Cleveland Pinkney, professional football player, played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Carolina Panthers and the Detroit Lions.
• Bobby Richardson, of the New York Yankees still resides in Sumter
• Wally Richardson, former starting quarterback for Penn State
• Freddie Solomon, National Football League wide receiver, formerly of the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers
• 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
• Angelica Singleton Van Buren, acting First Lady of the United States during the presidency of Martin Van Buren
• Shawn Weatherly, Miss USA and Miss Universe 1980

References

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
• Sumter SC Community

• Sumter, South Carolina is at coordinates 33°55′37″N 80°21′49″W / 33.926942°N 80.363541°W / 33.926942; -80.363541 (Sumter, South Carolina)Coordinates: 33°55′37″N 80°21′49″W / 33.926942°N 80.363541°W / 33.926942; -80.363541 (Sumter, South Carolina)

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