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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Buford Mabry documented by Jack Doyle and his staff at the University of South Carolina Sumter's Center for Oral Narration.
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Buford Mabry documented by Jack Doyle and his staff at the University of South Carolina Sumter's Center for Oral Narration.
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Buford Mabry documented by Jack Doyle and his staff at the University of South Carolina Sumter's Center for Oral Narration.
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With new facilities and a new area to call home, the City of Sumter is welcoming the Third Army with open arms. The move started in July 2010 and has been a boost not just for Shaw Air Force Base, but...
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The Health Science Center at Central Carolina Technical College in Sumter has gotten a facelift. The new building, in the middle of downtown, is a state-of-the-art facility that was created to give...
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Ida McCain's husband was Sumter educator James T. McCain. In 1921, sixteen year old McCain began his involvement in civil rights by registering voters in Sumter county. He was the founding president...
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This profile will show how Mary Jane McLeod Bethune, born to poor cotton farmers in Mayesville, S.C., would brilliantly start a school of her own with just $1.50, which became an internationally...
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In 1960, Ernest Finney (1931-2017) began his law practice in Sumter, South Carolina, specializing in civil rights advocacy and defense. He represented the Friendship 9, a group of black college...