Can someone tell me about Sumter, SC?

Hey. I'm from 2 states north and I might have a job in Sumter, SC (IT stuff for Shaw AFB). Before I take it though, I was curious if anyone could give me a description of what is it like out there. Could you name a city it might be similar to? I've spent my last 6 years in Rochester, NY and before that in Hampton Roads, VA so I've never been a big city guy but I've never been in the 'boonies' either. So yea, any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

I've only been through the area......and it is rather un-populated. You wouldn't be too far from bigger cities. Maybe some of the SC people can help out more.

 

Small growing town, airforce town, not far from the Beaches or Charleston, or Santee Cooper lake system. Real estate valules much lower, but parts of SC are catching up with the rest of the country. Try the small town country life for a change. My best employee left NYC after seeing the towers fall.

http://www.sumter-sc.com

http://www.sciway.net/econ

 

The Civil War started over there... all I know.

 

For the most part that has been long forgotten although the media and "HollyWeed" loves to continue to stereotype the south. Our state is over 35% African American, we don't have race riots, etc. My employee from NY is Black (her words), and had the same ideas about the South based on the BS you see on TV. Of cource, you should almost always question what you see on TV. There are still some nuckleheads, as you certainly have more than your fair share of them in NY.

 

You would be less than an hour and a half from Myrtle Beach (depending on how fast you drive) and about an hour from Columbia SC. Plus Carolina Motorsports Park Racetrack (in Kershaw SC) is around an hour from Sumter SC.

 

The Civil War started when shots were fired on Fort Sumter, which lies in the middle of Charleston Harbor, not in the town of Sumter. My experience with Sumter has been limited to a few trips up to the Santee lakes when I was younger and spending four hours with my motorcycle on the front porch of the Cracker Barrel during a freak thunderstorm when I was riding home from Charleston last summer.

 

I live in Charleston and my business partner's family is from Sumter - they still live there. It is an old SC town with a surprising amount of "old money." There is good hunting, fishing, and outdoor life. Not too much golf, but there is a country club (Sunset).

There is a beautiful park called Swan Lake which is good for kids. Columbia is 45 min away and the largest city in SC.

Lake Marion is nearby and there are housing developments popping up there. I know a real estate agent who is familiar with this area and I would be happy to give you his information.

Most families in Sumter vacation at the beach at Pawley's Island. Real estate there has gone crazy and it is about 3 hours away, but many people escape the heat to the beach every weekend that they can spare.

That's about it.

PM me if you have any questions.