History of Sumter

Sumter County, SC, and its County seat, the City of Sumter, were named for Revolutionary    War General Thomas Sumter (1734-1832), who was a resident of the area.

General Thomas Sumter

     Sumter County has changed its name and boundaries several times. In 1785, Claremont County was formed as a part of Camden District; a part of the County was later split off in 1791 to form Salem County. Claremont, Clarendon, and Salem counties were combined into Sumter District in 1800.

     Clarendon was once again split off in 1857, however, and another small part of Sumter County went to form Lee County in 1902. This part of the state began attracting English settlers from the lowcountry and from Virginia in the mid-eighteenth century. The area known as the High Hills of Santee, a narrow ridge along the Wateree River, was famous for its healthy climate and rich soil.

     Sumter County eventually became a leading agricultural and industrial region. During the Civil War, General Edward Potter's Union troops raided the area, and a skirmish was fought at Dingle's Mill on April 9, 1865. Confederate General Richard Heron Anderson (1821-1879) was a Sumter resident, as were opera singer Clara Louise Kellogg (1842-1916) and educator Mary McLeod Bethune (1875-1955).

In 1908, Morris College, a four year liberal arts college was established in Sumter by the S. C. Education and Missionary Convention.  Today, the College is fully accredited and is a vital part of our community. 

     In 1941, Shaw Air Force Base was established near Sumter, and it continues today as an active duty fighter base.

     Until 1984, Sumter County had an “at large” system under which only one member of County Council was black, while the population of Sumter County had and continues to have a slight white majority.  In 1984 a “single member” district arrangement for County Council electoral districts was adopted which resulted in three of the seven members elected to Council being black.  Prior to the “at large” form of Government, dates not included, County Government was managed by the local legislative officials from Columbia.

Because of its growth in the 1990's, Sumter is designated a "Metropolitan Statistical Area" (MSA).


State Law Book

State Law in §4-9-30 of the Codes of Laws of South Carolina, 1976 has established and authorized the general powers of County Government.  Sumter County has seven Council members who are elected under single member districts. 

 

The County, by action of the Council members, has the power to tax and spend revenue for a wide variety of purposes. 

 

Council can, by majority vote, engage in water, sewer, solid waste collection and disposal, transportation, planning, economic development, creation of hospitals and medical care, and public health services.  County Council can also authorize referendums to seek citizenry input for utility systems and additional taxes and fees.  

 

Council functions as the governing body with the power to buy and sell property, to enter into contracts, to exercise the power of eminent domain, and to assess and levy ad valorem property taxes and uniform services charges.

 

County Council functions as the authority to establish county agencies, departments, boards and commissions, and to appointment the members of such bodies. 

 

County Council may authorize the development of personnel policies and procedures for county employees except for those officials directly elected by the people.

 

The Department of Sumter County Council has one full-time staff person who works in Council’s Office (the Clerk to County Council).  Council has one other full-time employee, the County Administrator, who manages the entire County and operates a separate office from County Council. 

 

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