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Summerville, South Carolina is a charming retirement community and senior vacation destination.

Summerville SC History

Starting in the late 1700's, plantation families living in the Lowcountry sought respite from the summer heat, mosquitos and disease by moving to higher elevation to live temporarily in the tiny forest colony of Summerville. That is how the town got its name.

With the arrival of the railroad in the early 1800’s, trees were cut in large numbers to use for rails and to clear lots near the tracks to use for the railroad. To protect Summerville's biggest asset, the village incorporated in 1847. Its first law prohibited the cutting of certain-sized trees without permission and fined offenders $25.

While still recovering from the Civil War, Summerville suffered extensive destruction during the 1886 earthquake, followed by a downtown fire, which destroyed most of the buildings downtown. Soon after, Summerville was declared one of the two best places in the world for the treatment and recovery of lung disorders. This led to massive tourism, with many tourists building winter homes and often becoming permanent residents.

Since the early 1900's, day tourists have flocked to the town during early spring to enjoy millions of spring blossoms, particularly azaleas.

Summerville South Carolina – The Flower Town in the Pines

Today, Summerville South Carolina continues to attract seniors looking for a quality of life that has long since disappeared in large cities. Seniors enjoy visiting this “flower town in the pines” and relocating to the area.