Summerville Just 30 minutes from downtown Charleston, the town of Summerville is a blend of Victorian homes and new construction, of towering trees and expanding roads, of an old-time Main Street and an influx of new retail. In recent years, Summerville’s population has boomed – up from 27,000 in 2000 to over 37,000 today. Summerville is also known as Flowertown for its abundance of spring flowers, particularly azaleas. In fact, the annual Summerville Family YMCA Flowertown Festival is hailed as one of the best festivals in the region, attracting more than 250,000 visitors each year. Celebrating 35 years in 2007, the Flowertown Festival includes more than 200 arts and crafts vendors, children’s activities, live entertainment, a tennis tournament, 5K road race and plenty of food. Located on a ridge, Summerville was first settled in the late 18th century by Lowcountry residents looking to escape from the summertime heat, mosquitoes and storms of the coastal areas. It also gained an international reputation as one of the best areas to cure respiratory disorders, attracting residents from abroad. The town grew with the railroad and incorporated in 1847 to protect itself from encroaching development along the railroad that was clearing huge lots of trees. One of the first laws passed in the town prohibits cutting down trees of a certain size – a law that is still on the books and which helped give the town its other nickname: Tree City USA. You can see the evidence of Summerville’s love of trees today along its downtown streets, which are canopied by massive oak trees. Summerville’s historic downtown features more than 700 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including Queen Anne and Shingle Style architecture dating back to the 19th century. Take a stroll along Summerville’s Main Street, where you’ll find Azalea Park, Town Hall and Town Square. You’ll also find charming shops and restaurants in historic brick buildings, including over a dozen antique shops. Each Saturday from May through November, the Summerville Farmers Market hosts nearly 20 different vendors selling local produce. Near downtown Summerville, Woodlands Resort and Inn is the state’s only five-star, five-diamond hotel and restaurant – and one of only three so designated in the country. Located in a restored 1906 Greek revival mansion on 42 wooded acres, Woodlands Resort features 19 luxury guest rooms and suites with contemporary amenities and award-winning cuisine. Adjacent to Woodlands Resort, the I’On Group is developing 30 acres into a neo-traditional neighborhood. The Sawmill Branch Greenway runs six miles through Summerville where residents can walk or bike through the woodlands along the Sawmill Branch Canal. New developments are popping up all over Summerville, boasting more affordable housing prices, Dorchester School District II schools and ample acreage. Several high-end developments are also in Summerville. Coosaw Creek, which straddles Summerville and North Charleston features mostly brick homes from the high $300s to $1 million. The Club at Legend Oaks Plantation is a master-planned community built on the site of a former rice plantation that features an 18-hole golf course, clubhouse, pool and tennis courts. Homes start in the mid-$300s. The Pines at Gahagan is a gated community for active adults with homes from the $300s. Spread over 2,000 acres, The Ponds will be a mixed-use community with a town center, YMCA, community recreation areas, miles of trails and a 1,100-acre conservation area. Summerville High School lays claim to coach John McKissick, the winningest high school football coach in the country, who repeatedly brings the Green Wave to the playoffs. Part of the community for 25 years, the Summerville Soccer Club hosts tournaments, soccer clinics and camps at its facility with eight fields. Gahagan Plantation Community Park features six lighted baseball fields, football/soccer fields and a playground. The Flowertown Players have been performing for over 30 years in the historic James F. Dean Community Theatre, which was built in 1935. The community theater group presents more than 90 performances each season as well as its children’s theater and young adult programs. Dorchester was a settlement of Puritans and Anglicans that at one time was the third-largest town in South Carolina. Located on 325 acres along the Ashley River, the Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site marks the colony, with the bell tower of St. George’s Anglican Church, dating back to 1751, and the fort made of oyster shells. The site offers interpretive trails with exhibits on the history of Colonial Dorchester as well as picnic areas. About 20 miles northwest of Summerville, the Francis Beidler Forest covers more than 15,000 acres and is operated by the National Audubon Society in Four Holes Swamp. The forest includes thousand-year-old trees and is a sanctuary for plants and wildlife. Visitors can walk along a 1.5-mile boardwalk trail, canoe and kayak, and tour the forest with a guide. Francis Beidler Forest also hosts special events and environmental programs for youth. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREATER SUMMERVILLE DORCHESTER COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE