Looking for Blogs and Articles about Summerton, S.C. - Draft

If you’re looking for blogs and articles about Summerton, there are several useful online resources covering its history, civil rights legacy, Lake Marion, local attractions, and small-town life. Here are some of the best places to start.

Blogs specifically about Summerton, SC

1. Summerton S.C. Blog

Best site for: Local history, community life, tourism, and outdoor recreation.

The Summerton S.C. Blog⁠ features articles about Summerton and the surrounding Santee Cooper Lake Country.

Recommended blogs or articles include:

• Brief Historical Sketch of Summerton (1889): A historical account of the town’s early development.
• Notable Historic Sites Around Summerton: A guide to historic buildings, landmarks, and Revolutionary War sites.
• Historic Summerton in the 1900s: Important events that shaped the town during the twentieth century.
• Nature, Wildlife & Outdoor Activities in Abundance: An overview of the area’s outdoor attractions.
• Canoeing & Kayaking Around Lake Marion: Information about paddling and exploring local waterways.

2. Historic Summerton, SC, Web Site

Best for: Detailed local Clarendon County history and related research.

The Historic Summerton website⁠ explores the town’s origins, historic buildings, local families, and significant events.

Topics include:

• The founding and development of Summerton.
• The history of local railroads and businesses.
• Historical photographs and documents.
• Summerton’s role in the American civil rights movement.
• The history of Clarendon County.

The site also references Summerton SC: Past, Present & Future, a book about the town and its development.

3. Articles about Summerton’s Civil Rights history

Summerton holds an important place in American history because of the local school desegregation lawsuit that helped lead to the landmark Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education.

Learn all about Briggs v. Elliott

The 1951 case, Briggs v. Elliott, challenged racial segregation and unequal educational opportunities in Clarendon County, South Carolina. It became one of the cases consolidated into the landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision.

You can learn more through these resources:

• Town of Summerton — Historic Places⁠: Information about local historic sites and landmarks connected to the case.
• Historic Summerton — History of the 1900s⁠: A timeline of important local events, including the lawsuit.
• Summerton S.C. Blog — Historic Summerton in the 1900s⁠: An overview of significant events in the town’s history.

These resources are especially useful for anyone writing about Summerton’s contribution to the civil rights movement.

4. Summerton wildlife and outdoor recreation web site

Best for: Tourism, fishing, boating, wildlife, and outdoor lifestyles.

The Summerton area offers access to Lake Marion, various waterways, nature trails, and wildlife habitats. Summerton S.C. blogs and outdoor recreation article⁠ discuss the area’s natural attractions and recreational opportunities.

Other useful resources include:

• Santee National Wildlife Refuge — Wildlife observation, bird watching, and nature exploration. Visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website⁠.
• Santee State Park — Camping, fishing, boating, and lakeside recreation. See South Carolina State Parks⁠.
• Taw Caw Creek Park — A local waterfront area for boating and enjoying the outdoors.

These sources are useful for articles about tourism, outdoor recreation, lake living, and the natural beauty of Clarendon County.

5. Local news and community articles

Town of Summerton official website

Best for: Official town information, community developments, and local landmarks.

The Town of Summerton's official website⁠ provides information about the town, its history, and local government.

It’s a good starting point for researching municipal developments and community initiatives.

 

6. The Sumter Item

Best for: Regional news and reporting about the surrounding area.

The The Sumter Item covers news from the broader Sumter area, including subjects that may be relevant to Summerton and Clarendon County.

Visit The Sumter Item⁠ and search for:

• Summerton, SC
• Clarendon County
• Lake Marion
• Local government
• Education and community events

Lake Marion Artisans 2nd Annual Art Competition - 2020

Unfortunately, the Lake Marion Artisans 2nd Annual Art Competition has been postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis.


The Lake Marion Artisans (LMA) had kicked off their 2^nd Annual Art Competition. Unfortunately, it has now been postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The judging and exhibition of local artworks were to be held in the June-July 2020 timeframe at their art gallery in downtown Summerton, S.C. New dates will be announced when we know more.

There will be three categories of works – Paintings, Photography, and 3-Dimensional Artworks, e.g. jewelry, ceramics, fabric art... The winner in each category will receive a Blue Ribbon and a cash award of $250.

The theme for this years’ art competition is ‘Lake Marion – History and Nature’. By this, we mean your painting, sketch, photograph, sculpture… must relate to the history or nature found around Lake Marion, S.C. The artworks ought to be focused on historical sites, historical figures, historical events, local wildlife, birds, landscapes… linked to Summerton, ClarendonCounty, or Lake Marion. Artworks can be abstract, impressionistic, contemporary, realistic, surreal…

Eligibility/Contestants – The competition is open to all members of the Lake Marion Artisans (LMA) and other residents of Clarendon County, S.C. There will be no entrance fee for LMA members. Non-members will be required to pay an entrance fee of $10. Artists can submit one artwork in each of the three categories to be judged.

Since annual membership dues are only $30, applicants might want to consider joining the Lake Marion Artisans (LMA) for a year to take advantage of the many benefits and activities open to our members. See link to Levels of Membership

All entries for the Art Competition must be submitted to the art gallery by June 1, 2020.

Art Submission Specifications

• Paintings includes oil, acrylic, watercolor, charcoal, sketches… on canvas, paper… and should be mounted and/or framed appropriately for display.
• Photographs can be printed on paper, canvas, metal… and should be framed and/or mounted appropriately for display.
• 3-Dimensional artworks include jewelry, ceramics, fabric art, stained glass…
• All entries must be original, new artworks that havn’t been displayed at a gallery previously. There is no size limit, particular type of paint, or style.
• Three entries may be submitted per member. It can include one in each category.
• A brief 1 paragraph biography and label should accompany each submission containing containing your name, a brief bio (2-3 lines), phone number, email address, title of the work, medium, and price - if the work is for sale. A number will be assigned to each artwork by the contest committee to be used for voting purposes.

Judging

• Judging criteria used to select the winner include: creativity, originality, quality of work, and how well it relates to the theme.
• The artworks will be judged and voted on by an invited independent judge(s) from the local art community who are not members of the Lake Marion Artisans. Winners in each category will receive a Blue Ribbon and $250 cash award.
• Visitors to the art gallery will be allowed to cast a vote for their favorite ‘People Choice’ artwork and are asked to make a $1 donation to the Lake Marion Artisans, if possible. A ribbon will be presented to the 'People's Choice' winner.
• The votes will be submitted to the LMA Board of Directors during the last week of June. They will tally the votes and the winners will be notified by July 1, 2020.

Awards

• The winners of the three categories the art competition – Painting, Photography, and 3D Artworks – will receive a certificate and a check for $250.
• The certificate and cash award will be presented to the winners at a reception to be held at 5 pm on July 12, 2020, at the Lake Marion Artisans gallery in downtown Summerton.

Exhibit

• All artworks submitted in the art competition must be delivered to the art gallery by June 1, 2020. New dates will be announced when we know more.
• All artworks submitted are committed to be on display in the art gallery for a month long show during June-July 2020. Artworks will not be removed until after the art show is over. New dates will be announced when we know more.

Liability – LMA will not be held liable for damage or theft of any artworks on display in the art gallery. Artists may insure their works on their own if they choose.

Reception

• A small reception will be held for all artists and family members at the LMA art gallery in downtown Summerton at 5 pm on July 17, 2020. New dates will be announced when we know more.
• The winners of the art competition will be announced at the reception where they will receive their award. Refreshments will be provided.

Honoring Winners of the Lake Marion Artisans 2019 Art Competition

The Lake Marion Artisans in Summerton held a reception this week for the many local artists who participated in the 1^st Annual Lake Marion Artisans Gallery (LMAG) Art Competition. The winners of the competition were introduced, honored, and received a Blue Ribbon and substantial cash award.

Appropriately, the theme of this year’s LMAG 2019 Art Competition was ‘Lake Marion’. There were two categories of artworks being judged – (1) Paintings and (2) Photography. This meant the submitted paintings, sketches, photographs… had to relate to Lake Marion, S.C. The artworks had to be about the lake – e.g. being on the lake, around the lake, by the lake, fishing on the lake, boating, piers, sunsets, wildlife around the lake, abstract, impressionistic…

Our three judges were Cedric Liqueur who heads up ‘4 Main’, Anne Darby one of the founders of the Lake Marion Artisans, and Bucky Brailsford the Director of Public Works for Summerton. In addition to the ‘Judges Choice’, visitors to the art gallery were allowed to cast their vote for the ‘People’s Choice’ for best photograph and painting over the past month. Next year we hope to add another category to the competition for 3D artworks, e.g. Ceramics, Sculpture, Jewelry.

Lake Marion Art Gallery (LMAG) 2019 Art Competition Winners Judges Choice Best Painting: Anhinga Bird by Sharon Phelps Best Photograph: Boy At The Lake by Mary Wilson People’s Choice Best Painting: Heron Building Nest by Marlise Guilleraut Best Photograph: Canal At Goat Island by Peter Groen

If you plan on being in Summerton sometime this month, swing by the Lake Marion Artisans Gallery (LMAG) and check out the show. The artworks will be ondisplay through the end of July 2019. Also, don’t forget to go online and visit the Lake Marion Artisans web site and read the Lake Marion Artisans Weekly News.

If you are interested in supporting the local arts community, consider becoming a member for only $30 a year. Your LMAG membership dues go towards maintaining the art gallery and supporting some of the many local community activities and events in town.

Lake Marion Artisans 2019 Art Competition and Show

The Lake Marion Artisans (LMAG) is holding a local Art Competition this year with judging and exhibition of submitted works to be held in July 2019 at their art gallery in downtown Summerton, S.C. Appropriately, the theme of the Art Competition is ‘Lake Marion’. There are two categories of works – (1) Paintings and (2) Photography. The winner in each category will receive a certificate and a cash award of $250.

The theme for the art competition is ‘Lake Marion’. By this, we mean the submitted painting, sketch, photograph… must relate to Lake Marion, S.C. This means it ought to be a painting or picture must be about the lake – being on the lake, around the lake, by the lake, fishing on the lake, boating, piers, sunsets, wildlife around the lake, abstract, impressionistic…

If you plan on being in Summerton during June-July 2019, swing by the Lake Marion Artisans Gallery (LMAG) and check out the show. The following are photos of some of the works on display. You can also cast your vote for the ‘People’s Choice’ award for the best artwork.

Lake Marion Art Gallery (LMAG) 2019 Art Competition Winners: Judges Choice Best Painting: Anhinga Bird by Sharon Phelps Best Photograph: Boy At The Lake by Mary Wilson People’s Choice Best Painting: Heron Building Nest by Marlise Guilleraut Best Photograph: Canal At Goat Island by Peter Groen

Brief History of the Town of Santee, S.C.

The Town of Santee, located in Orangeburg County, was officially chartered over 70 years ago in 1949. The town’s first mayor, Jimmy Smith, was elected in 1949 and didn’t vacate his office until 1972. Unfortunately, there are no minutes documenting any town meetings during those first 22 years of its existence. The town's current mayor, Donnie Hilliard, has served as Santee's mayor for the past eight years.

With the advent of the automobile in the early part of the 1900's, increased pressure grew to provide for more convenient and passable roadways across the state. In 1927, a bridge was built over 'the river' between the neighboring towns of Summerton and Santee. This led to the subsequent intersection of US 301 and SC 15 with SC Highway 6 in Santee. This laid the groundwork for the future growth of this town on beautiful Lake Marion, SC. 

Back in the late 1940's, Santee was just a crossroad with two or three restaurants and some stores. Because a lot of folks from the North were coming through on their way South to Florida, it was not long before a number of small motels started to be built along Highways 301 and 15, by Lake Marion. Remember, this was long before Interstate highway I-95 was constructed.

In those early times, the town didn’t have the right to sell alcohol to travelers. In order to be able to sell alcohol in South Carolina back then, you had to be an incorporated community. So the local hotel, restaurant, and store owners got together and petitioned to officially incorporate the Town of Santee, so they could sell alcohol to visitors. The rest is history.

Up through the 1950's, the primary occupation in the Santee area was farming. It wasn't until the 1960's that Santee began to give serious attention to the potential economic impact of travel and tourism on the town's future. By the early 1970s, in anticipation of the opening of I-95 running by Santee, more motels, restaurants and businesses had begun to be built on SC Route 6 that passes through the town.

In the mid-1970s the town government and its local business leaders started working together to secure federal funds to plan for and install central water and sewer systems. Bringing in central water and sewer, along with the completion of the I-95 bridge span across Lake Marion, signaled a new era of growth and development for the Santee community.

Though its now a far cry from the little crossroads community that it was in the early 1940's, Santee still retains its small town feel, while proudly focusing on its new motto as an 'Oasis of Recreation' on the banks of Lake Marion. Today visitors come to play golf, boat, fish, camp, hike, and observe the abundant wildlife inhabiting the area. 

 

It appears the most complete history of the town can be found in the book “Cotton Fields to Golf Courses – A Pictorial History of Elloree and Santee.” written by members of the Garden Club in nearby Elloree. Also, be sure to read the Orangeburg T&D Newspaper article "Santee to Celebrate 70th Birthday" and the Town of Santee 2018 Comprehensive Plan, 

 

 

Spring Flowers in Clarendon County, S.C.

FLOWERS ARE BLOOMING EVERYWHERE

     Flowers are blooming everywhere! Riding around the area you can see late Daffodils, Azaleas just starting to bloom, native Shad Bush and the invasive Chinese Wisteria.  Although the Chinese Wisteria is beautiful at this time of year, it is invasive and covers trees, weighting them down and reducing their ability to photosynthesize. Below are pictures from the Santee National Wildlife Refuge of Shad Bush, Toadflax, and one of the Zephrantes lilies.  We have two species of the Zephrantes lilies at the Santee National Wildlife Refuge "Native Plant Garden", one is the typical one growing in low shady areas in Clarendon County, and the other is adapted to dryer areas.

Everyone is invited to come visit the Santee National Wildlife Refuge and see our collection of native plants and flowers. You might also want to check out the following local web sites: Summerton Nature & Outdoor Recreation and the Pink Dogwood Garden Club.

Lake Marion Artisans – Local Art Competition 2019

The Lake Marion Artisans (LMAG) will be holding an Art Competition this year with judging and exhibition of submitted works to be held in July 2019 at their art gallery in downtown Summerton, S.C. Appropriately, the theme of the Art Competition will be ‘Lake Marion’. There will be two categories of works – (1) Paintings and (2) Photography. The winner in each category will receive a certificate and a cash award of $250.

The theme for the art competition is ‘Lake Marion’. By this, we mean your painting, sketch, photograph… must relate to Lake Marion, S.C. This means it ought to be a painting or picture of the lake – being on the lake, around the lake, by the lake, fishing on the lake, boating, piers, sunsets, wildlife around the lake, abstract, impressionistic…

Eligibility/Contestants – The competition is open to all members of the Lake Marion Artisans (LMAG) and other residents of Clarendon County, S.C. There will be no entrance fee for LMAG members. Non-members will be required to pay an entrance fee of $15. Since annual membership dues are $30, applicants might want to consider joining the Lake Marion Artisans for a year to take advantage of the many benefits and activities open to our members. See link to Levels of Membership

All entries for the Art Competition must be submitted to the art gallery by June 1, 2019.

Art Submission Specifications

• Paintings includes oil, acrylic, watercolor, charcoal, sketches… on canvas, paper… and should be mounted and/or framed appropriately for display.
• Photographs can be printed on paper, canvas, metal… and should be framed and/or mounted appropriately for display.
• All entries must be original new work that hasn’t been displayed at the gallery previously. No size limit, particular type of paint or style.
• Two entries may be submitted per member. It can include one in each category.
• A brief 1 page biography and label should accompany each submission containing containing your name, a brief bio (2-3 lines), phone number, email address, title of the work, medium, and price if the work is for sale. A number will be assigned to each artwork by the contest committee to be used for voting purposes.

Judging

• Judging criteria used to select the winner include: creativity, originality, quality of work, and how well it relates to the theme.
• The artworks will be judged and voted on by each of the members of the Lake Marion Artisans (LMAG), as well as invited judges from the local art community who are not members.
• Visitors to the art gallery will be allowed to cast a vote for their favorite artwork and are asked to make a $1 donation to the Lake Marion Artisans if possible. A ribbon will be presented to the 'People's Choice' winner.
• The votes will be submitted to the LMAG Board of Directors during the last week of June. They will then tally the votes and the winner will be announced on July 1, 2019.

Awards

• The winners of the two categories the art competition – Painting and Photography – will receive a certificate and a check for $250.
• The certificate and cash award will be presented to the winners at a reception to be held at 5 pm on July 12, 2019, at the Lake Marion Art Gallery in downtown Summerton.

Exhibit

• All artworks submitted in the art competition must be delivered to the art gallery by June 1, 2019.
• All artworks submitted are committed to be on display in the art gallery for a month long show during July 2019. Artworks will not be removed until after the art show is over.

Liability – LMAG will not be held liable for damage or theft of any artworks on display in the art gallery. Artists may insure their works on their own if they choose.

Reception

• A small reception will be held for all artists and family members at the LMAG art gallery in downtown Summerton at 5 pm on July 12, 2019.
• The winners of the art competition will be announced at the reception where they will receive their award. Refreshments will be provided.