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Historic Charm, Modern Living Meet in Summerville, SC

Summerville, SC, is a picturesque low country community that offers historic charm plus modern amenities like fiber internet.

By Livability.com on March 28, 2023

A city park in Summerville, South Carolina.
iStock.com

Summerville, SC, is a picturesque low country community that has grown rapidly in recent years to a city of about 50,000 people who enjoy an affordable, attractive lifestyle that offers good schools, reasonable home prices, a vibrant local economy, and lots to do, including proximity to beaches, marsh, woods, lakes and rivers.

Summerville has long been regarded as one of the Palmetto State’s most desirable locations, a reputation that now extends well beyond its own borders.

One thing that draws people to Summerville is the flowering azaleas that put on a spectacular show every spring. There are historic plantations here that boast a legacy as the first places azaleas and camellias were grown commercially in the United States some 200 years ago. (For nearly 50 years, the Flowertown Festival has been an annual highlight that has grown into the state’s largest arts and crafts festival and attracts about 200,000 visitors a year.)

Summerville was once a retreat for Charleston families escaping the simmering summers, and became a city in its own right in 1847. Now, the city has its own historic district with hundreds of buildings dating to that era, and a downtown business district replete with old-school shops and stores and trendy restaurants.

The City is Connected, in Old Ways and New

Summerville’s attractions also include its convenience for travel. The city is about 25 miles from Charleston to the east and 25 miles to Interstate 95 to the west. I-26 traverses South Carolina from the iconic Ravenel Bridge at Charleston to the capital city of Columbia about 100 miles away and another 100 miles or so to the North Carolina border.  

Charleston International Airport hosts the four largest national airlines and multiple smaller carriers that together provide nonstop service to about 70 destinations, and together with the Port of Charleston help make the area a prime spot for global businesses to locate and expand. 

Of course, no city can thrive going forward without good digital infrastructure. For that, Summerville and surrounding areas of Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley counties can rely on Home Telecom and its high-speed fiber internet network that provides those working, streaming and gaming, and learning from home — along with area businesses and schools — with competitively priced internet service that can rival that available in any major market.

Live in Summerville, Work at a Great Company Nearby

Charleston quickly grew into a hub of international business from its earliest days and now Summerville, once an outpost for Charlestonians to escape the confines of the city, now is a residential center for employees working for a vast array of businesses large and small.

The area’s largest employers include Boeing and its 787 Dreamliner assembly plant, the Volvo Cars Manufacturing Plant, and auto parts maker Bosch. Mercedes-Benz has a van assembly plant here while other major employers include Dorchester County School District Two and its staff of nearly 2,000 people. Roper St. Francis Healthcare employs more than 1,500 professionals at its multiple locations in and around Summerville and the Trident Health System has more than 1,000 staff members at its hospital and clinics here.

High-tech businesses like Google and multiple software companies, along with a robust retail and hospitality environment, add diversity and vibrancy to the growing workforce in the Summerville community. (And robust internet service from Home Telecom makes it possible for anyone to work from home.) 

Natural Wonders Found in Seaside Access, Swamps and Marshes

Summerville has long been the gateway to the low country, that fabled region of the Palmetto State that stretches from the southern end of the Grand Strand (anchored by Myrtle Beach in its center) down to Hilton Head and the Georgia border.

This is an area of deep cultural significance, with its Sea Island history of rice planting and rich Gullah heritage that still lives and breathes in many locations. Its marshes and swamps still offer beauty and mystery and beaches at the Isle of Palms, county parks and Edisto Island State Park are a short drive for Summerville residents.

There are also numerous trails through and around woods, marsh and swamp, including for those who like to venture out on foot or by kayak and canoe. The area also provides outstanding hunting opportunities, as well as fishing options for freshwater and saltwater anglers from the legendary Santee Cooper lakes, home of the nation’s first inland striped bass fishery, through shallows and creeks of the marshes out to deep sea ventures.

Living Near Charleston Has Its Charms

Location, location, location are the three most important things in real estate, and Summerville offers easy access to one of the most charming cities in America. Downtown Charleston is just 25 miles away and you can get there quickly via I-26, or by driving down local highways that pass some of the most visitable colonial plantations in America.

Magnolia Gardens, Middleton Plantation and Drayton Hall are located along the Ashley River and offer very different experiences to visitors, each in its own evocative and picturesque way.

Then there’s Charleston itself, where the Ashley River meets the Cooper River to form Charleston Harbor, where the houses of Rainbow Row still grace the Battery and Fort Sumter still oversees the entrance from the sea while hosting thousands of ferry-ferried visitors a year.

Charleston is host to many of America’s firsts, including museums and churches for several denominations that help the town earn the nickname “the Holy City.”  

Along with annually being recognized as one of America’s most polite cities, Charleston also has become an internationally recognized foodie town and a shopping mecca for those who like to stroll while they browse. And for those who live in Summerville, it’s easy to eat and run … back home. 

Home Telecom Fiber Provides Summerville’s Digital Backbone

Home-grown Home Telecom provides the fiber-based digital backbone that Summerville-area residents, businesses, first responders and schools depend on for around-the-clock connectivity to each other and the world.

That includes internet speeds of up to 2 Gigabit per second through the 100% fiber-based network. That’s up to 20 times faster than traditional copper lines and enough to support multiple streaming devices in the home and the most demanding, data-hungry applications in the workplace.

Along with the choice of service tiers designed to fit each customer’s individual internet needs, Home Telecom delivers cable TV, home telephone and security services at prices that easily compete with national providers.

Home Telecom is a locally owned operator with a record of more than 100 years of service. More than 200 professionals provide the support and commitment to personal service that friends and neighbors expect from their hometown provider. 

Summerville’s small-town charm, big-city amenities, thriving local economy, and surrounding natural settings make it an ideal location to settle and stay. Home Telecom ensures everyone has access to the digital connections they need now and going forward into a bright future together.

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