In Summerville, the Norfolk Southern still rumbles down the railway tracks between Luke and Doty avenues. The soda fountain at Guerin’s, the oldest pharmacy in the state, burbles up sweet treats for smiling children, just as it has for generations. But one aspect of local life is even older than these venerable routines. As far back as 1847, Summerville’s civic leaders placed an ordinance on the books protecting the town’s grand trees. Protecting and enjoying the outdoors have been a part of life in “Flowertown in the Pines” from the very beginning. 

Indeed, the Latin motto on Summerville’s civic seal, “Sacra Pinus Esto,” says it all: “The Pine is Sacred.” Scientists and physicians believed the town’s air, “charged with the derivatives of turpentine,” had healing powers. This claim was prominently asserted on the world stage at a conference on tuberculosis treatment held in Paris in the 1890s. Soon thereafter, Summerville’s resort hotels were filled with visitors coming to rest and recuperate in the town’s cool, piney breezes. While developers built a multitude of facilities, the grande dame of these retreats was the Pine Forest Inn, which boasted tennis courts, stables, bowling, golf, a vast network of trails and even a 150-seat “rocking chair room,” considered world-class comforts in their era and proof positive that Summerville has long known how to relax and enjoy itself in style.

While the nearly 180-year-old town has grown dramatically in the past few decades, it is still a place where tradition runs as deep as the roots of a longleaf pine. Realtor Taylor Charpia was born and raised in Summerville; today, his team leads the market in luxury sales in the area, having already sold ten homes at a price of a million dollars or higher this year. While the town has a longstanding reputation for affordability, Charpia says it’s about much more than that. “Many of my clients are coming from Downtown Charleston, the Old Village in Mt. Pleasant … they’re finding historic homes, homes on acreage, where you can walk or take your golf cart downtown. For many buyers, it’s like Mt. Pleasant’s Old Village, just without the prices.”

Summerville isn’t just appealing to the wallet, though. As Realtor Roni Haskell notes, “Fewer people are coming for the price — they’re coming for community and they’re coming for the amenities.” She suggests the new Ashley River Preserve as paradigmatic of the town’s ever-growing commitment to excellent outdoor spaces. “There’s this huge river nestled right by the edge of town that we just haven’t been able to tap into for years … now there are trails, a splashpad, fishing, canoes and kayaks and more.” The opening of the new 43-acre riparian park abutting the Ashley River and Eagle Creek “serves a great diversity of people and interests,” she notes.

Summerville Parks and Recreation’s role in the community could hardly be overstated. From traditional, well-maintained downtown playgrounds like Huger Park, to the nearly seven-mile long Sawmill Branch Trail for walkers and bicyclists, to a municipal boat landing, skate park, pickleball courts, a BMX park, the tournament-grade team sports facility at Gahagan Park and more, the town provides a great quantity and wide selection of high-quality recreation opportunities for its citizens.

Old favorites in full bloom

For as many new amenities as the town enjoys, sometimes it’s the classic venues that mean the most. “Hutchinson Square is definitely my favorite greenspace in Summerville,” Charpia says, referencing the small, handsomely appointed park centrally located on South Main Street. “I’ll go, have a hot dog and a Diet Coke, and just people watch. They redid it about a decade ago, and it was a little controversial, but I think the changes are very well done.” Realtor Pam Bass gives a nod to Azalea Park, an iconic 16-acre flower-filled treasure in the heart of town. “It’s not only beautiful with its gardens, trails and sculptures, but it’s also the centerpiece of the town’s famous Flowertown Festival each spring.” 

Events like the Flowertown Festival, a springtime tradition for over 50 years that now draws crowds of hundreds of thousands, demonstrate that Summerville offers numerous good reasons to get out and have fun. “There’s the restaurant scene, lots of events like Third Thursdays (a monthly outdoor arts-and-crafts marketplace), the Italian Feast, the Flowertown Festival -- there’s always an event,” offers Charpia. “You can do as little or as much as you want.” Bass notes, “There’s a real sense of community, with local festivals, farmers markets and neighbors who know each other by name.”

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Often, this sense of community becomes the selling point. According to Haskell, the town pitches itself to prospective homebuyers: “It’s a community -- you go out to the shops, go dining, hit up a boutique and you’re going to run into friends. The culture is really strong here; it makes people want to plant deep roots. When people visit, that’s what attracts them to stay.”

“We are seeing a great mix [of people],” Bass declares regarding Summerville homebuyers. “Families moving for the schools, retirees looking for a slower pace and professionals relocating for jobs in Charleston or the Boeing and Volvo plants nearby.” But at the heart of it, she, too, notes Summerville’s “vibrant small-town feel” and “strong sense of community.” Charpia discusses what might be the simplest and surest way to showcase Summerville’s appeal: “I take clients to pregame on a Friday night football.” 

From sleepy hamlet to thriving hub

Of course, there’s more to Summerville than the charming Victorian homes that encircle the orderly downtown commercial district — there’s even more than Green Wave football. There’d have to be: From a population of less than 6,500 in 1980, to roughly 22,500 at the turn of the millennium, to more than 50,000 residents today, the once-tiny burg has grown to cover much more territory than in its recent past. “The roads are catching up,” Haskell says. “The infrastructure is coming online. Dorchester and Berkeley County schools are in full growth mode around Summerville, and new parks and recreation opportunities are on the way. It’s all finally really catching up to years of steady growth.” Charpia went even further: “We’ve been blessed with really good leadership, a council and mayor who are willing to make a lot of significant investment in the town.”

Bass notes the result of such wise leadership. “It’s gone from a quaint small town to a thriving hub with shopping, dining and master-planned communities — but it’s done so thoughtfully.” She points to neighborhoods like The Summit and Gadsden Manor for their large lots, established landscapes and accessibility to the town’s historic core. Further afield? “Nexton or Summers Corner … they’ve really mastered the concept of lifestyle communities.”

“Water! That’s what buyers want,” says Haskell. The area’s newest neighborhoods boast some truly enviable high-end aquatic amenities. To wit: The Club at Summers Corner is less a community pool and more a nexus of watery fun plucked from some sunny, five-star all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean. Two giant waterslides tower over a giant beach-entry pool, a splash park for little ones, an adults-only pool with a “Tikihut” bar (one of three at the site) and a covered gathering space with fire pits. Haskell also points to new facilities at Carnes Crossroads, such as “The Perch” (another resort-style community pool) and “The Lake House,” a handsome farmhouse-style amenity center with a cafe, meeting spaces, and even a farm store for community-grown produce.

Really, it feels like things have come full circle. Summerville first found fame during its golden age of resorts, when an appreciation for leisurely living, taking time to walk amongst the pines, and having a vigorous swim made the most of the outdoors, defined the era. In our own time, the legacy lives on. These activities (and many more) aren’t just part of a seasonal vacation; for an increasing number of Summerville homebuyers, they’re an integral part of everyday life.