Step back to a place in time…
Sumter…home of the famous Revolutionary War hero, Gen. Thomas Sumter, the "Fighting Gamecock." Sumter… Scene of one of the last battles of the Civil War—the Battle of Dingle’s Mill. The Sumter County Museum invites you to stroll through our gates and experience life in an elegantly restored Edwardian house built in 1916 by the Moses and Phelps families and given by the Williams-Brice estate in 1972 to become a museum. Inside you’ll see one of the finest textile collections in the state. Take in the breadth of our decorative arts and fine art collections. View a splendid military history exhibit documenting American struggles during the 20th century. Linger in our period rooms and imagine life at a slower pace—days filled with the best of Southern hospitality. Listen as you view our exhibit of tools and implements used in everyday life for the past two centuries and you may hear long-silent voices telling of the hard work and determination it took to build our country. Step back to a place in time and gain a new perspective on your place in time. Celebrate history with us at the Sumter County Museum.

Carolina Backcountry Homestead

Stroll across the lawn to our Carolina Backcountry Homestead.
This recreated homestead plays host to our many annual events, including several living history events. Included in our Homestead are a log cabin, settler’s house, a smokehouse, barn, commissary, loomhouse, outhouse, blacksmith shop, and gardens.

The Settler’s house and the Commissary are original buildings and were built between 1812 and 1836. These two buildings were donated by the Rollings family and moved to the museum property in 1990.

The remaining buildings in the Carolina Backcountry Homestead were built from materials salvaged from derelict buildings around Sumter County.

Gardens in the Homestead have been planted with herbs and vegetables representative of those which would have been grown in the Carolina Backcountry between 1750 and 1850. The Sumter County Herb Society plants and maintains the herb and dye gardens for the museum.

The vegetable garden is planted with heirloom varieties that pre-date 1850. Among the more popular are Turkey Gizzard beans, true Hubbard squash, Healing squash, and White okra. In the winter you can find the garden planted with vegetables such as cabbages, turnips, and onions.

Gardens

The Martha Brice Gardens
Linger for awhile in the gardens that surround the Museum. Listen to the birds and the trickle of water as it splashes over the fountain and into the fishpond.

Nationally renowned landscape designer Robert Marvin designed the original gardens at the museum in the early 1960’s. Today, Marvin's design can still be seen in the curving walkways and plant groupings. The gardens contain dozens of azaleas and camellias, along with magnolias, dogwoods, and many other trees. Towering above this lovely garden are huge 100 year old pecan trees that have grown to over 60 feet high. It's a beautiful place to spend a few quiet minutes.

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