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Summerville, South Carolina
Summerville is a town of 51,654 people in Berkeley County, South Carolina, founded in 1847.
Why visit Summerville
Townapedia lists 11 museums and landmarks, 18 parks and trails, 117 places to eat, 21 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include The James F. Dean Community Theater, Regal Azalea Square, Dorchester and Old White Meeting House Ruins and Cemetery.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90°F; January lows average 34°F.
Weather in Summerville
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Summerville
Summerville is a town in the U.S. state of South Carolina situated mostly in Dorchester County, with small portions in Berkeley and Charleston Counties. It lies about 5 miles from the Ashley River. Its population was 50,915 at the 2020 census, making it the seventh-most populous city in South Carolina. It is part of the Charleston metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Summerville, South Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks11
Dorchester
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
Colonial-era settlement, abandoned in 1751.
Old White Meeting House Ruins and Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Archaeological site in South Carolina, United States
Summerville Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic district in Summerville, South Carolina, U.S.A.
Summerville Museum & Research Center
Museum · 1.0 mi
100 E. Doty Ave, Summerville
Th-Su 10:00-16:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds18
Hutchinson Square
Park · 1.0 mi
Located right in the heart of downtown Summerville, Hutchinson Square is a popular venue for events, concerts, and festivals. Features...
Pine Trace Park Office
Park · 2.0 mi
303 Chandler Creek Road, Summerville
Mo-Su 08:00-07:00
6 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes117
Coastal Coffee Roasters
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Sandwich, Breakfast · 1.3 mi
108 East 3rd North Street, Summerville
Mo-Sa 07:00-14:00
IHOP
Restaurant · Breakfast, Pancake · 2.3 mi
1217 North Main Street, Summerville
Mo-Th 07:00-24:00; Fr,Sa 00:00-24:00; Su 07:00-24:00
Laura
Restaurant · Italian · 1.0 mi
101 North Main Street, Summerville
Su 11:00-21:30; Mo-Th 16:00-21:30; Fr, Sa 12:00-22:00
Oscar’s
Diner · American · 1.6 mi
207 West 5th North Street
Su 11:00-20:00; Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr, Sa 11:00-22:00
Sunrise Bistro Summerville
Restaurant · Brunch · 0.7 mi
110 Miles Jamison Road
Su 09:00-14:00; Tu-Sa 07:00-14:00
Yokoso Japanese Steakhouse Summerville
Restaurant · Steak House · 1.4 mi
106 Parkway Avenue, Summerville
Mo 17:00-22:00; Tu-Th 11:30-22:00; Fr 11:30-22:30; Sa 12:00-22:30;...
Shuckin' Shack Oyster Bar
Restaurant · Seafood · 0.9 mi
114 Central Avenue, Summerville
Mo-Su 11:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-23:00
105 more on the map.
History
The first settlement in Summerville began after the American Revolutionary War; it was called Pineland Village in 1785. Development in the area resulted from plantation owners who resided in the Charleston area and came to Summerville to escape seasonal insects and their attendant swamp fever. The founder, John Micheal Guy, was born in Charleston and decided to establish the town based on the aforementioned reasons.
Summerville became an official town on December 17, 1847. That year, the town passed a law against cutting down trees, the nation's first such law, and a $25 fine ($863.80 in 2025) was issued to anyone who did so without permission. The town's official seal reads "Sacra Pinus Esto (The Pine is Sacred)".
The 1886 Charleston earthquake affected Summerville, which resulted in a fire that reduced many of the buildings in the town square to ruins. During this earthquake, the Old White Meeting House Ruins and Cemetery, located near Summerville, was also destroyed. Today, Summerville is located within the Middleton Place-Summerville seismic zone, which is the most active seismic zone in South Carolina.
From the History section of Summerville, South Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay21
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Summerville
Motel and hotel · 3.3 mi
1657 North Main Street, Summerville
Churches and places of worship43
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Place of worship · Jehovahs Witness · 1.3 mi
1308 South Main Street, Summerville
Boone Hill United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 2.3 mi
801 801 Boone Hill Road, Summerville
Baum Temple African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Church · African Methodist Episcopal Zion · 1.9 mi
Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church
Church · African Methodist Episcopal · 1.4 mi
Shopping42
Gas and EV charging19
Schools, colleges and libraries51
Dorchester County Public Library Summerville Branch
Library · 0.6 mi
76 Old Trolley Road, Summerville
Healthcare12
Roper St. Francis Express Care
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.2 mi
1114 North Main Street, Summerville
MUSC Children's Health After Hours Care - Summerville
Clinic and pharmacy · 3.2 mi
Map of Summerville
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F | 34°F | 3.6 in |
| Feb | 62°F | 37°F | 3.3 in |
| Mar | 68°F | 42°F | 3.9 in |
| Apr | 76°F | 50°F | 3.5 in |
| May | 82°F | 59°F | 3.5 in |
| Jun | 87°F | 67°F | 5.6 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 71°F | 6.8 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 70°F | 6.2 in |
| Sep | 85°F | 65°F | 5.9 in |
| Oct | 77°F | 53°F | 4.1 in |
| Nov | 68°F | 42°F | 3.0 in |
| Dec | 61°F | 37°F | 3.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Summerville 4W Hcn (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Berkeley County has had 27 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-29: Hurricane Helene (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-29: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-05: Hurricane Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2023-08-31: Hurricane Idalia (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Charleston International Airport (CHS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Ladson 4 mi east, about 6 min by car
- North Charleston 9 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Goose Creek 10 mi east, about 16 min by car
- Hanahan 11 mi southeast, about 18 min by car
- Charleston 17 mi southeast, about 27 min by car
- Moncks Corner 17 mi northeast, about 28 min by car
- Mount Pleasant 23 mi southeast, about 37 min by car
- James Island 23 mi southeast, about 37 min by car
- Beaufort 49 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Orangeburg 52 mi northwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Downtown Summerville SC, Lee Keadle, CC BY 1.0
- Largest live oak in Summerville SC - panoramio, RJ Matthews, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Victorian in Summerville SC - panoramio, RJ Matthews, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Victorian in Summerville SC - panoramio (1), RJ Matthews, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chapel in Summerville SC - panoramio, RJ Matthews, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Original Kmart Summerville, SC (7978615408), Mike Kalasnik from Fort Mill, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Bed and Breakfast - panoramio, RJ Matthews, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Camelia in bloom - panoramio, RJ Matthews, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Looking up - panoramio (4), RJ Matthews, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Episcopal Church - panoramio, RJ Matthews, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Pink window house - panoramio, Mark Cowell, CC BY 3.0
- Chapel - panoramio (10), RJ Matthews, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Blue House - panoramio (5), RJ Matthews, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ISS013-E-26327 - View of South Carolina, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS034-E-64401 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-105878 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-105880 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-105879 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS050-E-51367 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS012-E-18087 - View of North Carolina, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS036-E-8393 - View of South Carolina, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS034-E-64400 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- PonsBrooks 20231119, Brandon Ghany / Horizon Productions SFL, Public domain
- C2022E3 021423, Brandon Ghany / Horizon Productions SFL, Public domain
- NGC7331 & SN2025rbs – 2025-07-27 – V2 (54754867045), horizon_productions_sfl, CC0
- C2022E3 012423, Brandon Ghany / Horizon Productions SFL, Public domain
- NGC7331 & SN2025rbs – 2025-07-27 – V1 (54754850215), horizon_productions_sfl, CC0
- IPad Pro M4 11-inch, Unknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 120925e 0507 Old White Meeting House Ruins and Cemetery Peer Thru Trees At Headstones, Lazyksaw, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 120925c 0544 Old White Meeting House Ruins and Cemetery and Gate Wide View From Left, Lazyksaw, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 120925d 0545 Old White Meeting House Ruins and Cemetery Cemetery Wide View, Lazyksaw, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 120925a 0540 Old White Meeting House Ruins and Cemetery View From Street, Lazyksaw, CC BY-SA 3.0
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