Co-Working Space in Sumter, SC

Swans, irises, and a Chocolate Garden? Welcome to Sumter.

Sumter, South Carolina has two big landmarks, Sandy Tomlinson—a retired teacher and long-time Sumter resident—says. The first is the town’s 125-year-old opera house with a stately clock tower that informs residents of the time from all four sides. The second is the world-famous Swan Lake Iris Gardens.

Swan Lake Iris Gardens is not your typical small-town botanical garden, though it certainly retains all of the charm and friendly feel. In fact, it’s the only public park in the United States where bird-lovers can find all eight species of swan. “It may be the only place in the whole world,” Sandy says, who dedicates her time to the continued beautification of the gardens on the Friends of Swan Lake Board.

The prolific garden spans 150 acres in downtown Sumter and plays host to Bewick’s Swans, Black (Australian) Swans, Black-Necked Swans, Coscoroba Swans, Mute Swans, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans (also known as Whistling Swans), and Whooper Swans, all intentionally brought to South Carolina with the goal of cultivating a haven for swans. The eight species have now inhabited Swan Lake for decades and bring forth dozens of cygnets (baby swans) each spring. It’s not an uncommon sight for a mother swan (female swans are called “pens”) to cart her babies around the lake on her back come April and May.

The park was gifted to the town in 1949 under very specific instructions by two prominent businessmen: No one would ever be charged to visit Swan Lake. If at any time the agreement was broken, the land would return to the families of Hamilton Carr Bland and A.T. Heath, Sr.

Hamilton Carr Bland played another very important role in the garden’s renaissance, though he didn’t quite know it at the time. In fact, we covered his “lovely mistake” in our May 1998 issue of Southern Living.

An avid fisherman, Swan Lake once served as Mr. Bland’s private retreat. He purchased swampland adjacent to West Liberty Street with the hope of turning it into a fishing pond. He built up the banks with clippings and constructed little islands. Mr. Bland had also tried to landscape 30 acres of his home with Japanese iris bulbs—a disastrous failure. When they didn’t bloom, in 1927, the frustrated businessman had his gardener dig up the bulbs and throw them into the swamp.

Come spring, the Japanese irises burst forth from their watery grave, creating an “accidental garden” of purple and yellow hues. Visitors to Swan Lake Iris Gardens can now see over 120 varieties of iris painting the garden with colorful strokes in late spring. The irises are widely celebrated each year at Sumter’s Iris Festival over Memorial Day weekend, which holds the title of South Carolina’s longest-running continuous festival (81 years in 2023).

In addition to a spray of irises, Swan Lake Iris Gardens comes alive with camellias, hydrangeas, lilies, azaleas, daylilies, and Japanese magnolias—a small sampling of the garden’s 172 plant species. For each season, there is beauty to behold, Sandy says. In the winter, the city plants pansies to liven up the half-mile walk around the lake. In addition, the Friends of Swan Lake Board has implemented interactive learning stations throughout the park to help visitors understand the unique flora and fauna.

“Cyprus knees stick up all around the edge of the water,” Sandy says. “When the spring starts, there is light green surrounding the trees. In the fall, those little green leaves turn a beautiful golden color.”

Swan Lake Iris Gardens is a horticultural paradise, and not just for the irises. On your walk around the lake, you’ll find side paths to visit the Butterfly Garden—planted to draw in one of the South’s most valuable pollinators—and the quirky Chocolate Garden.

Established in 2009, the Chocolate Garden is a labor of love from Sumter’s Master Gardeners, who care for the space voluntarily. The gardeners have planted chocolate cherry tomatoes, chocolate mini bell peppers, and chocolate corn, all vegetables with chocolate-colored qualities. Some of the flowers and herbs smell “chocolatey,” as well, like Chocolate Daisy, Chocolate Mint, and Chocolate Cosmos. (The list of chocolate-themed plants continues.) This creative addition to Swan Lake Iris Gardens is even brightened up with “white chocolate, strawberry, and banana-colored selections,” the garden’s website states, to present a jovial banana split illusion.

To welcome guests into the park, the Friends of Swan Lake Board rallied together and raised two million dollars for a splashy new entrance. One million went toward a stunning sculpture from renowned artist and Sumter native Grainger McKoy, who unveiled “Seven Swans” in 2020. The sculpture stands at a dramatic twenty-four feet over a fountain and depicts seven swans coming out of the water, representing the Biblical Creation story.

Enter by the sculpture and wander through Swan Lake Iris Gardens for a botanical experience unlike any other in the South. In addition to the swans, bird lovers can spot herons, egrets, wood ducks, Canada geese, muscovies, and over two dozen other species. “Swan Lake is such a beautiful place to see,” Sandy says. “You can go out to the garden and relax on a bench or walk around. It's so calming. People come from all over to sit, think, and pray.”

Admission is always free—even during the highly anticipated Fantasy of Lights when Swan Lake Iris Gardens gets a million-light holiday makeover.

Swan Lake Iris Gardens is located at 822 West Liberty Street in Sumter, South Carolina and is open from 7:30 a.m. to dusk every day (exceptions during inclement weather and the Iris Festival). The Visitors Center is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The city says water can be discolored because of iron in the ground water aquifer sources, but is not hazardous to touch or drink. Some resident still want it fixed.

SUMTER, S.C. — Some Sumter residents are waking up to discolored water from their faucets, which they've seen periodically for years. They say it can sometimes be yellow, brown or red, but it usually goes away after a few hours.

"Everything was great until the red water started," Doug Jones said.

Jones moved to Sumter 35 years ago, living in three different locations throughout the city over the past few decades. At each new place he moved to, Jones tells me the "red water" followed. He even worked with a neighbor to create a Facebook page where residents used to document the discoloration. While the pictures are from a few years ago, Jones tells me the water periodically looks the same.

The City of Sumter said this discoloration comes from iron.

"The discolored water is iron, which is a naturally occurring mineral dissolved in our ground water aquifer sources. It is not hazardous and will not cause any health issues if ingested or touched; however, it can stain clothes in the wash," Shelley Kile, the city's communications manager, said in a statement.

Some residents like Jones, however, are concerned about the elevated iron levels.

"I have to control my iron level, and I certainly can't control it with the quality of water that the city is used to providing me and charging me for," Jones said.

Jones has hemochromatosis, meaning his body stores too much iron as it is, which he realized through genetic testing.

"What really got me is I was going into the airport in Columbia, and I was routinely setting off the metal detector," Jones said about one of the symptoms that led to his diagnosis.

He said elevated iron levels in the water are problematic for Jones and others like him.

"How could a city of our size not be able to overcome iron in the water?" he asked.

The city said it had installed automatic blowoff valves in areas where this "red water" is a common occurrence.

It also said it "flushes fire hydrants to reduce the chance of iron deposition in the water lines."

Despite these efforts, the city said certain events, like "fire hydrants being flowed, waterline breaks, changes in water plant operations or water plants being taken offline for maintenance," can cause the iron to appear in water coming from residents' faucets.

This is because "during an event that causes an increase in the velocity or change in the direction of the water flow in the potable water lines, the iron deposited in the water line will become suspended in the potable water."

The city does conduct a water quality report each year and said while the water can pick up substances like inorganic or organic chemicals, the drinking water is safe and meets all federal requirements. Residents like Jones, however, want to find a way to remove the high iron levels.

"We probably need to look outside of Sumter, South Carolina, to get a fix," Jones said. "We all collectively hoped that the city would take all these people seriously because, again, we're property owners, and we pay taxes to the county; we pay taxes to the city. All we're asking for is clean drinking water. It doesn't seem that difficult for other municipalities to provide that."

The city tells News 19 that if residents experience discolored water, they should report their physical address to the Public Services Department by calling 803-436-2558.

SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. (WIS) - A $65.9 million investment is creating 300 new jobs in Sumter County through SEM Wafertech and Solar4America’s establishment of a new operations center.

A press release read SPI Energy Co., Ltd. a global renewable energy company that owns both entities, announced plans to establish their first South Carolina operations in Sumter County.

The new Sumter Co. facility will help the increasing need for locally sourced solar wafers as the demand for solar power continues to grow in the U.S. SEM Wafertech is targeting delivery and production of its first solar wafers in the U.S. by the end of 2023 according to the press release.

SEM Wafertech and Solar4America plan to occupy an existing building located at 1150 Clipper Road in Sumter, where they will design, build out and install a world-class silicon wafer slicing facility read the press release.

“South Carolina has proven it has the business environment and workforce in place to attract innovative companies like SEM Wafertech and Solar4America. This $65.9 million investment is yet another win for the state, and we anticipate a long and fruitful partnership.” said South Carolina Governor. Henry McMaster.

SEM Wafertech Inc. and Solar4America Technology, Inc. Chairman Denton Peng said “As a global renewable energy company making American-made solar wafers and modules, we recognize the importance of having a strong domestic supply chain to meet the fast-growing demand for affordable solar power. We plan to bring the highest-quality domestically produced solar wafers and modules to market, enhancing our nation’s manufacturing capabilities with a long-term investment that will create good paying jobs for South Carolina.”

Operations are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2023. Individuals interested in joining the team should visit the company’s careers page.

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SUMTER, S.C. (WIS) - More than 7,200 Sumter residents don’t have a voting city council member.

The council seat for the city’s Ward 1 remains unfilled as a legal challenge to voting results from last November play out.

Anthony Gibson won the seat in a run-off. If sat, he’ll represent the residents in the northern part of the city.

Reginald Evans also ran for the seat, coming in 5th place (out of five candidates) and tallying just 62 votes out of 999 cast.

Evans unsuccessfully appealed the results with the Sumter County Board of Voter Registration, Sumter County circuit court, and is currently appealing a dismissal from the S.C. Supreme Court.

As a result of his continued appeals, Gibson has been unable to become a voting member of the council.

State law on local elections prevents an election’s winner from being sat until an appeals process is completed.

The drawn-out challenge has drawn the ire of a group of concerned Sumter residents who call themselves “The Squad”.

“It’s totally unfair, it’s totally unfair. Mr. Gibson did everything he was supposed to do,” squad member Dr. Patty Wilson said.

State law allows for the incumbent to remain in power until the appeal is handled. Ward 1′s incumbent, outgoing Mayor Pro Tem Thomas Lowery, died days before the election.

Gibson declined to comment and attempts to contact Evans were unsuccessful.

Gibson’s campaign manager Jeffrey Lampkin said Gibson is optimistic the case will soon be resolved in his favor.

“It seems undemocratic but it’s the process and we have to allow the process to prevail and that’s one of the things we’re trying to make sure everyone understands. That at the end of the day, he has a due process to be able to allow the court to hear his case, to allow his case to be heard at every level,” he said.

“But at every level, they’re going to make a decision to show that the election was held in integrity, the election was held with all the standards and the rights and the things that were supposed to be done.”

Squad member Dr. Sonja Murphy called on Evans as responsible for fixing “the mess.”

“Mr. Evans if you see this, then you need to go and drop the charges and let your conscience be your guide. Because it wasn’t right to start,” she said.

A spokesperson for the City of Sumter sent WIS a statement reading:

The City of Sumter is awaiting final legal ruling from the state Supreme Court on the challenge of the 2022 election. Until that ruling is received, Councilman-elect Anthony Gibson has been meeting regularly with the constituents in Ward 1 through various neighborhood meetings and personal visits, as well as meeting with various City Staff, Departments, and other elected officials to address issues and/or concerns. He has also been attending City Council meetings and state-level meetings. The only duty Mr. Gibson has not been able to perform is participating in the actual voting process as a sworn-in member of City Council.

The term runs through November 2026.

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Stay up to date with WIS News 10. Get the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Storeand Stream us on Roku, YouTube, Amazon Fire, or Apple TV.

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SEM Wafertech Inc. and Solar4America Technology Inc., both owned by renewable energy company SPI Energy Co. Ltd., will establish a presence in South Carolina with a $65.9 million investment in Sumter County.

The company said today the solar panel manufacturing project will create 300 new jobs, according to a news release from the South Carolina Commerce Department.

SEM Wafertech is a solar wafer manufacturer with headquarters in McClellan Park, Calif., near Sacramento.

“As a global renewable energy company making American-made solar wafers and modules, we recognize the importance of having a strong domestic supply chain to meet the fast-growing demand for affordable solar power,” SEM Wafertech Inc. and Solar4America Technology Inc. Chairman Denton Peng said in the new release. “We plan to bring the highest quality domestically produced solar wafers and modules to market, enhancing our nation’s manufacturing capabilities with a long-term investment that will create good paying jobs for South Carolina.”

The new facility will help meet an increasing need for locally sourced solar wafers as the overall demand for solar power continues to grow in the United States, according to the news release. SEM Wafertech is targeting delivery and production of its first solar wafers in the nation by the end of the year, with capacity ramping to three gigawatts by 2024.

“I am personally thrilled to welcome SEM Wafertech and Solar4America to Sumter County, succeeding many exciting investments announced in recent months across South Carolina,” S.C. House speaker Murrell Smith said in the release “With an investment of more than $65 million and the creation of 300 new jobs, SEM Wafertech and Solar4America will be welcome additions to the region, and to our state’s growing number of globally recognized renewable energy and EV-related companies — continuing to make our state’s economy diverse and prosperous. I welcome them to the Sumter family, where I know we will create an enduring partnership in our community.” Solar4America is a prime solar module manufacturing company that produces “Made in the USA” solar modules. In combination with its facility in Sacramento, the new South Carolina facility will allow Solar4America to manufacture a wider variety of solar panels for customers, with an aim to increase capacity to 2.4 gigawatts by the end of the year.

SEM Wafertech and Solar4America plan to occupy an existing building located at 1150 Clipper Road in Sumter, where they will design, build out and install a “world-class” silicon wafer slicing facility, the news release said. Silicon wafers produced in the facility will be used in a variety of applications, including photovoltaic cells and semiconductors. Solar panels will serve commercial, residential and industrial energy generation and storage needs.

Operations are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2023. Individuals interested in joining the team should visit the company’s website.

“We are thrilled to add another company to our growing family of industrial leaders in Sumter and are enthusiastic about the corporate investment and jobs that will be a result of this project,” Sumter Mayor David Merchant said in the release. “The city of Sumter is also proud to partner with the company to support the needed infrastructure improvements for high quality industrial water and wastewater services.” The Commerce Department’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project. The council also awarded a $1.5 million Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to Sumter County to assist with the costs of water and wastewater improvements and building improvements.