With the Ashley River lazily meandering in the distance, a peaceful easy feeling came over me as I sat on a wooden bench leisurely sipping on a plastic cup of red wine. I was in the company of one of the oldest oak trees in the Charleston Lowcountry. Greyed from age and bearing the scars of a sometimes tumultuous past, the Great Oak's long, broad branches majestically overshadowed the calming waters of the Rice Fields where fish launched themselves into the air like mortar shells and alligators prowled the surface like the H. L. Hunley in search of an unwary prey.
Clinging to the tree's weather-beaten bark, a cardinal curiously watched my every move. We weren't alone. With the Octagonal Garden to the right and the Sundial Garden behind, the soft, intimate chatter and light laughter of fellow strollers navigating the garden's preened pathways filled the warm evening air. The occasion is Wednesday Garden Stroll and Wine Tasting at Middleton Place.
The Wednesday Garden Stroll and Wine Tasting was started as a way for visitors to experience the beauty of Middleton Place in the early evening light and a more relaxed atmosphere--no tour guides needed. It is just you, the gardens, and a world renowned vino. The Wine Strolls are an invitation to drink in the incomparable natural beauty of the plantations 274 year old gardens--the oldest landscaped gardens in America. Each week, samples of specially selected wines from around the world are uncorked by the Middleton Place Restaurant for you to savor. A different wine region and beautiful garden location in bloom is chosen for the stroll.
Enjoy the following story of a previous wine stroll.
This week's selected location was the southern magnolia-lined walkway along the spring-fed Reflection Pond. The four white-cloth covered tables were evenly spread out under the tall trees the full distance of the pond and strategically located at pathway entrances for easy access into the sprawling gardens. On each table were two bottles of wine--one red and one white. Each setting was accompanied by a basket of crackers for cleansing the palette between tastings.
The wine region selected was South America. At Table One, Tomero Torrontes 2013 from Mendoza, Argentina was the white offering and Malma Malbec 2012 from Patagonia, Argentina was the red. At Table Two, the white offering was Cautivo Chardonnay 2014 from Mendoza and the red was Errazuric Max Reserva Carmenere from the Villa de Aconcagua, Chile 2011. Moving to Table Three, Arido Moscato 2013 from Mendoza was the white and Colonia Las Liebres Bonarda Clasico 2013 from Mendoza was the red. Table Four topped off the selections with a Sangria Blanco and a Sangria Roja.
The correct pronunciations I leave to you to figure out--some Spanish required. The Cautivo Chardonnay was my white wine favorite and the Bonarda Clasico was the red I sipped under the Great Oak. After a few glasses of the South American vino and a dash of imagination, I found myself rubbing shoulders and clinking glasses with Henry and Mary as a guest of their garden party. Blame my whimsical tryst to the past on the wine.
If you want to get that peaceful easy feeling, Middleton's Wednesday Garden Stroll and Wine Tasting is where you want to be. It is a perfect blend of fine wine and floral gardens accented with the aroma of magnolias and oaks interlaced with a tremendous concentration of gentle sunlight. This event is elegant and well-balanced. Extend the evening with an overnight stay at the Inn at Middleton Place and/or dinner at the Middleton Place Restaurant .
Now, create your own story with a visit to Middleton Place on one of the scheduled dates.
Forty-six presidents have governed the United States. Only one was born in South Carolina and that was Andrew Jackson, although North Carolina disputes the claim. It seems Jackson was born on the border of the two states in the Waxsaw region, an area just south of Charlotte. Jackson himself claimed to be a native of South Carolina. Of the 46, three found their way to Summerville.
In December of 1901, Charleston opened the South Carolina Interstate and West Indian Exposition to promote the industry and resources of the state. President Theodore Roosevelt accepted proprietor FW Wagener's invitation to attend the Expo's "President's Day" celebration in April 1902. April 9, the president viewed Charleston's historic sites from the harbor aboard the USS Algonquin and visited the exhibits. At Lowndes Grove Plantation, he was treated to a special Charleston lunch which included tea grown at Summerville's Pinehurst Tea Farm. After his day in Charleston, the president was escorted by train to Summerville, where he stayed at another one of FW Wagener's enterprises, the Pine Forest Inn. Roosevelt toured the Pinehurst Tea Farm. He was also an avid outdoorsman. Perhaps, he joined one of the fox hunts on Ingleside.
Rutledge House
William Howard Taft and his wife were guests of Mayor R. Goodwyn Rhett at his home, the John Rutledge House, in January of 1909. As legend has it, Rhett's butler was asked to "dress up" the pale crab soup they usually served. The butler, William Deas, added lump crab meat and orange-colored crab eggs to give color and improve the flavor. It became the famous Charleston delicacy known as She Crab Soup. Some contend that Taft enjoyed it so much he had the soup added to the White House's menu. On this occasion, Mrs. Nellie Taft, with diplomatic grace, summed up her assessment of Southerners fondly referring to them as being "strange" for their irritating ritual of "always taking a half hour to get ready for everything." Once again, Wagener hosted a dinner at Summerville's Pine Forest Inn for the president.
The third president to visit Summerville is a story less told, if at all. Unlike Roosevelt and Taft, he did not come to be a dinner guest at the Pine Forest Inn, by this time shuffled into the dust of history. He did come on a date indelibly branded into the psyche of Lowcountry residents equal to that of the War Between the States and The Great Earthquake of 1886 centered near Middleton Place.
President Bush and Berlin G. Meyers
The time was September of 1989, and George H. W. Bush was the president. Catastrophic Hurricane Hugo was the event. On this occasion, Bush landed at Doty Park in Summerville to personally meet with Mayor Berlin G. Meyers. Together they surveyed the destruction from a helicopter. On ground, Bush rode about 15 miles in a motorcade through the heavily damaged forests. The report was the president patted the mayor on his shoulder and said, "Why am I here? I'm here to give a little encouragement to a courageous man."
Who will be the next president to visit the Flowertown in the Pines? Maybe, it will be one who may have a hankering for a refreshing glass of sweet tea in the Birthplace of Sweet Tea, or a need for a fantastic cup of in-house roasted coffee at the local community hot spot, Coastal Coffee Roasters, or any one of the many amenities that make Summerville a desirable place to visit and hang out. Only time will tell.
Summerville is at present shimmering in a sea of magnificent multitudinous masses of magenta. It is the annual azalea bloom putting on its best dress for the upcoming Flowertown Festival hosted in Summerville's Azalea Park. The flowers are the official doorkeepers of spring greeting all to the celebration of warmer days. Drive anywhere on the streets in the town's historic district between Central Ave. and S. Main and you will be convinced Summerville is rightfully crowned the "Flower Town in the Pines".
Rightfully the "Flower Town in the Pines" because Summerville is also famous for its pine trees, but unfortunately, the pollen bloom that rains down from its branches, when the weather warms, is not enthusiastically embraced with happy celebration like the azaleas. With that being said, pine trees and azaleas are a perfect collaboration because azaleas grow well in its shadows.
The varieties of azaleas are as bounteous as its blooms thanks to hybridizing, or crossbreeding. They are native to North America, so it is likely they greeted our arriving ancestors in some form. All North American species are deciduous, meaning they drop their leaves. The evergreen varieties come from Japan where they can be hundreds of years old. The plants and blooms are mildly toxic, but I can personally dispute this assumption as not likely to be a deterrent to consumption. When I lived in northeastern Ohio years ago, I planted extensive rock gardens and plant mounds on my property. I attempted to incorporate azaleas into my scheme, but was unsuccessful. It seemed the branches were a favorite delicacy of deer, who ate the plants down to a stub before having a chance to pop a bud.
The azaleas that helped make Summerville famous are most likely the non-native variety. These originated in China and Japan, and made their way to the U.S. via England, France, and Germany. According to azalea historian Fred Galle in the United States, Azalea Indica (specifically speaking about the group of plants called Southern Indicas) got its name because when it was discovered, Asia was known as the East Indies. The first hybrids were planted in Charleston, South Carolina.
John Grimke Drayton imported the Azalea Indica from Philadelphia--where they were grown only in greenhouses by a nurseryman who also had a branch nursery in Charleston--and introduced them into the estate gardens of his rice plantation on the Ashley River. Marie Clinton Hastie wrote about the beginnings of her grandfather's garden, "it was somewhere in the mid 1840s that the Azalea Indica was introduced to Magnolia." His garden was the first in America to plant azaleas outdoors.
Thanks to the generosity of George Segelken, a pioneer in azalea propagation, Summerville became the place to see these uncommon plants in all their abundant glory in 1935. People came from all over to view the lush beauty of the town's Azalea Park. Segelken named the salmon pink colored azalea "Pride of Summerville." The park is the predominant venue of the Flowertown Festival.
The Flowertown Festival ranks as one of the largest festivals in the Southeast with an origin that goes back to 1972. The three-day festival also carries the well-deserved distinction as one of the Top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society. One of the main features of this family-oriented festival centers on the promotion of arts and crafts. More than 200 craft artisans and vendors are given the opportunity to showcase their creative wares throughout Azalea Park. The Taste is another feature that offers festivalgoers a chance to sample appetizers, main courses, and desserts from local restaurants. For the young ones, there will be a Children's Jubilee/Kid's Fest, for the adults, a Saturday farmer's market. Admission is free and parking is free. The Robert Pratt Band will be sending musical vibes through the town's historic district.
The current festival was predated by a previous one in 1941, when Summerville celebrated the first Azalea Festival—a four-day event that included dances, concerts, a parade, and a formal ball. The festival promoted local business and celebrated the town's community pride, a pride as old as the trees. Summerville's rich history dates all the way back to the late 1600s. In those early days, coastal residents sought refuge from the heat and mosquitoes among the cooler pines of Summerville. One of the trees redeeming features was the turpentine scent it emitted, and even doctors considered it a cure for a variety of respiratory ailments. Many came all the way from Europe for the pine air and its believed benefits, but it was not just for the air, they also came for the southern charm and beauty.
Spring is a great time to experience Summerville's southern beauty, charm, and community pride. It is the season to celebrate the Flowertown Festival in The Birthplace of Sweet Tea beginning on April 1st, and this is no April fools. Speaking of sweet tea, allegedly, in 2003 as an April Fool’s joke, the Georgia House introduced a bill making it a "...misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature" to sell iced tea in a restaurant that did not also offer sweet iced tea on the menu. The bill never went to a vote. You can not accuse the Georgia House of lacking in humor. South Carolina adopted sweet tea as the state's Official Hospitality Beverage in 1995.
Of course, you cannot have sweet tea without a tealeaf, and Summerville owns the bragging rights for a particular variety. With French explorer and botanist Andre Michaux's planting of Oolong tea on the Middleton Barony in 1795, South Carolina was the only colony in America producing tea plants at that time. Later, Dr. Charles Shepard founded the Pinehurst Tea Plantation in Summerville in 1888, where he made tea growing a profitable reality. While Oolong tea could be your choice in making sweet tea, any kind can be used, though black tea is always a classic.
Well, that is Summerville—azaleas, sweet tea, and the biggest festival in the Southeast. While visiting for the Flowertown Festival, grab a glass of the best sweet tea at Sweetwater One Twenty Three. When you see me walking around town, be sure to say, "Hey." I am always interested in making new acquaintances.
Visitors were greeted by this overhead arch for over three decades in the early 1900s, welcoming them to Summerville. The brick archway meant "coming home" to travelers, as well as residents. Flanking both ends of the town's name was the phrase, "Flower Town in the Pines." When leaving, the last thing they saw was the town's motto, "Let the Pine be Sacred."
Since the early 1900s, tourists flocked to the town in early spring to enjoy millions of spring blossoms, particularly azaleas, in private and public gardens, including the mid-town Azalea Park. Thus, Summerville acquired the earned designation, "The Flower Town in the Pines."
The azalea spring bloom is just beginning. It is a prelude to the biggest festival in South Carolina, the Flowertown Festival. This year it is scheduled to take place April 1 – 3. Have you ever wondered how the name "Flower Town in the Pines" came to be?
In 1925, Virginia Lowndes Bailey entered a slogan contest sponsored by the town's Chamber of Commerce. She won the $5 prize. Her entry was "Flower Town in the Pines." The brick archway spanning Main Street near the Highway 78 intersection spotlighted her winning slogan for all to see. Virginia's son wanted her contribution remembered. She was known as "the horsewoman." So, the family donated a horse weathervane to the town, and the town council approved a commemorative plaque. The brick archway with her winning slogan is gone, but the weathervane remains and resides on top of the present Town Hall building.
In the 1930s, tour guides would stand by the brick archway holding signs in their hands, entertaining the hope arriving tourists would acquire their services. The Town Hall was another gathering place for the young guides. All local boys, upon being chosen, they would jump onto an arriving car's running board and direct the driver past the town's beautiful residential gardens and key landmarks. Berlin G. Meyers was one of those young boys. He was paid a meager five dollars for his services, but as he fondly recalled, "A real fortune for a young boy in those days." The brick archway crumbled into history, leaving fond memories of a bygone age.
In 2011, Summerville experienced a revival of its glory days when it embraced its identity as "The Birthplace of Sweet Tea." Mayor Bill Collins formed a tour task force in 2013 and tours in Summerville took on a new look in the shape of green and red colored transportation vehicles. They were seen traveling the streets around the downtown area and beyond on Fridays and Saturdays. In 2013 and 2014, sweet tea and tours put the town in the Lowcountry spotlight. As a beneficial result, the "Sweet Tea Trail" was formed, and the "Sweet Tea Festival" was established. A 15-foot mason jar named "Mason" stands in the downtown district, a testimony to the town's rights to the trademark.
The "Good Eats on the Sweet Tea Trail" was one of those tours. Immediately upon arrival to the Visitor Center doors, Tina Zimmerman, Summerville's tourism coordinator, graciously welcomed you. An offering of sweet tea was available nearby. Once everyone had arrived, the group assembled in a room lined with images of Summerville's past. Tina began the tour with an inspirational video introducing everyone to a short summation starting with the town's inception and concluding with Bill Collins, Summerville's mayor, wishing all a fun time. Storyteller Tim Lowry, as guest narrator, entertained the group after they boarded the trolleys. Summerville DREAM's Janyce Shoemake Hursey often accompanied the guests as the trolleys transported them to various local food entrepreneurs."Sweet Tea Trolley Tour of Historic Summerville and Linwood Gardens" was a 90 minute guided tour for $20 where you would see the preserved downtown and then travel through the back roads of the town to see its historic homes. Like "The Good Eats Tour," it started in the Visitor Center with a history film from 1939. Local historian Barbara Lynch Hill would give a guided tour on the trolley with a stop at the historic Linwood Gardens, named one of the 10 Best Bed and Breakfast Gardens in the World. In case of rain Linwood owner will board the trolley and give oral tour. A second tour concentrated on history, was more extensive and included the sites of the Tea Farm and The Pine Forest Inn.Summerville DREAM planned on offering tour guide training for the "Sweet Tea Trolley Tours." Tim Lowery and Barbara Lynch Hill were assigned to conduct the sessions. The workshop was to be held at the DREAM office at First Citizens Bank. Unfortunately, the trolleys would eventually leave town.
Time rolled on for the town, and plans were brewing in the downtown area. On March 1, 2019, Summerville inaugurated the newly completed Hutchinson Square Project with a ribbon-cutting and celebratory party. Town representatives and residents packed the refreshed historic downtown area. The crowning touch to the restoration featured a pavilion with a roofline patterned after the old railroad station that once upon a time stood close by and a gateway reminiscent of earlier days in the town's honored history, a replica of the old brick archway. A proclamation went out declaring Summerville to be "AT THE HEART of it ALL."
The Visitor Center established the following tours to offer visitors and residents an opportunity to immerse themselves into everything Summerville today.
The Sweet Tea Trail: Created for visitors to fully experience Summerville as "The Birthplace of Sweet Tea," Participants will embark on the trail to explore the shops, sites, sips, and tastes that make life in Summerville so sweet. Trail Guides are available at the Summerville Visitor Center, at participating stops, or you can go to the Visit Summerville web page. Collect Stamps with the purchase and redeem Official Birthplace of Sweet Tea gifts and merchandise.
The Walking Tour of Homes and Flowers: A leisure one-hour stroll past 20 historic homes with a sign and QR code with information about each home. It begins at the Cuthbert Community Center in Azalea Park on West 5th South Street. Old homes framed by majestic oaks whisper their stories, and towering church steeples built a century ago recall the town's foundation. In Historic Summerville, no two houses are alike, and an afternoon spent with a cold glass of tea and a sense of adventure can reward you with a myriad of beautiful architectural visuals.
The Summerville Porch Stroll on the Sweet Tea Trail: The first porch stroll was inaugurated on June 12, 2021. This neighborhood and community event offers eight different porches where attendees can sit and sip iced tea on some of its most beautiful southern porches. With expected Summerville southern hospitality, each of the eight hosts offers unique delectables and experiences, including strolling historic gardens, farm animal snuggles, live music, and artwork by local artists available for purchase. The next one will be June 11, 2022. Proceeds benefit the Timrod Library.
Summerville is benefiting from a unique heritage that has been brewing since the early 1800s. The possibilities have become "sky's the limit." So, put out the southern welcome mat of hospitality and complimentary cup of sweet tea.
