Roll the Dice, Make a bet, It is One of Summerville's Distinctive Properties

It is a bit on the difficult side to believe quiet, peaceful, charming Summerville had a "red-light district" in its past. Back in the day, the eatery now known as the Montreux Bar and Grill was a boardinghouse and restaurant operated by a person by the name of Miss Lucia. It was said to have been part of "the red-light district." This would seem to be an apparent contradiction of order, especially when you consider during the time Confederate troops were stationed in the town, they were jailed for bad conduct towards resident females, and rightly so. Different times. Different decades.

On top of houses of ill repute, it also had a gambling casino that was associated with the illustrious Pine Forest Inn--something that would be considered illegal in South Carolina today. Unlike many other states, the state of South Carolina is by far the strictest state when it comes to gambling with no casinos in its major cities. The only legal gambling is on a casino cruise. There is one in Little River called The Big "M" Casino.

Summerville's once upon a time Pine Forest Inn casino was located at 100 Marion Avenue. It is difficult to find any substantial information about the casino itself, but there is great deal of detail available about the house it was located in, and its history is fascinating.

It is believed by residents to have been built somewhere between 1890 and 1900 by Thomas Hopkins and referred to as "Hopkins Villa." The Summerville Scene in April of 1975 called it "the cut-down house." The reason being the original house was built on columns five and a half feet off the ground. When Ralph Sullivan purchased it from Urban M. Kennedy in 1951, he lowered it to the height the present house is at, but he also did something else that would be considered a stunning feat. He moved the complete house from its original location, which was closer to the road, without disturbing the structure, interior, chimneys, and porches. On top of that, he turned it so the main entrance faced Marion Avenue, where it is today. That was some about face. However that was not the only about face it made.

Somewhere between its construction and the 1930's was its gambling days with the Pine Forest Inn. Hopkins left the property to a religious group called the Order of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in 1904, who lived there for a number of years but left the property and returned again in the 1930s. Whether it was a casino during that period of time or while Hopkins owned it before he left it to the religious group is a question to be answered with further research. Regardless, that was some about face from vices to virtue.

Today, 100 Marion Avenue is surrounded by white fences and tall bushes. You can get a tempting peek at its main, front entrance through a small gated-opening at the middle of the property. It is a distinctive estate with an arching driveway and expansive porches. It is a fascinating part of Summerville's grand history. Roll the dice, make a bet, it is a history that included what would be considered illegal today.

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