Azaleas, Sweet Tea, and the Biggest Festival in the Southeast

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.

Summerville's Rich History--From Pine Trees To Sweet Tea

Unlike "New Summerville," which was laid out by the South Carolina Railroad like a checkerboard with straight, broad thoroughfares, "Old Summerville" was characterized by winding streets. When it came to laying out the roads, it's apparent the old town planners did not incorporate the idea "the shortest distance between two points is a straight line." For that matter, as to what a straight line meant, they had no clue. Summerville history implies the early road architects were of the four-legged variety, bovine to be more exact.

New Summerville plot map 1850

New Summerville plot map 1897

Richly graced with thick groves of tall pines and old oaks, the trees cooling touch and healing scent enticed early Ashley River planters to the sandy hilltop in the pines where they could escape the oppressive heat and voracious mosquitoes of their lowland plantations. During these marooning excursions, they brought their livestock with them. On arrival, the beasts were turned loose to wander in and around the tall pines and old oaks. Overtime, these creatures of habit carved out the thoroughfares that became the first named streets of the newly founded summer village.

From those very same trees, they constructed their simple homes. Beginning with Captain James Stewart, 14 families eventually marooned themselves every summer for nearly five months in structures scattered around the main cattle path called the Great Thoroughfare--W. Carolina Avenue today. Called "mosquito houses," these structures were built eight feet off the ground on stilts to protect against insects and to catch breezes. A wide center hall ran the full length with two rooms on each side for cross ventilation. Each room had a fireplace. If there was a second floor, it was identical to the first. The stables and carriage house were located away from the main home for obvious reasons--besides trampling out the roads, the livestock produced an odorous by-product unlike the pleasant pine scent.

1831 plat of Old Summerville

Other notable cow paths of original Summerville connected to the Great Thoroughfare were Railroad Street; now Sumter Avenue, Pine Street; now Charleston Street, Centre Street; now Linwood Lane, Morgan Street; now Clifton Street, Gadsden Street, and the present Cuthbert Lane once referred to simply as "Street." A plat, drawn-up in 1831, showed the layout of the early streets and homes.

In 1831, there were 15 homes built by planter families in "Old Summerville." Around this time, "New Summerville" was established by the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company. Now connected to Charleston and points west by the railroad, wealthy Charlestonians came to town and built homes in "New Summerville" to escape the yellow fever epidemics. The character of the settlement changed around 1935. Certain families began to stay year round. In 1838, there were 29 homes in "Old Summerville." The two Summervilles became an official town in 1847. The cherished pines were declared sacred and a law prohibiting the cutting of certain-sized trees without permission was passed.

Local trains between Summerville and Charleston continued to make Summerville attractive to those who had to stay close to their businesses and plantations. Concerts, balls, card parties, promenades, and rides in the country characterized social life in the village. A building boom in the 1850's helped account for these signs of prosperity. By the eve of the American Civil War, there were five hotels and boarding houses, three churches, two public buildings, nine stores, 372 dwellings and servants' houses, and 1088 inhabitants. After the American Civil War, the local trains made it convenient for Northerners to stay in town.

At the end of the 19th century, Summerville was declared one of the two best places in the world for the treatment and recovery of lung disorders launching the dawning of "The Golden Age of the Inns". Despite the longtime commitment to preserve and protect the sacred pine trees, the planners of Summerville deemed it necessary to sacrifice some of them to embrace its burgeoning fame as a health spot to the world and the illustrious Pine Forest Inn (1893 booklet) was built. While visitors flowed into town, other inns were established.

As a now famous story relates, one such individual who came to town to avail upon the purported healing aspects of the pine tree's turpentine scent on the advice of his physician was found sitting on the porch swing of a W. Richardson Street residence by its matriarch and became the first guest to stay at the newly established White Gables Inn. Other notable names included Carolina Inn, Halcyon Inn, Wisteria Inn, Holly Inn, The Postern, Squirrel Inn and Pine View Inn. Summerville flourished into the 1900's, but in time, it would lose its magical charm due to the Depression of the 1930's. Its icons one by one mercilessly succumbed to the wrecking ball and the tantalizing scent of its biggest asset faded into the changed landscape.

In 1991, 40% of the buildings in the downtown district were vacant. With a mission to revitalize the downtown area, DREAM was formed in 1992. Then, in 2010, inspired by an article in the Azalea Magazine, Summerville experienced an identity renaissance when it branded itself the "Birthplace of Sweet Tea." The "Sweet Tea Festival" was inaugurated and the Summerville Trolley Tours were established benefiting local businesses and captivating residents and visitors alike. Nexton exploded unto the scene and Summerville's first craft brewery on November 26, 2014 broke ground in the remaining space of the Coastal Coffee Roasters building with the laying of its cement floor. In 2014, a plan for a boutique hotel was proposed. In 2015, a conditional final approval for the project was given by the Board of Architectural Review, but one of Summerville's cherished pine trees overshadowed the proceedings and became a flashpoint for preservationists and opponents in what would become the Dorchester Hotel controversy.

Of the pine trees still around, longtime residents nurture fond memories and tell stories of playing below their broad branches. Located near the corner of W. Richardson and Central Ave, the proposed site of the hotel, stands one of those cherished pines. Considered the oldest tree in Summerville with a circumference of 13 feet and believed to predate 1847, the old pine was scheduled for an appointment with the axeman to make way for the highly contested Dorchester Hotel project.

Ragged from old age and brutal weather, the trees glory days were waning. The cutting down of the tree would have been a solemn day. It was a sad day when the Pine Forest Inn came crashing down. We could dignify the old tree the way the Hopelands Gardens in Aiken honored one of its prominent cedars when a portion of it came down. They carved benches out of the cherished wood and placed them on site for visitors to use. Inevitably, each pine in its time will succumb to the natural powers to be.

Truth be told, the tree was not the only concern raised by the hotel's opponents, but alas, it is no longer of any concern. The Dorchester Hotel Project itself has been axed. However, imagine where Summerville's history would be today if people in the late 1800's would have opposed the construction of the Pine Forest Inn because they wanted to preserve an old pine tree or the increase in traffic it may have caused or believed it did not reflect the flavor of the historic district, which by the way, could be legitimate concerns. From Hutchinson Square (Master Plan) to Middleton, you can smell the ongoing scent of change.

The cows no longer wander around the tall pines, the "mosquito houses" have disappeared into the shadows of the old trees, the trains of the old railroad no longer stop, and the great inns have gone quietly into the night. People no longer come to escape the oppressive heat and voracious mosquitoes of the coastal lowlands or for the cooling touch and healing scent of its sacred pines. Today, people come for its charm, its southern hospitality, its sense of community, and its rich history. A history as colorful as the town's famous azaleas and refreshed with the lifting of every flavorful glass of sweet tea. Wouldn't it had been nice if the Town had a place for them to stay? A place that is as much an integral part of its identity similar to the way the Pine Forest Inn (1909 booklet) was in the heyday of the "Golden Age of the Inns." Maybe, a hundreds years from now people will look back on this era and call it Summerville's "Golden Age of Sweet Tea."

Things to see and do in Summerville.
Shop Summerville.
Dinning in Summerville.
Theater in Summerville.
Historic Sites in Summerville--Colonial Dorchester State Park, Middleton Place.
Summerville's B.I.R.D.S. Project.

Cheers To Oak Road Brewery's Momentous And Successful First Opening

It's been a long and winding road for Ben Bankey, Kyle Colston, Brian Cox and Brad Mallett. From inception to fruition, with numerous twists and turns, the road less traveled in a town famous for pine trees and sweet tea made all the difference. The Oak Road Brewery, Summerville's first craft brewery, finally popped the bungs on five of its brews and a crowd of enthusiastic craft beer followers who have been patiently standing on the sidelines for this long awaited day poured through its doors on June 5th.

High above its L-shaped bar constructed from corrugated steel and cement, the inaugural brews were listed on a large, flat screen TV for the exuberant patrons, I will dub Oakies, to peruse and make their selection. On the beer list was a pale ale(Jam Up), a robust porter(Carolina Evening), a Vienna lager(Vienna Lager), a blonde ale(Glass Cutter), and an IPA(Laughing Weasel).

From opening to close, the tasting room highlighted by raised barrel tables, barrel stools, window counters, and stainless steel bar chairs was standing room only and the pours were fast and furious. After the froth finally settled to drink in the goodness, the Oak Road Team savored a very momentous and successful soft opening.

Loyal Coastal Coffee patron and craft beer lover, Michael Waters, summed up his experience with these appreciative words, "Many thanks to the enthusiastic and supportive customers. Again, a great job done well by the wonderful ladies who made it all possible by serving up the best local brew with a smile and all the hard work from Brian, Kyle, Chris, and Ben."

If you haven't been there as of yet or are a visitor to the Birthplace of Sweet Tea, Oak Road Brewery is located in the same building as Summerville's gathering place called "The C"--home of Coastal Coffee Roasters. The Brewery is the perfect collaboration and an integral piece in the community jigsaw puzzle being assembled by Brad Mallett at 108 E 3rd North Street where talent and ideas flourish and grow.

The brewery's CEO, Ben Bankey, shares Brad's commitment to Summerville and stated at its beginning, "Oak Road Brewery will be an integral part to the growth of Summerville with a focus on working with local small businesses to enhance the quality of life for its citizens and tourist alike."

At the moment, there is no set schedule, but future planned openings will be on Friday's and Saturday's. Be sure to follow Oak Road Brewery on their Facebook page for scheduled openings. Meanwhile, cheers and enjoy the pictures of the Brewery's long and winding road.

Ding, Ding, Ding, The Trolleys Are Coming To Summerville

The nostalgic green and red colored transportation vehicles Summerville residents have seen traveling the streets of the downtown area on Fridays and Saturdays this past year will be increasing their presence in 2015. The Lowcountry Loop Trolley will be offering their hop/on, hop/off service to Summerville seven days a week beginning in February. It will establish stops throughout Summerville from Nexton to the old plantations on Ashley river Road.

Rightfully declared the "Birthplace of Sweet Tea," Summerville is benefiting from a unique heritage that has been brewing since the early 1800's and quoting a phrase my dear uncle often uses, "How sweet it is." Throughout 2014, sweet tea and tours have put the town in the Lowcountry spotlight. As a beneficial result, the "Sweet Tea Trail" was formed and the "Sweet Tea Festival" was established.

The town's beautiful Visitor's Center celebrates the heritage by offering complimentary cups of sweet tea to its visitors and the Summerville Dorchester Museum celebrates it by hosting the now famous Summerville Trolley Tours. The "Good Eats on the Sweet Tea Trail" tour with story teller Tim Lowry and local historian Barbara Hill has been a huge success and has been highlighted in magazines and on news features. In partnership, The Lowcounty Loop Trolley has become a common sight in town.

The proposed schedule

The new Summerville trolley service will be called the Green Line.  Monday through Saturday the proposed service will begin at 8:00am at Azalea Park, but you can pick it up at nine other locations at varying times running every thirty minutes. You choose where you would like to pick it up and at what time. All you need to do is drive your car to the stop, arrive at least five minutes before the scheduled time, and park your car. Once on the trolley, you can hop on or hop off anywhere along the line throughout the day. Cost will be $14.

Hop/on, hop/off locations will be Hutchinson Square, Summerville Visitor Center, Azalea Square, Magnolia Plantation, and Middleton Place. For visitors, it will have planned stops at hotels like the Nexton Courtyard Marriot, the Wingate Hotel at Charleston Southern and other Summerville hotels. Sunday shuttle will run from 10:30am to 6:30pm.

Thinking about having lunch at Fast and French, walking the Old Market or shopping King Street? The Green Line will also offer a convenient service the old Southern Railroad System used to offer Summerville residents--access to downtown Charleston without having to drive your car. From the Charleston Visitor Center, you can pick up the Red Line with stops at places like the Naval and Maritime Museum, USS Yorktown, and Charleston Harbor Resort. Several tours also leave from the Visitor Center such as the Island "Sip and See," "Plantation Tour and Taste Special," and "Chop, Shop, and Dine."

Want to spend the afternoon at the beach on Sullivan's Island or Isle of Palms? The trolley has stops there too. Do you like to kayak or paddle board? How about a stroll on a boardwalk overlooking a beautiful waterway, dining by the water, or cruising on a party catamaran? Shem Creek is the perfect place with RB's, Water's Edge, Red's Ice House and the Palmetto Breeze. Other places you will have access to include the IOP Marina, Mt. Pleasant Towne Center, and historic Boone Hall.

When Summerville was declared the "Birthplace of Sweet Tea," the possibilities have become "sky's the limit." The resulting festival and trolley tours have sweetened the sweet tea cup of growth. With a huge potential sitting on the city's limits, the Lowcountry Loop Trolley service planned for the town will assist in releasing that potential and help manage the flow without increasing the traffic.

So, put out the southern welcome mat of hospitality and complimentary cup of sweet tea. Ding, ding, ding, the trolleys are coming to town.

Photos Of Summerville's Sweet Tea Festival Celebrated On Third Thursday, September 18, 2014--It Was Sweet Tea-rific

It was Third Thursday in Summerville. The Birthplace of Sweet Tea celebrated its highly anticipated, ever popular Sweet Tea Festival. It was sweet and it was historical.

Summerville restaurants presented a sampling of their popular culinary delights and participated in a sweet tea challenge. Festival attendees purchased commemorative Sweet Tea Mugs for $5, sampled the various restaurant's original sweet tea drinks, and voted for their favorite.

Live music was at every turn of the corner from Hutchinson Square to Short Central and in between courtesy bands from around the Lowcountry. It was a huge success thanks to the tireless efforts of Summerville DREAM, the Town of Summerville and the residents and visitors who filled the streets and businesses. Great fun was had by all. Enjoy the photos.


Visit and discover the Birthplace of Sweet Tea. Check out Summerville's Trolley Tours, Festivals and Celebrations, Culinary Events and Summerville's informative museum--be sure to check out its new outdoor mural.

Trolley Tour reviews:
Sip And Savor Summerville's Popular Drinking Establishments--The Newest Addition In The Trolley Tours

It Was A Sweet-ride And Tea-rific Fun-Summerville's "Good Eats On The Sweet Tea Trail Tour"

Summerville's Tour Guides Past And Present--Experiencing The Birthplace of Sweet Tea

In 1930's Summerville, tour guides stood by the town arch on Main Street near Highway 78 holding guide signs in their hands with hopes arriving tourists would acquire their services. The Town Hall was another gathering place for the young guides. All local boys, they would hop unto the running boards of the car when selected and direct the driver through the town past its 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."

Like tea leaves steeping in a pot of sugary, hot water, Summerville has changed over the years and some of its older landmarks have gone the way of the Ford Model T. The town arch no longer graces Main Street, cars don't have running boards for young guides to stand on and if they did riding on it would probably be illegal, and the Town Hall of the 1930's has been replaced with the present one. But here is the resulting sweet tea of the story.

Tourism in Summerville is alive and growing. Through the tireless efforts of the Summerville Visitor Center and Summerville Dream in partnership with Lowcountry Loop Trolley, tours have been arranged for residents and visitors to drink in the highlights of our historic town deservedly designated the Birthplace of Sweet Tea and hear the numerous famous tales of its storied past from knowledgeable guides. The Summerville Dorchester Museum has been selected as the launch point. You can choose between three different tours scheduled throughout each month and they are as follows: Good Eats on the Sweet Tea Trail, Historic Summerville City Tour with Tea at the Museum, and Book Lovers’ Tea Tour-Timrod Library.

On the Good Eats on the Sweet Tea Trail, you will travel about historic Summerville on the Lowcountry Trolley enjoying complimentary tastes from a number of Summerville’s restaurants and gourmet shops. As an extra treat on your tris through town, Award-winning Storyteller Tim Lowry will regale you with stories of how local vegetables helped win the American Revolution, the social significance of souse meat, and the history of tea in the Birthplace of Sweet Tea. I have been on this tour. You can read my review It Was A Sweet-ride And Tea-rific Fun--"Summerville's Good Eats On The Sweet Tea Trail Tour."

The Historic Summerville City Tour with Tea at the Museum begins at the Summerville Dorchester Museum where you will get a firsthand look at Summerville rich history by way of exhibits, preserved photos and artifacts. Then you will hop on the trolley and be taken passed Summerville's lovingly preserved downtown, its many historic homes, and where sweet tea first started. Upon your return to the museum, you will be served a cup of freshly brewed tea and a sweet treat. It lasts 1 1/2 hours.

The 1 1/2 hour long Book Lovers’ Tea Tour also begins at the Summerville Dorchester Museum for a firsthand look at Summerville rich history and then takes for a ride on the trolley passed Summerville's lovingly preserved downtown, its many historic homes, and where sweet tea first started with one slightly obvious difference. You guest it, the tour makes a stop at the Timrod Library--one of only two membership libraries in South Carolina. It opened in 1915 and today houses a collection numbering in excess of 50,000 volumes including best sellers, reference materials, audio and video tapes, and a large number of South Carolina titles.

If you are a resident, whether young or old, reserve some time during the month to schedule a tour and learn about Summerville's unique place in the Lowcountry's southern culture and history. If you are a visitor, stop in the Summerville Visitor Center for information--while there grab a glass of sweet tea. Then, head to the Summerville Dorchester Museum on Doty Ave to hop onto the trolley to be taken down roads carved out by cows past summer homes built by Charleston's well-to-do. It's a tea-rific deal.

Schedule and tickets

Clue: What Was One Of The Most Successful March Events In The Lowcountry--Third Thursday In Summerville

With the clues strategically scattered about, the game was afoot. The location: the downtown district of the Birthplace of Sweet Tea, historic Summerville. The time: Third Thursday. It would be an evening when no one was above suspicion and everyone looked guilty, especially the proprietors of the local businesses--guilty of pleasure that is. With the necessary green assets in hand, I set out onto The Sweet Tea Trail to solve the crime of the century--who bumped-off the Mayor, the crime scene, and the weapon used?

A short walk from the free parking garage was Short Central--an appealing section of bricked-road closed to automobiles lined with shops and outside dining. It was beginning to fill up with residents and visitors. The usual Third Thursday tables of arts and crafts were scattered about.

My first destination was Four Green Fields. I quickly surveyed the interior of the crafty gallery and lured into sampling a spicy Asian concoction called CO Singapore--a fruitless attempt by the proprietor to distract me from apprehending my first clue. With a little assistance from an innocent bystander, I zeroed in on the clue, pocketed it, and slipped out the door. My next stop was Simple to Sublime.

Upon entrance I was greeted by the owner, Samantha, who proceeded at trying to win me over with her insatiable British charm and infectious smile; I am a push over when it comes to interesting accents. I successfully resisted. While checking out a rack of unusual looking flip-flops made from recycled tires, she offered me a glass of red wine, perhaps another attempt to weaken my keen senses. Unwittingly on he part, the wine led me to the clue I was seeking. I nonchalantly picked it up and politely exited. I pressed on.

Piazza Home and Art Central Gallery were packed with patrons. I was able to blend in with the crowd at Piazza and went about my business relatively unnoticed--a skill I had acquired over the years in my travels around the Lowcountry. In Art Central, I interrogated one of the employees about an artistically painted rocking chair. "It's part of the Summerville ROCKS initiative. They will be auctioned off to support a scholarship for a local art student and other community charities," she informed. I took some necessary pictures to be uploaded later for further scrutiny.

Next, family owned, family made Downtown Crossing was a challenge. Co-owner, Sarah, was suspiciously evasive when I tried to engage her in some conversation, as if she was purposely obstructing me from the clue. She began to reel off a host of quotes from a murder/mystery movie. The ruse worked, I had no Clue what she was talking about. Her partner, Jewel, entered the retail area and gave me a cold stare that sent chills down my spine. She became a prime suspect. Despite the setbacks, I persevered and acquired the proof I came there for.

And so, I went from Central to W. Richardson to Cedar, from business to business--Relic Revival, Southern Belle Epoque, Savvy Rose, and so-on and so-on--People, Places and Quilts quite possibly could be the longest store in Summerville.

Acquiring the clue at Eat/Sleep/Play was kids play and Off the Wall Art Gallery was curiously cooperative. The charming couple attempted to bribe me with a beer all the while masterfully doing their level best to frame one of the other local proprietors, Brad Mallett of Coastal Coffee Roasters. Misdirection or was their actions genuinely sincere? I was looking for baba ganoush, but found no traces of the Levantine dish. I was in need of more clues to sort out these unknowns.

Hutchinson Square was bustling with activity. Muscle cars lined one end and the Wounded Warriors occupied the other. The smell of Kettle corn laced the tall oaks scattered about. Underneath the trees long branches, the gathering crowd danced in the street to the rock tunes of the ever popular Vistas. I filtered through the happy partiers acquiring more pictures and recording more video to sift through later on. I sat at one of the sidewalk tables outside of Accent On Wine and discreetly gleaned the chatter of the patrons as they munched on cheese platters and hoisted glasses of wine and beer to their lips.

I analyzed the evidence collected thus far. The guilty suspect was narrowed down to two--the what and the where were still unclear. Darkness was emerging and the 8:00 pm hour was rapidly nearing. Six more establishments were my targets--all on Town Square.

Walking S. Main, I came across more painted rocking chairs. Among the targeted shops were Guerin's Pharmacy; the oldest pharmacy in South Carolina and Homegrown Brewhouse; a brewpub in the heart of Downtown. Considered Third Thursday hotspots, neither yielded any usable leads. Although, a quick stop at the Summerville Dorchester Museum around the corner on East Doty Ave, the pick up point for the Trolley Tours, proved very informative.

 
Back on the Town Square, the music had ended and the crowd was beginning to disperse. The vendors were dismantling their booths. It was time to rap up my investigations for the evening. I returned to Accent On Wine to enjoy a parting beer. Reflecting back on the night's activities, all evidence overwhelmingly pointed to another successful Third Thursday in Summerville. The next date of interest: Monday, March 24th. The three clues will be revealed and the winning investigators announced. "Elementary, my dear Collins, elementary."

My Favorite Drink Is A Summerville Festival Celebrating An Honorary Title-Sweet Tea Festival

I have been partaking of the sweet southern brew called sweet tea since I arrived in Summerville eight years ago in 2005, but it wasn't until the Spring of 2010 Summervillians were encouraged by Will Rizzo of Azalea Magazine to take ownership of the honorable title proclaiming our beautiful town as the "Birthplace of Sweet Tea."

I cannot recall the exact place I first ordered it, but Bubba Gumps in Charleston is a likely candidate. Regardless, just ask any of my close friends, it is my preferred choice of beverage everywhere I relax to refresh myself with a cool drink. And based on the presented facts, I proudly share ownership of the motion declaring Summerville the "Birthplace of Sweet Tea."

To be honest, I was an ice tea drinker back in Ohio, but it was always served non-sweetened at all the establishments. Upon arrival to your table, you would have to sweeten it yourself, which meant manually tearing open the little packets of sugar provided, pouring its contents into the glass and stirring it to dissolve the tiny granules. Then, repeating the annoying process over and over until it was somewhat sweetened to desired taste. It wasn't easy because the granules would either stick to the ice or sink to the bottom in a swirl. So, it was a Southern simple pleasure drinking sweet tea.

Since the declaration, Summerville has enthusiastically embraced its discovered destiny that laid hidden in the oolong tea leaves all these past years. To celebrate the story, Summerville has established a Sweet Tea Trail where you can savor the history, the hospitality, and the heritage.

The trail begins at Exit 199 off of I-26. You travel down N. Main Street past Azalea Square, historic downtown Summerville, some historic homes, and the gardens of Azalea Park, after which you head down Trolley Road to Dorchester Road and Colonial Dorchester State Historic Park. From there, the trail takes you down 165 turning left onto historic 61 past Middleton Place(site of Middleton Barony and Pinehurst Tea Plantation established by Dr. Charles Shepard and the oolong tea), Magnolia Plantation, Drayton Hall, and then to Charleston Tea Plantation, the home of American Classic Tea and the site where salvaged tea plants from Pinehurst Tea Plantation were planted after it was abandoned.

To further celebrate Summerville's exclusive place in history, the Sweet Tea Festival was established. This Thursday, September 19, 2013, the Summerville Restaurant Association will be holding the 2nd annual festival. Area restaurants will be offering tastes of their versions of sweet tea as well as tastes of their menu specialties. For $5, commemorative mugs will be available to purchase along with an unlimited taste of all of the teas. In my humble opinion, although an experienced one, This Whole House had the best tasting sweet brew last year.

Summerville Dream and Jan Shoemake Hursey have been working tirelessly to make this Third Thursday the best festival yet. The unveiling of the newest B.I.R.D.S. statue at 6:30 pm in front of Single Smile will take place. The Busker band, Summerville's local crowd favorite, will be in Hutchinson Square from 5:30-8:00 pm with plenty of room to dance.

Last year's crowd at the Sweet Tea Festival

Azalea Magazine will have a booth in the Square. Be sure to thank them for their diligence and dedication in sweetening our local history, for stepping out on the thick limb of audaciousness and proclaim Summerville the "Birthplace of Sweet Tea." No challenges have surfaced thus far, and who would dare. It's not even worth contesting for all the tea in China.

Now, I am going to step out on a pretty thick limb and say it. The more sweet tea you drink from now to Thursday, the less likely there will be rain. So, drink up and cheers to you all.