5 One-of-a-Kind Small Towns In South Carolina

A few towns in South Carolina trace their origins to distinctive conditions that set them apart from others in the state. South Carolina’s geography stretches from the Blue Ridge foothills through the Piedmont and down to a long Atlantic coastline, creating sharply different landscapes that shaped how communities formed. Its history includes early colonial settlement, plantation economies, Revolutionary and Civil War activity, and long-standing agricultural and industrial traditions that influenced where towns emerged and how they functioned. The towns featured here each grew from a specific circumstance or practice that cannot be easily replicated elsewhere in the United States. Pack your bags and explore these places to see how geography, history, and local identity combined to create communities unlike any others.

Sumter

This town is home to the only public park in the United States that maintains all eight species of swans. Swan Lake Iris Gardens spans 150 acres and features lakes, walking paths, and carefully maintained garden beds designed to support the resident swans year-round. More than 100 varieties of Japanese iris bloom across the property each spring, with peak flowering typically occurring from mid-May through early June. The annual Iris Festival takes place on the grounds and includes horticultural displays, juried arts and crafts vendors, live entertainment, and classic car exhibitions.

In addition to Swan Lake Iris Gardens, the town of Sumter is home to many other defined cultural institutions. The Sumter Museum, housed in a restored 20th-century structure, will present both permanent and rotating exhibits relating to the history of regional farming/agriculture, military, and everyday life in the Pee Dee area, including artifacts from the early settlers as well as those from twentieth-century rural communities. Located adjacent to the museum is the Sumter County Gallery of Art, previously a Carnegie Library built in 1916, and now provides rotating exhibits by national artists, as well as studio classes and workshops that are an integral part of Sumter's continued cultural development.

Greer

A global automotive brand and a small-town setting come together in one of South Carolina’s most distinctive communities. Greer is home to the BMW Zentrum Museum, the only BMW museum in North America and one of the brand’s most significant public facilities outside Germany. Located beside BMW’s largest manufacturing plant, the museum showcases a diverse collection of historic and modern vehicles, concept models, and engineering exhibits. Visitors can also participate in the 75-minute BMW Body Shop Tour, which provides a guided tour of the manufacturing complex where vehicle bodies are assembled using advanced automation and precision engineering.

Back in the city, Greer City Park serves as a central gathering area with open green space and event lawns. Also, another great stop is the Greer Heritage Museum, which documents the town’s railroad origins and industrial growth, adding historical context to a community shaped by both manufacturing and modern civic life. The town hosts a series of more than 20 annual events, including Moonlight Movies and Tunes in the Park, which draw residents and visitors to outdoor screenings and live music in the downtown area.

Bishopville

This place is famous for a topiary garden unlike any other in the country. Bishopville is known for the Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden, a living art environment created by self-taught artist Pearl Fryar on his own residential property. Unlike traditional topiary gardens built around formal patterns or recognizable figures, this site features abstract, non-representational forms shaped entirely by hand. Fryar’s work includes sweeping arches, spirals, and wave-like structures, along with pieces often described as “fishbone trees” or forms resembling sailing ships. The garden functions as an open-air studio, with each sculpture shaped gradually through years of patient trimming rather than preplanned design.

The town also offers a few unexpected stops. The Button Museum, created by collector Dalton Stevens, occupies a large hangar-like space filled with thousands of buttons attached to everyday objects, assembled through decades of collecting. And before leaving town, visitors often make one last stop at KKC, yes, the KKC, not KFC. Krispy Krunchy Chicken is a local favorite that has become part of the town’s favorite spots since 1989.

Camden

Camden is home to the oldest continuously operating steeplechase course in the United States. The town’s Springdale Race Course, established in 1930, has remained an active center for American steeplechasing for nearly a century. The course hosts two nationally recognized events: the Carolina Cup, first run in March 1930 and now one of the country’s most attended steeplechase races, and the Colonial Cup, introduced in 1970 by Marion duPont Scott as the first international steeplechase held in the United States. Together, these events established Camden as a permanent fixture in American equestrian sport.

Camden’s downtown centers on a walkable collection of historic storefronts and cultural spaces. The Downtown Cultural District, stretching through Broad Street, is lined with antique shops, specialty stores, and galleries that reflect the town’s long-standing role as a regional market hub. Among the best known is Camden Antiques Market, a longtime fixture offering a wide range of collectibles and furnishings. Nearby, the Laurie B. McIntosh Art Studio showcases original works by the local artist, adding a contemporary creative presence to the historic streetscape.

Aiken

The city of Aiken is recognized as being among the top equestrian centers in America. As a winter training location for racehorses since the end of the nineteenth century, the city has developed an identity based on the breeding and competing of thoroughbreds. The Aiken Training Track, created in 1916, continues to be one of the oldest continuously operating training tracks in the nation; it is currently utilized by many of America's leading trainers and riders. The surrounding sand trails and riding routes form part of what is considered the majority of the city's day-to-day activity.

In addition to the training areas, Aiken's equestrian way of life is evident throughout its geography. Hitchcock Woods, one of the largest private urban forests in the U.S., features over 2000 acres of riding trails open year-round to riders. The Battle of Aiken Reenactment is celebrated annually with living history events representing a Civil War cavalry battle in the area, and the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame & Museum chronicles Aiken's long-time contribution to American horse racing.

Five Towns, Five Unique Stories

Each of these towns has something that cannot be found anywhere else in the country. Sumter stands out for its nationally recognized swan sanctuary, where all eight species live year-round within a carefully maintained public garden. Bishopville is defined by the Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden, an unconventional landscape created by a self-taught artist whose work reshaped ideas of outdoor art. Greer centers on advanced manufacturing, anchored by the only BMW museum in North America and an active production facility. Aiken reflects a long-standing equestrian tradition, with historic training grounds and horse-centered landscapes that continue to shape daily life. Camden is distinguished by its role as the nation’s oldest continuously operating steeplechase center, where equestrian sport remains central to the town’s identity.