Fifty years ago, a beautiful old house in downtown Sumter opened its doors with a simple goal: to preserve the history of the people and places that make this community special. Half a century later, that mission is still going strong, and it’s just grown a whole lot bigger.
Opening in early 2027, the Sumter Military Museum is the latest expansion of the Sumter Museum campus. The 36,000 square-foot museum will feature the county’s military history from WW1 to present, including local history and artifacts related to the nearby Shaw Air Force Base.
The museum has come a long way since its humble beginnings. Founded in 1976, the Museum campus has expanded to encompass a rich array of attractions.
At the center of it all is the Williams Brice House. Built in 1916 as a private home, it’s still the heart of the museum today. If you’ve ever walked through its front door, you’ve probably noticed the grand “welcoming arms” staircase, the detailed Edwardian woodwork, and the stately fireplace. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
In 1976, the house officially became the Williams Brice Museum and opened to the public under the Historical Society. While the home itself was worth preserving, the real vision was always bigger than one building. It was about telling the stories of the Old Sumter District (now the Sumter, Lee, and Clarendon counties) and the people who helped shape them.
The expansion of the museum would not be possible without its dedicated supporters, including its Board of Trustees, whose leadership has helped guide its growth over the last several years. Long-time member, Kathy Creech, witnessed that transformation firsthand during her two decades of service.
“I am so proud to have been affiliated with the Sumter Museum for more than 20 some years now! Beginning with the Williams Brice House and gardens, I remember the addition of the Backcountry and later the Heritage Education Center. Then came Temple Sinai. And now the incredible Military Museum. I have seen tremendous growth over the years,” Creech said.
This growth is in part due to increased community support, fundraising efforts, and the leadership of Sumter Museum’s Executive Director, Annie Rivers.
“My gratitude goes to Annie and her staff, the Williams Brice Edwards Trust, the Museum Foundation, the many many board members and also the citizens of our community who have supported our endeavors over these past 50 years!”
These efforts ensure that the museum can continue to offer programs and exhibits, Creech said. “The museum offers workshops, book signings, and backcountry days. All are very educational and enjoyed by local residents’
As the years passed, that vision kept growing.
During the 1980s, the museum became the Sumter County Museum and established itself as its own independent organization. That change opened the door to new possibilities, including the opening of the Carolina Backcountry Homestead in 1998. With its collection of reconstructed 18th- and early 19th-century buildings, the Homestead gives visitors a chance to experience what life was like for some of Sumter’s earliest settlers.
Today, it’s still one of the museum’s most popular destinations. Whether you’re watching a blacksmith at work, exploring the historic cabins, or visiting during a living history event, it’s easy to imagine what daily life looked like more than 200 years ago.
The museum continued to grow in the years that followed. In 2003, the Heritage Education Center opened, giving the museum more space for exhibits, classrooms, and educational programs that serve students and community groups throughout the area.
In 2018, the museum took on another important responsibility by partnering with Temple Sinai. In collaboration with the Temple Sinai congregation, The Sumter Museum preserves the historic synagogue while sharing the story of Jewish life in Sumter, the lasting impact of Jewish culture on our community, and the lessons of the Holocaust through education and remembrance. And now, the next chapter is already underway.
In 2024, the museum launched its Build a Home for History capital campaign to create the new Sumter Military Museum. The museum will feature thousands of artifacts from the military collection donated to the Sumter Museum by Dr. Sammy Way, a former high school history teacher, archivist, and Army veteran. The collection includes more than 400 military uniforms, 14,000 photographs, and countless pieces of military memorabilia that tell the stories of service and sacrifice across generations.
Looking back, it’s amazing to see how much has changed over the past 50 years. What started as one historic house has grown into a campus that preserves everything from frontier life to local education, faith, and military history.
As the Sumter Museum celebrates this milestone, it’s also looking ahead. The mission remains the same as it was in 1976: to explore historical experiences through programs and exhibits that allow all of us to inform and shape our future. After 50 years, there’s still plenty of history left to tell.
By Programs Specialist, Kylie Cordell
