Summerville, Hardcover/Jerry Crotty

Summerville 's original motto, Sacra Pinus Esto, "The Pine is Sacred," hints at how serious the founders were about protecting their towering indigenous pines. Summerville owes its settlement--and early 20th-century development as an international tourism destination--to the fragrant cool air provided by the shade of the grand pines. Settled in the late 1600s by plantation owners along the Ashley River as an escape from summer heat, Summerville later became a retreat from cold northern winters. Today the town is known for its annual Flowertown Festival. The new town slogan, "The Flower Town in the Pines," is a friendlier version of the first, combining healthy respect for the ancient pines with love for the multicolored blossoms that appear anew each spring. The village is a combination of small town and bustling suburb, with plenty of Southern history to explore.