What is holding Sumter back? (Rock Hill, Spartanburg: private schools, shop, kindergarten)

[Ceezer]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is 'white flight'? White people/businesses leaving the area?

[Palmetto Heel]

Originally Posted by Ceezer

Pardon my ignorance, but what is 'white flight'? White people/businesses leaving the area?

White flight usually means white people leaving the city for the suburbs and taking capital with them. Once white people start leaving a city jobs dry up, schools go downhill, and the city is caught in a downward spiral. Detroit is a great example.

White flight - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Another problem facing Sumter, and the entire state of SC, is brain drain. Basically, there aren't ample job opportunities in the area and the best educated people move elsewhere.

[rubber_factory]

Originally Posted by Palmetto Heel

White flight usually means white people leaving the city for the suburbs and taking capital with them. Once white people start leaving a city jobs dry up, schools go downhill, and the city is caught in a downward spiral. Detroit is a great example.

White flight - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Another problem facing Sumter, and the entire state of SC, is brain drain. Basically, there aren't ample job opportunities in the area and the best educated people move elsewhere.

Brain drain I agree with, but white flight?

What areas of Sumter are experiencing white flight? Where from and where to?

[Captain Worley]

I know what you're getting at PH, and that's a valid point.

You don't see many smiles in Sumptahtown, that's for sure.

[Palmetto Heel]

Originally Posted by rubber_factory

Brain drain I agree with, but white flight?

What areas of Sumter are experiencing white flight? Where from and where to?

Out of the city and into the county. How long have you been in Sumter? This has been happening for over 20 years.

[rubber_factory]

Originally Posted by Palmetto Heel

Out of the city and into the county. How long have you been in Sumter? This has been happening for over 20 years.

I grew up in Sumter, but haven't lived there in 8 years or so.

Your answer... "out of the city". "into the county". Way too vague to be meaningful.

Specifically, what historically-white neighborhoods have seen an influx of black residents, and then a resulting outflow of whites?

[rubber_factory]

You're talking about the area around Morris College, the historically black school? I don't ever remember that area being predominantly white, but I'll take your word for it.

My family owns a business around there. I remember my dad driving us down to Shuler's and getting cheeseburgers, I remember playing PARD baseball at Croswell, and I remember the old Sumter Dairy. Maybe I'm talking about a different time frame here, but I always remember that as a slightly mixed area that was heavily black.

Even so, it would take a great deal of geographic analysis to prove or disprove "white flight". I'm not saying it has never happened, I'm just questioning Palmetto Heel's claim that it is currently a "real problem," i.e. a major trend in Sumter.

[Captain Worley]

It's south of Morris college. The area where Sub Station II headquarters is.

Now that I think about it, the area just west of Toumey is pretty much the same way.

On the plus side, a lot of the old houses have been restored. When my wife and I were looking for houses over a decade ago, most of them were hulks. it is nice to see the old girls being fixed back up.

[Palmetto Heel]

Originally Posted by rubber_factory

Even so, it would take a great deal of geographic analysis to prove or disprove "white flight". I'm not saying it has never happened, I'm just questioning Palmetto Heel's claim that it is currently a "real problem," i.e. a major trend in Sumter.

It isn't so much a trend as it is something that has already happened. The tipping point has been reached and there is no going back.

[Rophlmao]

Cherryvale is an example of white exit. It used to have many white owners and G.I. renters, but it started to go dark as the owners died off. That drove the G.I.s out, and the rest is history.