Sumter Neighborhoods (South Sumter, Liberty, Hampton: subdivisions, income, live in)

[Woodlands]

Some in the forum have been raising interesting questions about Sumter neighborhoods, boundaries.. etc

Whats interesting about some of Sumter neighborhoods...which is probably no different in most cities.. is you have a few such as (Anne Park and Hampton Park, ) to name a few that, are readily identifiable by most locals and residents. Then you have "sections" of Sumter that are composed several neighborhoods that are less identifiable neighborhoods and are thus obsorbed by their "section".. An example would be South Sumter. This area consist of dozens of neighborhoods built during various stages. If you asked someone in Sumter for example where is Albert Spears Drive.. they would likley respond that it is in "South Sumter" as opposed to Pinedale subdivision which is a relatively middle class subdivision that exist in the area and has neighborhood signs. The same could be said for S. Blanding or S. Purdy St.. which may be identified by most as "West Sumter". By the same notion if you asked where is Harby Ave, Haynsworth, or Park Ave.. most people would readily say.. Hampton Park versus more generic "North" or "West" Sumter. I have heard some people though when stating that they lived of Adams Ave (near Alice Drive) also ID their community as "West Sumter" though ..most often say "off Alice Drive" as the defining moniker refering to the series of neighborhoods that branch off of this corridor between Liberty and Broad. Deerfield and some of the newer subdivisions are of course ID by their development name which is common with most newer subdivisions in our area.

Many social scientists say that peope identify where or what the boundaries of their neighborhood are (particuliarly when not in a subdivison/development that entitles the area's name)....is largely defined by race, class, and physical boundaries (i.e. major streets, rivers, railroads, and sometimes type of housing). Boundaries are also influenced by people's opinions, who do not live in the neighborhood, on where they believe that neighborhood begins/ends and also of course by institutions/business (government, realtors, and businesses).

Most agree that the more cohesive, organized/active, homgeneous the group (this could be income not necessarily race though race sometimes plays a major role depending on the community), and the more active the residents are.... the more likely they are to identify their neighborhood boundaries (when none are readily established) and thus calling out and claiming their piece of their "section" of the City. And over time the broader community will begin to recognize it as "X" neighborhood as opposed to their generic "north, south, east, west" section. This is why I believe places like Hampton Park and Anne Park, for example, are so identifiable and to some degree more stable than some of the areas may adjoin them. There are certainly others examples in the City as well...