Tasty Trips: From Agricultural Roots to Cultural Pursuits: Lake City, South Carolina

By Lynn and Cele Seldon

Lake City, South Carolina—located in the central part of the state just 25 miles south of Florence—came from humble agricultural beginnings at the turn of the 20 th century. Today, Lake City has parlayed those agrarian roots into a vibrant cultural arts scene and destination, with a burgeoning tourism industry and a community that shines a spotlight on the Southeast.

Modest Beginnings

First settled by Scotch-Irish in the mid-1700s and originally called Graham’s Crossroads, Lake City became the “crossroads” for travelers along the north-south route between Charleston and Cheraw and the east-west route between Georgetown and Camden. With the name changed to Lake City in 1883—after the swimming lakes north of town—the area soon recognized their fertile soil and ideal growing conditions for strawberries and became one of the largest strawberry markets in the Southeast at the turn of the century. by Lynn & Cele Seldon By 1940, Lake City had become an agricultural darling, boasting the largest snap bean market in the world, along with other kinds of beans, peas, cucumbers, squash, and, of course, strawberries from spring to summer and tobacco from fall to spring. With the decline of tobacco and the increase in big business farming, Lake City needed to find other sources of economic sustainability. Enter Darla Moore.

Lake City’s Guardian Angel

Lake City native, University of South Carolina graduate, Wall Street tycoon, and country girl at heart, Darla Moore (of USC’s Darla Moore School of Business fame) grew up working on her grandparent’s tobacco farm. As that business died out, there was little to bring people to the area. Or, so it was thought. Moore had a vision for Lake City and set out to revitalize the community, honoring its agrarian roots and setting a course for its future. She moved back to town determined to use her background and resources to help transform her hometown. In a feature in The New York Times in 2018, Moore said, “I didn’t walk in and say, ‘I’m back, and I’ve brought a bunch of money, so let’s fix ourselves up.’” Instead, she paid for a study to see what could be done. It turned out there was a lot.

Lake City Today

With its charming downtown and vibrant six-block Main Street, Lake City is gaining quite the reputation for being one of the state’s (and Southeast’s) top small towns. And that’s not just with its 6,000 residents, but also with droves of tourists and national publications like Afar, Travel & Leisure, and USA Today’s 10 Best who have featured this South Carolina gem. From botanical gardens to public art installations and museums to dining, Lake City—and Darla Moore’s vision—has arrived.

Things to Do

With such an agriculture legacy, it’s no surprise that one of Lake City’s biggest draws is Moore Farms Botanical Gardens. Founded in 2002 by Moore on the site of her grandparent’s tobacco farm, her family’s ancestral croplands have been transformed into a magical 65-acre cultivated garden. The perfect combination of nature as art and horticultural research and education, the lush gardens feature many South Carolina native species, as well as Southern heritage plants in its formal garden, cut flower garden, bog garden, pine bay woodlands, and crepe myrtle allée.

Other unique features include a thatched-roof Spring House, boardwalks, a 100-foot fire tower, an eco-friendly roof top garden, many pieces of artwork scattered throughout the gardens, and varied ponds. Although the gardens are public, access is available only through scheduled tours, as well as free garden days, occurring one weekend in each season. Another great way to see the gardens is through their many events, including Beer Fest, Wine Stroll, Evening Wine Walks, Garden Tea Parties, and more. The annual nine-day ArtFields festival each spring is another brainchild of Moore’s and a massive draw to the area. Created to shine a spotlight, showcase, and honor artists and artwork of the Southeast, ArtFields features a competition and exhibition of over 400 works of art, with a purse of over $100,000. Artwork is displayed throughout town at a variety of public venues, warehouses, art spaces, museums, restaurants, and boutiques, which basically turns the entire town into a living art gallery. According to Moore in an interview in Garden & Gun, “… the success [of ArtFields] is based on authenticity.”

That success and authenticity have led to a proliferation of art galleries including TRAX Visual Art Center and Jones-Carter Gallery, which both feature rotating shows throughout the year, and Crossroads Gallery, which displays past ArtFields winners. The downtown area is also alive with public art in the form of murals, sculptures, and metalworks that have been commissioned to help revitalize and beautify the community. From honeybees to butterflies, flowers to abstracts, and historical commemorations, the walls and corners of the city have come alive.

Art isn’t the only form of culture found in Lake City. There are also historical museums and monuments to explore. Lynches Lake Historical Society keeps Lake City’s history alive in the Historic Whitehead Infirmary building, while the Ronald McNair Life History Center and Memorial honors the life of this Lake City native astronaut and physicist who gave his life in the 1986 Challenger Space Shuttle explosion.

A Taste of Lake City

If all this culture leaves visitors hungry, Lake City has plenty of opportunities to fuel the furnace. Naturally, the Lake City Farmer’s Market is a big deal and showcases the continuing commitment to agriculture in the area. Held on Thursday evenings from late spring through early-November, the Farmer’s Market is held in The Bean Market, which was built in 1936 as part of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s “New Deal” and once housed the world’s largest truck auction of green beans during Lake City’s agricultural heyday.

Today, this restored historic building serves as a multipurpose cultural and community center and event venue. In addition to the vibrant Farmer’s Market, Lake City boasts more than 20 restaurants, from bakeries to barbecue, bistros, Mexican, Asian, pizza, and fine dining. For breakfast or that all-important cup ‘o joe, head to Baker’s Sweets Bistro & Bakery, with everything from specialty coffee and tea drinks and an amazing cookie, muffin, and pastry selection to a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus.

For something a bit more Southern, head to Piggyback’s Barbeque & Catfish. Famous for their smoked ‘cue (think pulled pork, beef brisket, ribs, and chicken), catfish, po’boys, and burgers, Piggyback’s also features steak nights, live music on the weekends, and their own food truck.

If a casual dinner with a laid-back atmosphere is the goal, head to Green Frog Social House for elevated bar food, arcade games for the kids, and one of the most diverse selections of craft beer in Lake City. For fine dining, Lake City Bistro inside The Inn at the Crossroads is the swankiest spot in town. Featuring a happening bar, a stunning dining room, and alfresco dining in the courtyard, Lake City Bistro focuses on local ingredients from the Pee Dee region for their creative appetizers, salads, burgers, steaks, and seafood. For something lighter, Sip Co. Wine & Beer features a tasting room, along with craft beers and fine wine to go, as well as food trucks parked out front, yoga classes, trivia games, and more. Or head to the newest spot in town at Tammy’s, serving up specialty cocktails, beer, and wine, along with a selection of charcuterie boards, paninis, and melted chocolate dessert boards.

Shopping along Main Street is a cornucopia of locally-owned and-operated boutique shops, offering an eclectic mix of gifts, clothing, antiques, outdoor supplies, and more. Don’t miss Main Street Mercantile or Seven Boutique for curated clothing and home goods, Elegant Bee for antiques, trendy women’s fashions and accessories at The Cabbage Patch or So-Lace Boutique, and Shade Tree Outfitters for all things outdoors. For the foodies, Lake City even boasts their own butcher at Frye’s Meat Market and seafood market with Ward’s Fish Market.

Accommodations are a cinch in Lake City, with options including an inn, a bed and breakfast, and an upscale RV park, as well as chain hotels. The grande dame place to stay is The Inn at the Crossroads, a charming boutique hotel with 57 well-appointed guest rooms and five suites, as well as the aforementioned on-site Lake City Bistro, situated in the heart of historic downtown. It’s the perfect place to rest and rejuvenate once you’ve explored the many charms that Lake City has to offer.

For More Information While Lake City doesn’t have a physical Visitors Center, you can find all of their information on their website www.visitlakecitysc.com. For another questions, email them at info@visitlakecitysc.com.