(soft acoustic music) - Welcome to Manning.

I see a place that has a real hometown feeling.

When we say that we are matchless for beauty and hospitality, I feel that we are true to that.

When someone is in a crisis in our area, we all come together, like you see in a lot of small towns.

- I certainly see an improvement in our physical appearance.

I take pride in that.

We did streetscaping, and trees, and our little downtown has really come back.

We have a lot of cute stores, and I feel like young people are coming back, and particularly, I'm so proud of the young women in this community.

They're the ones that are entrepreneurs, and taking on opening little shops or businesses.

- I think Manning has a very charming, small-town, hometown feel.

To me it feels very much like home.

It's where I want to be.

I have enjoyed living in other places, but this feels the most...

It feels home.

It feels like where I want to be.

We make better connections, have better friends.

They're more involved in my community, and get to have more volunteer opportunities as well.

- I would describe Manning as being a very loving community.

If someone's in need, it doesn't matter.

We're having fundraisers, we are doing drawings for prizes, anything to try and help those people.

We were one of the largest Relay For Life fundraisers for a number of years, simply because of our loving and giving spirit - I see a people.

The people are exciting wherever you go.

There's always some there, somebody there to help you.

You can breakdown side the road, they're there.

If you need help, somebody locally can help you do anything that you need to do.

And that's in all aspects.

And if you ride through town, you'll see a lot of people, and they're waving at you.

So I would say, if you come into town, start waving at people, cause they gonna wave at you.

That's just the atmosphere that we have.

- [Manning Resident] Amelia Madelia books.

Peggy Parrish.

I don't know if you know of Amelia Madelia books, but they're just so much fun.

She was from Clarendon County, and she actually came back to Manning, to live here after she retired, and continued to write books.

- When it started, we bought this building about 20 years ago, and we was trying to figure out what we was gonna do with it, so we decided to rent it out.

And about six years ago, we decided to open up a restaurant, which was one of my dream and passions to do.

And we opened about six years ago, and here we are now.

My brother works here, my mother, my aunt.

My fiancé and my stepson also help me out.

- I was born and raised right here in Manning.

Born in 1941.

And I was educated in the public schools of Manning.

And I graduated in 1959, and left for about 10 years to get an education, and some work experience.

And I went to law school so I could come back to Manning.

I had to bring my own profession with me, cause there weren't many jobs in Manning.

So I came back here as a lawyer in 1968.

And I've been practicing law in this wonderful town of Manning since 1968, which I think comes up to 55 years.

- When I think of Manning, I see growth.

We have a lot of new things coming into Manning, but we still have that small-town charm, so I'm kind of excited for the future, and what else Manning will do 10 years from now.

- [John Land] Well, it's just a wonderful town, and the people are very, very special.

The people are very warm, they are inclusive.

I think of it as being a community that has progressed through the years.

Because of that, I think we're a better place to live.

- And when I think about Manning during the time of Christmas, if you haven't been here during Christmas, you definitely want to travel to Manning.

We are known from anyone traveling from 95, cutting off in Manning and around, how beautiful our Christmas lights are.

And when you drive down Brooks Street, though Pocotaligo's been cut back, so you can have dual lanes, you can no longer have that natural canopy with light sparkling through.

You can have it with us on Brooks Street during Christmas, which reminds me of when I was growing up, coming through Pocotaligo.

- I think the people make Manning special.

And it has a definite feel about it.

It's a very, very courteous town.

I think people who come here from other places are always impressed with how friendly people are.

And it's just a good town that cares about people.

I think they're very accepting.

I know when couples come to town, or new people come to town, of course every church competes to get them to join their church, but people reach out to them.

And I think that's a wonderful thing.

I really do.

- This is our town.

Manning, South Carolina.

- This is our town.

Manning, South Carolina.

- This is our town.

Manning, South Carolina.

- This is our town.

Manning, South Carolina.

- This is our town.

Manning, South Carolina.

- This is our town.

Manning, South Carolina.

- [Group] This is our town.

Manning, South Carolina.

- This is our town.

Manning, South Carolina.

(soft acoustic music fades)