Editing Sumter County, Georgia (section)

===Into modernity===
Other areas of the county have attracted national attention in the 20th century for very different reasons. In 1942, two [[Baptist church|Baptist]] ministers chose a farm in the western part of the county as the location for a Christian commune named [[Koinonia Partners|Koinonia]], where Black and White workers lived and worked together for nearly 50 years, generating some hostility among local residents during its early years.

Sumter County counts a U.S. president among its native sons. [[Jimmy Carter]] was born and raised on a peanut farm in [[Plains, Georgia|Plains]], a small community on the county's western edge. His election to the presidency in 1976 brought the small town considerable attention from journalists and tourists, which it continues to receive as the Carters lived in Plains until their respective deaths and much of their family still makes Plains their home. The [[Jimmy Carter National Historical Park]], which includes Carter's birthplace, childhood home, high school, train depot that served as his campaign headquarters along with the Carter family home and burial site, is located in and around Plains. All of the sites at the park are open for tours except for the Carter home and burial site, which are under renovation.

The headquarters of [[Habitat for Humanity International]], a nonprofit organization whose mission is to eliminate [[homelessness]], is located in Americus, the home of its founder, [[Millard Fuller]]. In addition to Habitat's socially impactful activities, Koinonia Partners publishes a bimonthly newsletter for the Prison and Jail Project promoting prisoner reform and education. Americus is also home to two colleges. [[Georgia Southwestern State University]], a public four-year institution established in 1906, is part of the [[University System of Georgia]]. [[South Georgia Technical College]], which stands near [[Souther Field]], was a training base for American and British aviators during [[World War I]] (1917–18). [[Charles Lindbergh]] learned to fly here and assembled a military surplus "Jenny" aircraft with the help of mechanics at Souther Field. Downtown Americus boasts two prominent examples of historic restoration: the [[Windsor Hotel (Americus, Georgia)|Windsor Hotel]], built in 1892, and the Rylander Theatre, which originally opened in 1921.