Columbia (South Carolina)

In the early 18th century, a trading post flourished in the area, where present-day Columbia is situated. In 1786, the site was chosen for South Carolina's new state capital because of its central location. The state legislature first met in its new quarters in 1790.

During the Civil War, on 17 February 1865, General Sherman's army entered Columbia and the entire city was burned by drunken Union soldiers that same night and left in ruins.

Some of Columbia's original buildings survived, but most of the city dates from after 1865.

Points of interest

Busted Plug is located at Busted Plug Plaza on Taylor Street. The sculpture is the world's largest fire hydrant. The sculpture was erected in 2001.
Carolina Coliseum is a multi-purpose arena that could seat 12,401 spectators. It was built in 1968 and it has been used for sporting events until 2002, when the nearby Colonial Life Arena opened.
The Colonial Life Arena is a multi-purpose arena. It can seat 18,000 spectators and it opened in 2002.
The Columbia Canal is the only surviving canal of a series of canals that was built by the State of South Carolina in 1824. The canals were constructed to connect settlements upstate with the towns on the Fall Line. The canal is used to generate hydroelectric power.
The Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center is the location, where meetings and conventions are held. It opened in 2004.
The historic Columbia Township Auditorium is usually referred to as just Township Auditorium. The brick building dates from 1930 and it was built in the Georgian Revival style. It can seat 3,383 participants and it was renovated in 2009.
The Koger Center for the Arts is an arts center, where you can see ballet permormances and concerts. It opened in 1988.
President Woodrow Wilson's boyhood home dates from 1870. There are several antebellum houses in its vicinity.
Richland Library was originally founded as a private library in 1896. In 1924, the city of Columbia took over. The main library is housed in a building with a striking glass façade.
The Soda City Market is an outdoor market, where local handmade items are sold. It was established in 2005.
The South Carolina Archives Building.
The original State House, or State Capitol, was built between 1786 and 1790, but it was destroyed in the fire of 1865. Construction of a new state house had already commenced in 1855, but the unfinished building was also damaged in the fire and it was not completed until 1901. The building was constructed in the Classical Revival style.
The Town Theatre is the oldest community theatre in Columbia. It was built in 1924 and it has been the venue for plays and musicals ever since.

Museums

The Columbia Museum of Art and Science
EdVenture is the largest children's museum in the Southeast United States. It was founded in 2003.
McKissick Museum offers rotating exhibition of art, science and regional history. It is part of the campus of the University of South Carolina.
The Midlands Exposition Park features historical exhibits and includes a zoo.
The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum (SCCRRMM) was founded in 1896. The museum displays uniforms, weapons, flags and other historic military artefacts. It is located at 301 Gervais Street.
The South Carolina State Museum has exhibitions on South Carolina's history. It is housed in the former Columbia Mills Building at 301 Gervais Street, along the banks of the Congaree River. The museum was established in 1988.

Parks

There are numerous parks in Columbia. The most popular ones are listed here.

Columbia's botanical garden is located across the river from the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. If features gardens, woodlands, plant collections and historic ruins.
Congaree National Park is located along the Congaree River in central South Carolina. It protects the largest contiguous tract of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the United States. Some of the tallest trees in the eastern United States can be seen there. The park also features a swamp boardwalk.
Earlewood Park.
Finlay Park was laid out as Sidney Park in 1859, but it fell into disrepair after the American Civial War. It was not until 1990 that the park was revived and reopened. It was originally named after Algernon Sidney Johnson, who was a Columbia City Councilman, but in 1994 it was rernamed for former Columbia mayor Kirkman Finlay. It is the largest park in Columbia.
The Five Points Park commemorates Martin Luther King, Jr. It was originally called Valley Park, but it was renamed in the 1980s. The park includes a water sculpture, a community center and the Stone of Hope Monument. The monument is inscribed with a few lines of King's 1964 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. It was erected in 1996.
Granby Park opened in November 1998 to provide access to Columbia's rivers. It is part of the Three Rivers Greenway, which is a system of green spaces along the banks of the city's rivers. The park features canoe access points, fishing spots, bridges and a short nature trail.
Guignard Park.
Harbison State Forest is covers 881 ha (2,177 acres) of woodland, meadowland and bottomland along the Broad River in South Carolina. It is about 8 miles from Columbia.
Hyatt Park.
Lake Murray Dam was the world's largest earthen dam upon completion in 1930. The dam and its lake are used for electricity production and recreation. The area is not far from Columbia.
Maxcy Gregg Park.
Memorial Park is a small park that sits between Main Street and the Congaree River. The park has several monuments that commemorate 'those who served their country'. There are monuments honoring the USS Columbia warship and those that served with her during WWII, the China-Burma-India Theater Veterans of WWII, casualties of the Pearl Harbor attack of 7 December 1941, who were from South Carolina, Holocaust survivors who live in South Carolina, WWII concentration camp liberators from South Carolina, the State Vietnam War Veterans and the Korean War Memorial. The park was laid out in 1986 and it is located no far from Finlay Park.
Owens Field Park.
Riverbanks Zoo & Garden houses over 2,000 animals. It is located along the Saluda River. Columbia's botanical garden is located across the river.
Riverfront Park is located along the historic Columbia Canal. The park is popular for walking, running, cycling and fishing. There is a trail, which is part of the Palmetto Trail, a hiking and biking trail that stretches through the entire state of South Carolina. An old railway bridge that spans the canal was converted into a pedestrian walkway.
Sesquicentennial State Park is colloquially known as Sesqui. The park was established for Columbia's Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1936. It is popular with locals for family reunions and group campouts. There is an 18th-century log house in the park, thought to be one of the region's oldest structures that still stand.
Southeast Park.
The Three Rivers Greenway is a 19 km (12 mi) long riverfront park that was established to link Columbia's green spaces and rivers. The first segment opened in 1998. The park features concrete pathways that are excellent for jogging, roller-skating and cycling. There are water fountains, picnic benches, acces to the river for boats, canoes and kayaks.
The W. Gordon Belser Arboretum is part of the University of South Carolina. It was established in 1959 and includes more than 100 tree species.

Columbia is an important educational center. It is the seat of the University of South Carolina, Benedict College, Columbia College, Allen University and Columbia International University. It is the largest city in South Carolina and an important trade and commercial center, serving a fertile farm region. Its industries include boatbuilding and the manufacture of electric equipment, paper and metal products, stainless steel and apparel. Not far from town is U.S. Fort Jackson, a major infantry training center. Lake Murray, which was formed after the damming of the Saluda River is also nearby.

The name Columbia was derived from the name of Christopher Columbus, the explorer who 'discovered' the Americas. The city's name is often abbreviated to 'Cola' and hence its nickname is 'Soda City'.

There are many hotels and restaurants in Columbia. The city is in central South Carolina, at the confluence of the Saluda River and the Broad River, which is the head of navigation of the Congaree River, 665 km southwest from Washington D.C.

Columbia (South Carolina)

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