Columbia

The City in Brief

Founded: 1786 (chartered 1805)
Head Official: Mayor Bob Coble (D) (since 1990)
City Population
1980: 101,229
1990: 110,734
2000: 116,278
2003 estimate: 117,357
Percent change, 1990-2000: 1.6%
U.S. rank in 1990: 203rd
U.S. rank in 2000: 198th (State rank: 1st)
Metropolitan Area Population
1980: 410,000
1990: 454,000
2000: 536,691
Percent change, 1990-2000: 18.4%
U.S. rank in 1980: 82nd
U.S. rank in 1990: 79th
U.S. rank in 2000: 79th
Area: 125 square miles (2000)
Elevation: Ranges from 200 to 350 feet above sea level
Average Annual Temperature: 65° F
Average Annual Precipitation: 50.14 inches
Major Economic Sectors: government, wholesale and retail trade, services
Unemployment rate: 4.9% (December 2004)
Per Capita Income: $18,853 (1999) 2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 10,307
Major Colleges and Universities: University of South Carolina, Benedict College, Columbia College
Daily Newspaper: The State

Introduction

The capital city of South Carolina is a major industrial, cultural, and educational center located in the heart of a fertile farm region. The romance of the nineteenth century is writ large in the buildings and historical markers that grace its broad, tree-lined streets. Chosen as a compromise site for the interests of wealthy low country planters and fiercely independent small farmers and merchants from the hill country, this city located directly in the center of the state was specifically designed to serve as its seat of government. From the beautifully preserved antebellum architecture to the riverbanks and swamps to the State House with its battle-scarred walls and rich interiors, Columbia is an enchanting city. Columbia was ranked 2nd of ”America’s Most Livable Mid-Sized Communities” in 2005 by the national non-profit organization Partners for Livable Communities.

Geography and Climate

Columbia is situated near the geographic center of South Carolina, midway between New York City and Miami. Set near the ”fall line” dividing the South Carolina Piedmont and Coast Plains, the rolling hills surrounding the city slope from approximately 350 feet above sea level in the city’s northernmost part to 200 feet above sea level in the southeast. The Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains northwest of the city often delay the approach of cold weather, and the winters are mild with the lowest temperatures extending from November to mid-March. Below-freezing temperatures are experienced during only one-third of the winter days. Nearly every year brings one day with a one-inch snowfall. Temperatures in spring range from March’s occasional cold snap to warm, pleasant days in much of May. Long summers are the norm, and short-lived late afternoon thundershowers a common occurrence. Typically, there are about 6 days of over-100 degree weather in summer, but the heat is eased by frequent summer showers. Sunny days and lack of rain characterize Columbia’s typically beautiful fall weather.
Area: 125 square miles (2000)
Elevation: ranges from 200 to 350 above sea level
Average Temperatures: January, 44.7° F; July, 81.0° F; annual average, 65° F
Average Annual Precipitation: 50.14 inches

History

Located at the middle of South Carolina, the city of Columbia was carved out of the countryside by order of the state legislature, which wanted to establish a new capital more centrally situated than Charleston. By that time, the area had been important in the state’s development for more than a century. Early settlers were mostly Scots-Irish, German, and English farmers who moved to the hills of northwestern South Carolina, having little in common with the wealthy planters of Charleston. ”The Congarees,” a frontier fort on the river’s west bank, was the head of navigation on the Santee River system. In 1754 a ferry service was initiated to connect the fort with the settlement that was developing on the east bank’s higher ground.
The new capital, named Columbia in honor of Christopher Columbus, was set on Taylor’s Hill where the Broad and Saluda rivers merge to form the Congaree River. The General Assembly moved to Columbia in 1791. History tells ofa visit by George Washington during that year as part of his tour of South Carolina.

Development of America’s First ”Planned City”

One of the first planned cities in America, Columbia was laid out in a two-mile square surrounding the site of the State House. The city’s streets, designed in a grid, were named for heroes of the Revolution and for the state’s agricultural products, such as rice, wheat, blossom, and indigo.
By the early 1880s the town had become an agricultural center, and soon the state had become the leading cotton producer in the nation. The first textile mill was introduced in 1832, and saw mills, cotton gins, tanneries, carriage manufacturers, and iron foundries were soon to follow. With the establishment of steamship connections to the Congaree and Santee rivers, many of the city’s cotton merchants handled shipments that earlier had moved overland to the port at Charleston. South Carolina College (now the University of South Carolina) was founded in 1801, and the ensuing close relationship between the college, the city, and the legislature endures to the present day.
By mid-century, the local economy was strengthened by growing accessibility to the eastern United States via the railroad. A distinctive style of architecture, known as Columbia Cottage, had emerged. To help assuage the often unpleasant summer heat, builders designed a structure to maximize the effect of natural breezes. The building featured a raised cottage with an enclosed basement above the ground, halls from front to back, windows that reached the floor, and ceilings often 15 feet high.

Civil War Brings Destruction

Columbia, with a population of 8,000, was the site of the First Secession Convention and was instrumental in establishing the Confederacy and keeping it supplied with uniforms, swords, cannonballs, and other supplies over the course of the Civil War. The city was destroyed by the fiery rampage of General William T. Sherman in 1865, which left almost everything in ruins except the university. Reconstruction was a time of great hardship, but by the 1890s the city finally reemerged as a center of agricultural commerce.

Major Fort Important to City

By 1900 large cotton mills had been built and nearly 9,000 people worked in the city’s mill district. The period prior to World War I and until the Great Depression of the 1930s was one of prosperity. Trade was growing, banks and hospitals multiplied, and the city became the state’s business center. East of the city the U.S. Army built Fort Jackson, presently one of the country’s largest infantry training bases. Thanks to a diversified economy, the city survived the Great Depression without as much pain as some other areas of the country. Between 1940 and 1950 the population grew by more than one-third, in part due to Fort Jackson’s role in the training of soldiers for World War II.

Economic and Social Progress Made Since Mid-Century

By the post-War 1950s, small and medium-sized factories were developing, and new industries such as electronics, military equipment, textiles, cameras, and structural steel further diversified the economy. During the period of the civil rights struggle in the 1960s, Mayor Lester Bates and a biracial committee of 60 citizens worked together to quietly and systematically encourage the desegregation of the city. By 1963 the university was integrated, and in 1964,24 African American students entered previously all-white public schools.
The 1970s saw the creation of downtown’s Main Street Mall and the completion of Riverbanks Zoological Park. In subsequent years Riverfront Park was developed, the Koger Center for Performing Arts opened, and new interstate highways made the city even more accessible regionally and nationally. Today, more people are moving to Columbia and its crime rate has fallen 25 percent. The city is making strides to revitalize old neighborhoods, improve its city center streetscapes and make the area’s river system more accessible and enjoyable for its residents. Foreign investors are realizing the benefits of locating their manufacturing and production businesses to the area and Columbia is becoming a leading research and technology center of the region.
Historical Information: South Carolina (State) Department of Archives and History, Archives and History Center, 8301 Parklane Rd., Columbia, SC 29223; telephone (803) 8966100. South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Museum Library, Columbia Mills Building, 301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29214-0001; telephone (803)737-8095

Population Profile

Metropolitan Area Residents
1980: 410,000
1990: 453,932
2000: 536,691
Percent change, 1990-2000: 18.4%
U.S. rank in 1980: 82nd
U.S. rank in 1990: 79th
U.S. rank in 2000: 79th
City Residents
1980: 101,229
1990: 110,734
2000: 116,278
2003 estimate: 117,357
Percent change, 1990-2000: 1.6%
U.S. rank in 1990: 203rd
U.S. rank in 2000: 198th (State rank: 1st)
Density: 928.6 people per square mile (2000)
Racial and ethnic characteristics (2000)
White: 57,236
Black or African American: 53,465
American Indian and Alaska Native: 296
Asian: 2,008
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander: 104 Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 3,520
Other: 1,582
Percent of residents born in state: 59.2% (2000)
Age characteristics (2000)
Population under 5 years old: 6,478
Population 5 to 9 years old: 6,495
Population 10 to 14 years old: 6,195
Population 15 to 19 years old: 13,248
Population 20 to 24 years old: 17,556
Population 25 to 34 years old: 19,541
Population 35 to 44 years old: 15,466
Population 45 to 54 years old: 12,381
Population 55 to 59 years old: 3,948
Population 60 to 64 years old: 2,988
Population 65 to 74 years old: 5,846
Population 75 to 84 years old: 4,595
Population 85 years and older: 1,541
Median age: 28.6 years (2000)
Births (Richland County, 2002)
Total number: 4,375
Deaths (Richland County, 2002)
Total number: 2,582 (of which, 29 were infants under the age of 1 year)
Money income (1999)
Per capita income: $18,853
Median household income: $31,141
Total households: 41,960
Number of households with income of. . .
less than $10,000: 7,012
$10,000 to $14,999: 3,535
$15,000 to $24,999: 6,666
$25,000 to $34,999: 5,976
$35,000 to $49,999: 6,409
$50,000 to $74,999: 5,721
$75,000 to $99,999: 2,647
$100,000 to $149,999: 2,128
$150,000 to $199,999: 760
$200,000 or more: 1,116
Percent of families below poverty level: 17.0% (38.1% of which were female householder families in poverty)
2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 10,307

Municipal Government

The city of Columbia has a mayor-council form of government. The mayor is elected at large and there are six council members, four elected from districts and two elected at large; all are elected to staggered four-year terms.
Head Official: Mayor Bob Coble (D) (since 1990; current term expires 2006)
Total Number of City Employees: 1,700 (2005)
City Information: Columbia City Hall, 1737 Main Street, PO Box 147, Columbia, SC 29217; telephone (803)545-3000

Economy

Major Industries and Commercial Activity

Columbia prides itself on a diverse and stable economy based on jobs in local and state government, manufacturing, and services and on being the site of the Fort Jackson military base. In recent years, distribution, manufacturing, and research and development have increased that diversity. The city is relying on its technology infrastructure, active entrepreneurial community, major research university, and diverse quality of life to attract and keep new business. Columbia’s diverse economic base includes 31 Fortune 500 companies, and the city serves as a service center for the insurance, telecommunications, computer, and real estate industries. Dozens of international companies from Australia, France, Italy, Germany, Great Britain, Denmark, Japan, South Korea, Belgium, Luxembourg, Taiwan and Canada have operations in the region.
The University of South Carolina bolsters the economy through the expenditures of its more than 32,000 students as well as 7,900 faculty, staff, and support personnel. Fort Jackson, which is located within the city’s boundaries, employs more than 4,400 civilians and spends nearly $716.9 million annually for salaries, utilities, contracts and other services, much of it in Columbia. It hires local firms for construction work and buys its supplies from local businesses.
Ample rainfall and the temperate climate promote the area’s success as an agricultural center. The wholesale trade industry, which began its growth in the years prior to World War I, benefits from the fact that approximately 70 percent of the nation’s population and 70 percent of its industrial/commercial power are within 24-hour ground access.
Items and goods produced: electronics, military equipment, marine products, chemicals, processed foods

Incentive Programs—New and Existing Companies

Local programs—The City of Columbia Economic Development Office stands ready to provide a wide range of services to companies interested in the Columbia region; incentives range from new business tax incentives to site planning. The Central Carolina Alliance is a public/private partnership engaged in the recruitment of capital investment and jobs to the Columbia region.
State programs—South Carolina is a “right-to-work” state and has the lowest unionization rate in the country at only 3.7 percent. The State provides a variety of business incentives. South Carolina emphasizes helping companies expand by offering low tax structures. The following incentives and financing sources may be available to qualifying companies: 20 percent state tax credit for development or lease of qualified office facilities; elimination of inventory, intangibles, unitary and value added taxes; job creation tax credits for five years up to $1,500 per employee; the Childcare Program Credit; Sales Tax Exemptions on a variety of production goods; fee-in-lieu of taxes option for investment and job creation; Enterprise Zones incentive; and property tax incentives.
Job training programs—The Columbia Work Initiative Program is a work training program developed by the City of Columbia and the Sumter-Columbia Empowerment Zone. It provides opportunities for empowerment zone residents to develop marketable skills in carpentry and masonry to supply area industry with a pool of trained workers. South Carolina’s Special Schools program, a division of the State Board of Technical and Comprehensive Education, assumes the entire training responsibility and designs programs to suit a company’s needs. The program may include trainee recruitment and testing, instructor recruitment and training, provision of training sites, development of instructional materials, and complete program management. South Carolina’s Center for Accelerated Technology Training (CATT) pre-employment training program provides new and expanding companies with a fully trained and productive work force on the first day of operation. In Columbia, the Midlands Education and Business Alliance is one of the 16 School-to-Work consortiums, which offer pre-employment, internships and worker training programs to ensure that high school graduates are prepared to enter the workforce. South Carolina administers the Job Training Partnership Program.

Development Projects

Attracting area residents to live and work in Columbia is a main objective of the city’s Economic Development Office. Its City Center Residential Initiative aims to increase the number of people living in the heart of the city. A 40,000 square foot Confederate Printing Plant has been redeveloped into a Publix grocery store, which opened in 2004 to accommodate the needs of urban residents. This redevelopment is part of an effort to revitalize the Huger Street corridor, which once housed a steel business. Other developments in the corridor include two office buildings and two multi-million dollar residential projects. Six other properties in the corridor have potential for redevelopment.
The Three Rivers Greenway is a multi-year ongoing project which has brought together a partnership of city and county governments and other area institutions to develop a 12-mile linear park system for the 90-mile interconnecting Saluda, Congaree and Broad Rivers. Conceived in 1995, the River Alliance has constructed parks, river walks, an amphitheater, bike lane, running trail, housing communities, and water sport activities along the rivers. In 2005, plans for student housing apartments and an upscale condominium project near the river were underway. Work on the Columbia side of the river is scheduled in phases.
The Charles R. Drew Wellness Center, scheduled for completion in late 2005, is one of the city’s newest municipal projects. The 40,000 square foot complex features an indoor swimming pool and gymnasium, cardio/weight room, jogging track, and meeting and activity rooms. The Five Points District, Down-town Columbia’s shopping and nightlife destination, is the beneficiary of a $28 million revitalization. Scheduled for completion in mid-2006, the two year project is designed to renovate and rejuvenate not only the streets, sidewalks, streetlights and signage, but to also repair some major underground sewer lines and other utility lines. Columbia’s Main Street is also undergoing a renovation with new landscaping, paving, lighting and the installation of a fiber duct bank. Lady Street, Harden Street, and North Main Street are other city roads which have recently benefited from streetscape improvements. Other economic development projects on the city’s drawing board include a plan to develop a technology-focused industrial park and plans to attract research projects to the University of South Carolina and the community.
Economic Development Information: Economic Development Division, Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce, 930 Richland Street, P.O. Box 1360, Columbia, SC 292029896; telephone (803)733-1110. City of Columbia Economic Development Office; telephone (803)734-2700; email development@columbiasc.net.

Commercial Shipping

With the benefit of its location where three major interstate highways cross within its regional boundaries and two rail systems operate, Columbus is positively positioned for businesses that require major transportation access. The Columbia Metropolitan Airport handles more than 10,400 tons of cargo annually plus an additional 93 tons of airmail. The airport’s Foreign Trade Zone #27 is a 108-acre tract with a 40,000 square foot warehouse and office building and an additional 52,000 square feet of multi-tenant space. The U.S. Customs Services offices, Port of Columbia, are also located in this zone along with several Custom House brokers. Columbia is served by more than 60 motor freight carriers and is the site of United Parcel Service’s southeastern regional air cargo hub, ensuring low costs and timely delivery for local industry. Charleston, the second busiest seaport on the east coast, is just 110 miles away.

Labor Force and Employment Outlook

Columbia boasts a large and growing workforce, especially in the 20-to-40 age group. Many retirees from Fort Jackson choose to stay in the area, adding skill and maturity to the available workforce. Workers are described as efficient and productive, and work stoppages are rare. Forbes magazine ranked Columbia 17th of the best cities for business climate in 2003. South Carolina is a right-to-work state and is one of the country’s least unionized states. The Columbia area workforce is also an educated one, ranking 23rd in the nation for doctoral degrees and 32nd for college degrees, according to the Columbia Office of Economic Development.
While Columbia has been successful in creating jobs, it has not achieved the same success in raising its residents’ standard of living. Growth in wages in the state from 1994-2004 fell below the national average. Per capita income was 80 percent of the national average. The Columbia region, historically insulated because of State government, the University of South Carolina, and Fort Jackson, lost more than 10,000 jobs between 2002 and 2004. The city’s challenge is to create more high-paying jobs, according to Mayor Bob Coble in his 2004 State of the City address. To that end, the city has plans to increasingly focus on attracting technology companies to the area and especially to the University of South Carolina Research Campus.
The following is a summary of data regarding the Columbia metropolitan area labor force, 2003 annual averages.
Size of nonagricultural labor force: 303,800
Number of workers employed in . . .
construction and mining: 17,400
manufacturing: 23,800
trade, transportation and utilities: 55,800
information: 5,600
financial activities: 25,200
professional and business services: 33,800
educational and health services: 32,800
leisure and hospitality: 26,200
other services: 9,300 government: 73,800
Average hourly earnings of production workers employed in manufacturing: not reported
Unemployment rate: 4.9% (December 2004)
Largest private sector employers (Greater Columbia)                                          Number of employees
Palmetto Health                                                                                                                            7,500
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of SC                                                                                                       5,100
Richland School District One                                                                                                          5,000
SCE&G                                                                                                                                            4,000
United Parcel Service                                                                                                                     3,528
Wachovia Bank of South Carolina                                                                                                   3,422
Richland School District Two                                                                                                          2,500
Branch Banking and Trust Company                                                                                                2,093
School District Five of Lexington and
Richland Counties                                                                                                                          2,000
Santee Cooper                                                                                                                                1,650
Cost of Living
The following is a summary of data regarding several key cost of living factors for the Columbia area.
2004 (3rd Quarter) ACCRA Average House Price:$246,380
2004 (3rd Quarter) ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 96.2 (U.S. average = 100.0)
State income tax rate: Ranges from 2.5% to 7.0%
State sales tax rate: 5.0%
Local income tax rate: none Local sales tax rate: none
Property tax rate: Millage rates set annually by local government tax authorities and applied to 4.0% of fair market value.
Economic Information: Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce, 930 Richland, Columbia, SC 29202; telephone (803)733-1110

Education and Research

Elementary and Secondary Schools

Richland County has three school districts: Richland School District One and Two and School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties. Richland School District Two is a suburban school district serving the rapidly growing northeast section of Richland County. Thirteen of its eighteen schools have been named national Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education’s Excellence in Education Program. Three elementary schools and two middle schools have been named ”Palmetto’s Finest schools.”
The following is a summary of data regarding Richland County School District Two as of the 2003-2004 school year.
Total enrollment: 18,969
Number of facilities
elementary schools: 13
middle schools: 5
high schools: 4
other: 1 child development center with 5 satellites districtwide; 2 magnet schools; 1 secondary alternative school for non-violent, chronically disruptive students
Student/teacher ratio: 20.7:1
Teacher salaries average: $41,321
Funding per pupil: $7,547
Greater Columbia is home to 72 private and parochial schools.
Public Schools Information: Richland School District Two,6831 Brookfield Road, Columbia, SC 29206; telephone (803)787-1910

Colleges and Universities

Columbia is the home of ten institutions of higher learning, including the University of South Carolina (USC), which has gained regional recognition for its programs in law, marketing, geography, medicine, marine science, nursing, engineering, business administration, and social work. The Columbia campus of South University offers programs in accounting, business administration, computer information systems, medical assisting and paralegal/legal studies and a paralegal certificate program. Baptist-affiliated Benedict College, a traditionally African American college, offers four-year degrees in more than 30 majors. Columbia College, a Methodist-related women’s liberal arts school, offers bachelor’s of arts and science and master’s of arts degrees in such areas as public affairs and human relations, business administration, and communications, as well as a coeducational Evening College and Graduate School. Allen University, an African Methodist Episcopal four-year college, offers liberal arts and teacher education. Midlands Technical College, a two-year multi-campus college, offers technical and academic training. Other local colleges are Newberry College, a Lutheran liberal arts college; Columbia International University and Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, both specializing in religious studies; and Columbia Junior College, offering associate degrees in eleven professional programs.

Libraries and Research Centers

In addition to its main library, the Richland County Public Library has nine branches and a bookmobile. The library has more than 1.13 million volumes and subscribes to 2,840 periodical titles. It also has more than 45,554 audio materials and 30,630 visual materials. They include microforms, audio cassettes/tapes, compact discs, CD-ROM titles, maps, and art reproductions. Its special collections include a local history collection, large print topics, and rare and out-of-print topics. The library offers many programs for children and adults, including frequent lectures by authors. The library enjoys many programming partnerships with the University of South Carolina (USC), the Historic Columbia Foundation, and the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington counties. Since 1987 it has co-sponsored the annual A(ugusta) Baker’s Dozen—a Celebration of Stories with the College of Library and Information Science Department at USC. The celebration honors Augusta Baker and features well-known, award-winning authors and illustrators of children’s topics and outstanding storytellers each year.
Also located in Columbia is the South Carolina State Library, which houses nearly 250,000 volumes, more than 26,000 periodicals, plus microfilm, government publications, and audio visual materials. Its special collections include ERIC, Foundation Center Cooperating Collection,South Carolina collection, and state documents. A special feature of the library’s web site home page is the South Carolina Reference Room, a guide to a broad range of information on state topics. The University of South Carolina campus library system has more than 2 million volumes and almost 17,000 periodical subscriptions.
Many of Columbia’s research centers are affiliated within the University of South Carolina (USC). More than 80 institutes and centers comprise the University’s research effort. In 2004, USC received $149 million in federal, state and private funding for its research, outreach and training programs. Notable among the funding recipients is the University’s Nano Center which is engaged in researching the applications of the world’s smallest electronic circuits.
Public Library Information: Richland County Public Library, 1431 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC 29201; telephone (803)799-9084; fax (803)929-3448. South Carolina State Library, PO Box 11469, Columbia, SC 29211; telephone (803)734-8666.

Health Care

The city of Columbia prides itself on being a regional leader in providing quality health care services. The University of South Carolina’s School of Medicine adds invaluable research and training resources. The university is one of the few in the country offering a graduate program in genetic counseling. Palmetto Health is the State’s largest and most comprehensive health care systems; its institutions in Columbia include Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital, a 649-bed regional community teaching hospital serving all of South Carolina, and Palmetto Baptist Medical Center with 489 beds. The Dorn Veterans Affairs Medical Center complex includes a 216-bed hospital and 5 community outpatient clinics located in Anderson, Florence, Greenville, Orangeburg, Rock Hill, and Sumter. Other Columbia hospitals are the William S. Hall Psychiatric Institute providing psychiatric and chemical addiction inpatient care for children and adolescents; G. Werber Bryan Psychiatric Hospital for adults; and the 64-bed Moncrief Army Community Hospital in Fort Jackson, among others. Also serving the health care needs of Columbia metropolitan area residents are Fairfield Memorial Hospital, a 50-bed hospital located in Winnsboro; Providence Hospital and Providence Heart Institute, a nationally recognized referral center for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cardiovascular disease; and Lexington Medical Center, offering specialized care for breast cancer and prostate problems, plus advanced cardiac, vascular and pulmonary rehabilitation, outpatient surgery, a state-of-the-art emergency department, outpatient surgery and diagnostics, radiation oncology, radiology, surgery, and physical therapy.

Recreation

Sightseeing

Columbia has an interesting array of historical, cultural, and recreational sites to delight both visitors and residents. Consistently rated as one of the top travel attractions in the Southeast, the Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Garden is home to more than 2,000 mammals, reptiles, fish, and invertebrates. Animals roam freely in the zoo’s unique recreated environment. Visitors can watch the daily feeding of penguins and sea lions. Across the Saluda River from the zoo, the Riverbanks Botanical Garden features 70 acres of woodlands, gardens, historic ruins, and plant collections. Gibbes Planetarium, located within the Columbia Museum of Art on the campus of the University of South Carolina, provides spectacular views of the skies through its permanent and changing programs.
Columbia’s newest family attraction is the EdVenture Children’s Museum. Opened to the public in November 2003, the $19.4 million facility is located next to the South Carolina State Museum and features 74,000 square feet of hands-on exhibit space in 8 indoor and outdoor galleries, as well as laboratories and other visitor amenities. Special exhibit areas are designed to appeal to very young children.
The Historic Columbia Foundation conducts bus and walking tours of the city and heritage education programs (such as the Black Heritage Trail). An especially popular sight is Governor’s Green, a nine-acre complex made up of the 1830 Caldwell-Boylston House, the 1854 Lace House, and Governor’s Mansion, home to the state’s first family since 1868. Other historic houses are the Hampton-Preston Mansion, an elegant, restored antebellum society home, and the fully restored and furnished boyhood home of Woodrow Wilson. The State Archives has contemporary exhibits and houses the state and county official records. The South Carolina Criminal Justice Hall of Fame traces the history of law enforcement, including the gun collection of Melvin Purvis, the FBI agent who captured John Dillinger. The Robert Mills Historic House and Park, designed by the state’s most famous architect, has been refurbished with period pieces and has park gardens covering an entire block.

Arts and Culture

Columbia boasts an active arts environment. The showcase of Columbia’s cultural sites is the Koger Center for the Performing Arts, an acoustically excellent facility with three-tier seating for 2,300 patrons. The center is home to the South Carolina Philharmonic, which presents Saturday Symphonies, Friday Classics, and Philharmonic Pops. The Bolshoi Ballet, the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, and many others perform at the Township Auditorium.
Theater in its many forms is available from the city’s 10 professional theater groups. The Longstreet Theatre, an 1855 Greek Revival structure, is the site for many University of South Carolina-sponsored productions at its theater-in-the-round. Trustus Theatre presents quality alternative productions with a different show each month. The Town Theatre, the oldest continuously operating community theater in the nation, stages Broadway comedies and musicals. The Workshop Theatre offers modern and classical productions by its amateur group. The Chapin Community Theatre performs plays for children as well as musicals and dramatic productions. The South Carolina Shakespeare Company performs for a week in October at Finlay Park. Columbia Marionette Theatre is one of only 20 such theaters in the country.
The Columbia Museum of Art, the city’s premier museum, maintains more than 5,000 objects, including pieces from the Baroque and Renaissance periods. The museum also offers a hands-on children’s gallery and traveling exhibits, as well as European and American works of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, decorative arts, and contemporary crafts. The South Carolina State Museum, located in a renovated textile mill, contains a comprehensive array of exhibits on art, natural history, and science and technology. The Mann-Simons Cottage, a fine example of the Columbia Cottage style of architecture, is the site of the Museum of African-American Culture, which contains the history of the lives of an African American family in the antebellum period. The Confederate Relic Room and Museum contains relics from the Colonial period to the Space Age, with special emphasis on Civil War objects.
The original 1801 campus of the University of South Carolina is today known as the Historic Horseshoe. It has been restored and is open for tours. There visitors will find the McKissick Museum, which features changing exhibitions of art, science, and regional history and folk art; as well as the Baruch Silver Collection, the Mineral Library, and Fluorescent Minerals and Gemstones. The history of the American soldier is the focus of the Fort Jackson Museum, which displays photos, weapons, uniforms, and military items from the Revolution onward. Memorial Park is the site of the South Carolina Vietnam Monument, the largest monument of its type outside Washington, D.C.

Festivals and Holidays

The wearin’ of the green is a common sight at the parade, children’s areas, and arts and music events that highlight Columbia’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in Five Points.

The South Carolina State Capitol building.
The Earth Day festival in Finlay Park brings together environmental booths and traditional festival favorites. Also held in spring is the Riverfest Celebration featuring a 5K run, music, arts and crafts and food specialties. River activities, rides, and food are the focus of the Cayce Congaree Carnival and A Taste of Columbia in September at the Convention Center. Dance, arts and crafts, music, and a road race combine to celebrate spring’s Mayfest. The spectacle of decorated boats, a parade, and fireworks light up the July Fourth celebration at Lake Murray. Peanuts galore— roasted, boiled and raw—are the stars of August’s Pelion Peanut Party. Autumnfest in uptown Columbia in October brings street dances, music, arts and crafts, and catfish races to the grounds of the historic Hampton Mansion and Robert Mills House. Columbia’s music festivals include the Three Rivers Music Festival, three days of national and regional musical acts, and Main Street Jazz which attracts world-renown jazz musicians. One of the biggest events in Columbia is the ten-day South Carolina State Fair in October, which draws more than one-half million visitors. The fair features agricultural and handicraft displays, rides, and entertainment. Jubilee: Festival of Heritage celebrates African American heritage with crafts, storytelling, music and dance. Vista Lights festival combines walking tours of area homes and musical entertainment with carriage rides through the antique district. The Christmas season is ushered in by December’s Christmas Candlelight Tour of Historic Houses and Lights Before Christmas at the Riverbanks Zoo.

Sports for the Spectator

Sporting News’ ”Best Sports Cities 2002” ranked Columbia 54th among 300 U.S. and Canadian cities for its sports climate. The Columbia Inferno tear up the ice at the Carolina Coliseum. The Inferno are a professional hockey team in the East Coast Hockey League. The University of South Carolina’s Fighting Gamecocks play football at the Williams-Brice Stadium. The university’s basketball team plays at the Frank McGuire Arena in the Carolina Coliseum, and its soccer team is on view at ”The Graveyard.” Male and female intercollegiate sports teams from other local colleges offer sporting opportunities for spectators. Major League baseball, NFL and NBA teams all play within easy driving distance in nearby Charlotte and Atlanta.

Sports for the Participant

Columbia’s mild climate encourages outdoor recreation year-round. Water skiers, campers, windsurfers, fishermen, boating enthusiasts, bikers, and runners enjoy the myriad regional and municipal parks in and around Columbia. Lake Murray boasts 540 miles of scenic shoreline perfect for boaters of all types. Dreher Island State Park on its shores offers RV and primitive camping, fishing, boating and swimming. Columbia’s Saluda River, a navigable whitewater river with thrilling rides down the rapids, also offers gentler waters for canoeists and rafters. The 1,445-acre Sesquicentennial State Park offers nature trails, camping and picnic sites, swimming, fishing, and miniature golf. The Congaree National Park and Monument, located 20 miles southeast of the city, is a national monument offering nature walks and self-guided canoe trails affording views of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest.
The City of Columbia maintains nearly 50 parks and green spaces. Finlay Park in the downtown area is host to many festivals and celebrations. Granby Park is the gateway to the rivers in Columbia. Memorial Park is a tribute to those South Carolinians who served their country. Soccer enthusiasts enjoy the nine fields located at Owens Park. Winding along the Congaree River is the Riverfront Park and Historic Columbia Canal. Planned around the city’s original 1906 waterworks plant, the park features an old pump house and jogging and bicycle paths. City and county parks offer organized baseball, youth and adult basketball, youth football, soccer, softball, volleyball, racquetball, and roller skating, as well as a variety of other activities. City residents enjoy five public and eight semi-private golf courses, plus public tennis courts and swimming pools. Private tennis and golf clubs extend the recreational choices. Several local private golf clubs offer special golf packages to visitors. Rock climbers can master their skills at the Earth Treks Climbing Center, which features two large indoor climbing walls. The new Charles R. Drew Wellness Center offers indoor swimming, jogging, and weight training.

Shopping and Dining

Shopping is a many-dimensional affair in a city that offers spacious malls, fashionable boutiques, specialty stores, antique shops, and antique malls. Richland Mall features Belk’s, Parisian, and The Bombay Co. among other stores. The most popular shopping center is Columbiana Centre, with more than 100 specialty shops. Columbia Place is the region’s largest, offering more than 100 specialty stores. Old Mill Antique Mall and City Market Antique Mall offer out-of-the-ordinary shopping experiences. The Dutch Square Center’s major shops include Belk’s, Burlington Coat Factory, and Office Depot. The State Farmers Market, open daily across from the USC Football Stadium, is one of the largest produce markets in the southeast.
Dining out in Columbia presents myriad possibilities, from the fresh seafood provided by its proximity to the state’s Atlantic Coast, to a variety of ethnic cuisines such as Greek, Chinese, Cajun, or Japanese, as well as traditional Southern. Southern cooking favorites may include tasty barbecue, vegetable casseroles, sweet potato pie, biscuits and gravy, red beans and rice, country fried steak, pecan pie, and the ever popular fried chicken. From simple lunchtime fare to haute cuisine, the area boasts quality restaurant fare. Five Points and the Congaree Vista neighborhoods draw visitors to their nightlife.
Visitor Information: Columbia Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, P.O. Box 15, Columbia, SC 29202;
telephone (803)545-0000; toll-free (800)264-4884

Convention Facilities

The newest jewel in the city’s crown is the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center which opened in summer 2004 in the historic downtown Vista area. It features 120,000 square feet of space including a 25,000 square-foot exhibit hall, 18,000 square-foot ballroom, divisible meeting rooms, and a full banquet kitchen. Construction on the 222-bed Columbia Hilton convention center hotel was expected to begin in spring 2005. Columbia’s Carolina Coliseum offers 60,000 square feet of exhibit space. The South Carolina State Fair Grounds accommodates up to 3,000 delegates in 100,000 square feet of space. The Township Auditorium has a stage and seats 3,224 people. Special services such as teleconferencing are available. The Columbiana Hotel & Conference Center offers 12 meeting rooms and an 11,000 square foot ballroom which accommodates up to 1,800 people for receptions or 1,200 people for banquets. Other area meeting facilities include Williams Brice Stadium, Koger Center for the Arts, and Jamil Temple. Saluda Shoals Park offers a secluded 5,200 square-foot state-of-the-art facility on the shores of the Saluda River, located minutes from downtown. Columbia provides choice accommodations with 7,000 rooms in a variety of hotels and motels.
Convention Information: Columbia Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, PO Box 15, Columbia, SC 29202; telephone (803) 545-0000; toll-free (800)264-4884

Transportation

Approaching the City

Columbia is centrally located and easily accessible from cities throughout the state and the nation. Six airlines serve Columbia Metropolitan Airport, which is located eight miles from downtown. The airport recently underwent a $3.1 million road improvement project and the construction of a multilevel parking garage for 1,837 cars plus an additional 1,668 uncovered spaces. Airlines include Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines and Delta Connection, Northwest Airlines, Independence Air, United Express, and U.S. Airways Express. Amtrak offers daily rail departures and arrivals from the Eastern seaboard from New York City to Miami. Three interstate highways (I-20, I-26, I-77) crisscross the city of Columbia, with two other major interstates (I-85 and I-95) within an hour’s drive. The area also has eight U.S. highways. Columbia is directly linked to Atlanta, GA; Richmond, VA; Jacksonville, FL; and Charlotte, NC, via these roadways. Greyhound/Trailways supplies inter-city bus service.

Traveling in the City

Columbia is an easily navigable city. While rush hour traffic is heavy on I-26 and other major thoroughfares, it most often moves steadily. The Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (CMRTA) serves the heart of the Midlands, including Columbia, Cayce, West Columbia, Forest Acres, Arcadia Lakes, Springdale and the St. Andrews area. Its services include the trolleys in Downtown Columbia and the DART service (Dial-a-Ride Transit). Five taxi companies provide a fleet of more than 175 cabs.

Communications

Newspapers and Magazines

Columbia’s daily (morning) newspaper, The State, is also South Carolina’s major paper. In addition, the city publishes three weekly newspapers including the Columbia Star, which covers human interest and legal news, Free Times, Columbia’s free paper, and Columbia Black News. About 20 magazines and journals are published in Columbia, including the Business and Economic Review, published by the University of South Carolina’s Moore School of Business, Columbia Metropolitan Magazine, and South Carolina Game and Fish, and three magazines directed at farmers.

Television and Radio

Five television stations broadcast in Columbia, affiliates of ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX, as well as South Carolina Educational Television. Three cable stations also serve the area; a government information station is available on a local cable network. Six AM and 14 FM radio stations offer music, information, news, call-in talk programs, and religious programming.
Media Information: The State, Knight-Ridder, Inc., P.O. Box 1333, Columbia, SC 29202; telephone (800)888-5353

Columbia Online

Central South Carolina Alliance. Available www.centralsc.org
City of Columbia Home Page. Available www.columbiasc .net
Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. Available www .columbiacvb.com
Columbia Today. Available www.columbiatoday.com
Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce. Available www .columbiachamber.com/new/index.htm
Richland County Public Library. Available www.richland .lib.sc.us
Richland School District One. Available www.richlandone.org
Richland School District Two. Available my.richland2.org/ portal/server.pt#
South Carolina State Library. Available www.state.sc.us/ scsl
The State. Available www.thestate.com