Downtown Walking Tour Columbia, South Carolina

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This historic house was built by businessman Thomas Taylor, Jr. in 1908. Now owned by the University of South Carolina, it is the only turn-of-the-century mansion in Columbia still standing. The L-shaped home features a Neoclassical design with a two-story projecting portico supported by fluted Corinthian columns, a main entrance surrounded with stone columns and a broken pediment, and a Flemish bond brick exterior. For many years the Taylor House was the location of the Columbia Museum of Art. The current use of the house as of 2021 is unclear.

2. McKissick Museum

The McKissick Museum, located in the building after which it is named, celebrates Southern history and culture through changing and traveling exhibitions, educational programs, and research. Particular emphasis is placed on Southern folkways and traditions. The university established it in 1976, consolidating the various collections dispersed in different departments around campus into one location. As a result, the museum contains a wide variety of artifacts, various specimens, decorative and fine artwork. These include gemstones and minerals, moths and butterflies, quilts and other household textiles, art glass, alkaline-glazed stoneware, and Catawba pottery. Also included are materials relating to the university itself.

3. South Caroliniana Library

South Caroliniana Library, constructed in 1840 and located on USC's historic Horseshoe, is the nation's oldest freestanding academic library and one of the premier research archives and special collections repositories in the state and Southeast. Its collections include rare diaries, maps, books, pamphlets, and newspapers; records of churches, plantations, and businesses; early photographs, postcards, and engravings; oral histories that document our state's business, educational, social and cultural past.

4. John C. Calhoun State Office Building

The John C. Calhoun State Office Building is notable for its architecture and association with one of the most dramatic events in the state's political history. In the fall of 1935, Governor Olin D. Johnston ordered the South Carolina National Guard to occupy the building, which housed the State Highway Department. The Department became one of the most powerful state departments in the 1920s and 1930s. After failing for months to remove the department's Chief Highway Commissioner, Ben Sawyer, and the other commissioners, Johnston decided to use the National Guard to forcibly remove them. In the end, however, Johnston lost what had become known as the "Olin-Ben War" and the Department gained even more power. In terms of design, the five-story, I-shaped building, which was erected in 1926, is a fine excellent example of Renaissance Revival architecture. It features a limestone exterior, Doric pilasters (columns), a cornice with roaring lion heads, and a two-story brick and limestone rooftop pavilion with Ionic pilasters and brick arches. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.

5. African American History Monument

Dedicated in 2001, South Carolina's African American History Monument depicts centuries of Black history and was dedicated at the state capitol as part of an agreement related to demands to remove the Confederate flag from the State House dome. The monument was the first of its kind to be dedicated at a state capitol in the United States. The monument was designed by Ed Dwight and consists of twelve panels representing historical events such as the Emancipation Proclamation along with the achievements of Black men and women in fields such as law, education, politics, and engineering. Controversy arose during the planning and design stages concerning the incorporation of figures such as Klansmen and images of lynchings. In response to concerns about graphic images, the monument uses words to describe those events. The monument stands two stories high and spans twenty-five feet and was officially dedicated on March 29, 2001, with over 400 people attending the ceremony.

6. Palmetto Regiment Monument

The Palmetto Regiment Monument in Columbia, South Carolina was dedicated in 1854 and moved to its present location in 1969, and stands as a memorial for the men who fought in the regiment during the Mexican-American War. Of 1,048 men enrolled, 441 did not return home. The war began as Southern states supported settlers of American origin who crossed into Mexico in their conflict with the Mexican government as part of their attempt to expand the nation westward and southward in ways they believed would protect the institution of slavery. The war began when Mexican cavalry crossed into disputed territory and attacked U.S. soldiers in that disputed borderland. The monument is a bronze, copper, and cast iron palmetto tree that was likely constructed by enslaved men. The monument was initially installed on State House grounds in 1854, relocated in 1874, and then moved to its present location in 1969.

7. Grave of Swanson Lunsford

Swanson Lunsford was buried in Columbia, South Carolina in 1799 after dying during a yellow fever epidemic in Charleston, South Carolina. He is the only person to be buried on the State House grounds, and is said to be the only person in Columbia who died due to the yellow fever outbreaks in Charleston, which began in 1699. Lunsford served as a captain under Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee III in the Revolutionary War before becoming a merchant and civic leader. After contracting yellow fever in Charleston on a business trip, he was buried on a plot of land near his Columbia home rather than in a cemetery, likely to prevent spreading the disease any further. The first grave marker was placed in 1837, then later replaced with a nearly identical one in 1953.

8. Mount for Spanish Cannon

The granite mount installed in 1900 in Columbia, South Carolina once held a Spanish cannon that was part of the battle that marked the end of the Spanish-American War. Created in the 18th century, the 14-foot muzzleloader was used during the battle of Santiago de Cuba, during which a Spanish fleet was blockaded in Santiago harbor. Upon capture of San Juan Hill, the fleet attempted to break free of the blockade, but all six ships were lost in the process. Two weeks later, on July 16, 1898, Spain surrendered Santiago de Cuba, making the United States victorious. In 1942, the cannon was removed from the mount to be melted into weapons during World War II. The mount now serves as a monument to both the Spanish-American War and the civilian effort during World War II.

9. James Marion Sims Monument

Dedicated in 1929, this statue recognizes the work of Dr. James Marion Sims (1813-1883). Sims is commonly referred to as the “father of modern gynecology" and is renowned for applying the silver suture for the treatment of vesicovaginal fistula. In addition, he invented the Sims speculum, identified the Sims position, developed a treatment for infant lock-jaw, established the New York Women’s Hospital, and contributed to numerous publications, most notably “Clinical Notes on Uterine Surgery.” However, much of Dr. Sims’s pioneering work resulted from experimentation on enslaved women, and some of his methods were morally compromised. In recent decades the interpretation of Sims’s achievements have focussed on the suffering of enslaved women and ethical questions about Sims and his methods. The controversy has complicated Sims’s commemoration: protesters have demonstrated at multiple Sims monuments, including the one in South Carolina. This South Carolina protest, held in 2017, was called MEND, named for a book of poetry that gives voice to women in Sims’s story. When remembering Dr. James Marion Sims, one must decide whether the brutality overshadows the innovation.

10. Benjamin Tillman Statue: South Carolina Statehouse

Benjamin Tillman was a South Carolina senator, populist, and outspoken defender of white supremacy who dominated the state's politics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Known by his nickname "Pitchfork Ben" after threatening to impale Grover Cleveland, Tillman rose to prominence after leading the Red Shirts, a white supremacist paramilitary group that took control of the state by force in the final years of Reconstruction. Though he enjoyed great support and popularity among white residents of the state throughout his life, his virulent racism and occasional advocacy of violence against African Americans has marred Tillman's legacy and made this statue a subject of controversy. During the early 20th century, most white South Carolinians continued to revere Tillman and on May 1, 1940, many came to celebrate the dedication of this bronze statue. At that time, the Democratic Party and most white citizens celebrated the life and legacy of Benjamin Tillman, and few thought twice about the propriety of erecting a statue to Tillman on the grounds of the state capital. Though troubling to many today, Tillman's statue continues to overlook the city--a reminder of the state's past that some wish to eliminate. Others believe it would be wrongheaded to sanitize the past by removing this reminder of the state's troubled history and hope to add markers that offer historical context. Other residents hope to replace the statue with one of a civil rights leader or other prominent South Carolinian.

11. South Carolina State House

Constructed in phases starting before the Civil War and completed in 1903, the South Carolina State House included the work of six different architects as the project stretched over half of the 19th century due to financial challenges and political disagreements. Work began on the structure in 1851 and in the first ten years of construction, most of the work was done by enslaved men. Construction stopped during the Civil War and this building was fired upon by United States artillerymen while the former State House was burned to the ground. Bronze stars mark the locations where the building's granite base was damaged during the war. The incomplete building was once again the seat of government following the Civil War, an era plagued by violence and fraud as the state's plantation owners sought to maintain political and economic control by any means. For a short time, the building was home to a biracial Republican Party that attempted to reconstruct the state until they were met by violence at the hands of white supremacists. In 1869, the building housed the only African American majority state legislature in the history of the United States. By the time the building was completed in 1903, numerous setbacks had resulted in a total expenditure of $3.54 million. In 1970, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and in 1976 it was designated as a National Historic Landmark.

12. Spanish-American War Veterans Monument

In 1941, the Spanish-American War Veterans Monument was erected in Columbia, South Carolina as a memorial for the soldiers who served during the 1898 war, reuniting the United States after it had become divided due to the Civil War. Despite South Carolina sending fewer than 1,000 soldiers into the war, it was the first battle since before the Civil War in which northerners and southerners fought together. Designed by Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson, it is the only monument designed by a female artist on State House grounds. The bronze statue represents a cast of “The Hiker,” a common statue found on Spanish-American War monuments throughout the United States.

13. Battleship Maine Memorial

The Battleship Maine Memorial was moved to State House grounds in Columbia, South Carolina in 1931, and features a gun from the famous vessel. An explosion caused the U.S.S. Maine to sink on February 15, 1898, and although the cause was unknown this event prompted the beginning of the Spanish-American War. The battleship was originally built in 1895 and left Florida for Havana, Cuba on January 24, 1898, as a symbol of American support for the rebels who were fighting for independence from Spain. Shortly after the ship arrived at Havana Harbor, it suddenly exploded resulting in the death of over 260 men and provoking a national outcry for vengeance. The United States declared war against Spain on April 25. There is still speculation about what caused the explosion, but many experts believe it was an accident and this has been confirmed by dive teams that investigated the wreckage in the late 20th century. Initial inquiries after the incident reported that the explosion was caused by a mine under the ship. With no way to prove or disprove the cause of the explosion, those who favored going to war seized on the sinking of the Maine to make an emotional appeal to arms while those who opposed the war found themselves on the defensive.

14. South Carolina Supreme Court

This stately building houses the South Carolina Supreme Court. Built in 1921, it first operated as a United States Post Office, which until 1966. The building is a good example of Neoclassical architecture. Notable features include a portico with ten large Doric columns, three arched entryways with fanlights, arched windows, and two decorative plaques beside the words "Supreme Court of South Carolina."

15. First Presbyterian Church

Founded in 1795, First Presbyterian Church is home to the oldest congregation in the city. The church building was constructed in 1853 and is a striking example of English Gothic architecture. It features a reddish-brown stucco exterior, shouldered buttresses topped with pinnacles, arched stained-glass windows, and battlements along the top of the exterior walls. The most impressive feature is the spire, which reaches a height of 188 feet. The church grounds include a few other buildings as well as a graveyard.

16. Site of Secession - First Baptist Church

On December 17, 1860 following the election of President Abraham Lincoln, South Carolina held an official convention in this church and voted unanimously secede from the United States. The state house at the time was not large enough to hold all of the delegates so First Baptist Church was chosen because it could accommodate all of the delegates. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and declared a National Landmark in 1973. A new church addition was built in 1992 and since then worship services have been held there. The original church was renamed as the James Petigru Boyce Chapel at that time and is currently used for weddings and offices.

17. The Chesnut Cottage Bed & Breakfast

The Chesnut Cottage Bed and Breakfast has hosted countless visitors in the capital of South Carolina for nearly forty years, taking them back in time a century and a half to when the Civil War swept through the nation. During those war-torn years, the Chesnut Cottage was home to Mary Boykin Chesnut, now one of the most important writers in women's history, and her husband James Chesnut Jr. who was a brigadier general in the Confederate army and closely connected with President Jefferson Davis. General James Chesnut was a very prominent figure in South Carolina because he was the only surviving son of one of the wealthiest slaveowners of the time. Also, he joined the United States Senate two decades into his marriage with Mary and remained a politician until his death in 1885. Mary died a year later at their plantation in Camden, SC where she and her husband spent most of their years together. The Chesnut Cottage in Columbia was nevertheless considered home during the most influential years of their lives and of American history.

18. Woodrow Wilson Family Home

Future president, Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), spent a few of his teenage years in this house from 1871-1874. His father, Rev. Joseph Ruggles Wilson, had it built since he believed that he and his family would reside there permanently; this was not case as he received a job in North Carolina. Despite the Wilson's having lived in the house for a few years, it is of course historically significant and in fact became a house museum in 1933. It was designed by Andrew Jackson downing in the cottage architectural style and is one of the best examples of this style in the state. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

19. Robert Mills House and Gardens

Robert Mills was arguably America's foremost architect in the 19th century, known for designing numerous government buildings, churches, bridges and houses. His most famous work is the Washington Monument. The Robert Mills House is one of the examples of homes he designed left and is the best one among them. Mills designed it for a man named Ainsley Hall and his wife, Sarah and began construction in the early 1820s. Unfortunately, Ainsley passed away before its completion. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1973 for its association with Mills. The house features decorative arts from the 19th century as well as exhibit space for changing exhibitions.

20. Columbia Museum of Art

The Columbia Museum of Art is home to an extensive collection of American, European, Asian, Modern/Contemporary, and the works of Vogel, with a special collection of renaissance and Baroque art donated by the Kress Foundation. One of the highlights of the Kress portion of the collection is a nativity scene painted by the master Florentine artist, Boticelli. This masterpiece is the only Boticelli fresco outside of Italy.

21. Palmetto Building

Reaching a height of 215 feet (15 stories), the Palmetto Building was the tallest building in the Columbia when it was built in 1913. Erected by the Palmetto National Bank, its Gothic Revival architecture was and still is striking. Its exterior features an elaborate limestone and terra cotta facade whose main decorative element is the palmetto tree motif. Other notable features include foliated pilasters and entablatures, large windows on the 13th and 14 floors with Italian Gothic arches, decorative Tudor arches with palmetto trees, and an ornate cornice at the top of the building. The Palmetto became the most distinguished office building in the city's business district. It is now a Sheraton hotel.

22. Basilica of St. Peter

The Basilica of St. Peter is home to the oldest Roman Catholic congregation in the central region of South Carolina and serves as the "mother church" to several congregations in Georgia and the Carolinas. This church is the congregation's second edifice and was built in 1909 with notable elements of Gothic architecture. The Basilica's most prominent feature is the tower, which reaches a height of 163 feet. Other notable features include stained glass windows with stone tracery, terra cotta and stone trim, and the main entrance with pointed arches. The Vatican designated the church as a minor basilica in 2018.

23. The Big Apple

Although relatively small and unassuming, this attractive building has important ties to the local Jewish and African-American communities. It was built in 1915 as a Jewish temple called the House of Peace Synagogue for the Beth Shalom Congregation. Then in 1935, it became an African-American dance venue called the Big Apple Club. It was here that a new type of dance called the "Big Apple" was created. The dance quickly spread across the country and inspired big band leader Tommy Dorsey to write a song called "The Big Apple," which was very popular in September of 1937. It appears that the building is available to rent as an event space.

24. Howard Public School

Established in 1869 by the Freedman's Bureau after the Civil War, the Howard Public School served African American children in Columbia, South Carolina. It was the only school for Black children in the area until 1916, catering to 800 young adults of various grades. Named after Oliver Howard, the head of the Freedman's Bureau Department of Refugees, Freedom, and Abandoned Lands, the school was a fixture in the African American community, even after its change of location in 1924.

25. Memorial Park

Memorial Park is located at the corner of Gadsden and Hampton streets in downtown Columbia. The park covers four acres and was dedicated in 1986. Memorial Park includes a variety of monuments and historic markers that commemorate the service and experience of the state's veterans.

26. South Carolina State Museum

The South Carolina State Museum opened in 1988 and is the state's biggest museum, featuring 70,000 objects in its collection. Its scope is wide, covering South Carolina's cultural natural and military history, as well as art, science and technology. The museum's exhibits are divided in these areas. The cultural exhibits depict 14,000 years of human habitation in the state. The natural history exhibits feature specimens that date back hundreds of millions of years and highlights include a giant replica shark, a dinosaur and various South Carolina habitats. The science and technology exhibits contain numerous items such as farm equipment, tools, cars and planes. Perhaps the most intriguing part of science collection is the world class collection of American-made telescopes, with the oldest made in 1730. The art collection holds artwork created by South Carolina artists and includes portraiture, decorative arts and contemporary works.

27. South Carolina Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum

The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum is dedicated to the military history of South Carolina dating from the present day back to the Revolutionary War. It is located adjacent to the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Downtown Walking Tour Columbia, South Carolina

Created by Laurie Paonessa on December 21st 2019, 3:21:00 am.

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Description

This walking tour begins at the McKissick Museum and concludes at the South Carolina State Museum. The tour includes a variety of monuments and landmarks around the state capitol complex as well as historic buildings and sites related to the city's unique history as the epicenter of secession. The tour incorporates a variety of landmarks related to African American history, as well as buildings and landmarks related to architecture, commerce, political history, and art as it winds its way throughout the heart of downtown Columbia.

Entries on This Tour

Downtown Walking Tour Columbia, South Carolina

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