Columbia, SC

Museums

Columbia Museum of Art

This museum houses a modern collection of art collected from around the globe, some spanning back close to 5,000 years. They promote education as well as traveling exhibits, divided thematically to promote engagement with the public.

South Carolina State Museum

Smithsonian Affiliate Museum dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of “the Palmetto State”.

South Carolina Military Museum

Collection highlighting the military history of South Carolina, this museum aims to inform the public of military heritage.

Olympia Mill Village Museum

A former mill company house, Olympia Mill preserves the history of cotton mill workers and their families.

Mann-Simons Site

A collection of historic homes and gardens available to rent for weddings, take tours, and more. This site also houses and runs the online archives for Historic Columbia

McKissick Museum

Located on the University of South Carolina’s campus, McKissick gives insight on the history of the American South and provides object-based experience for student research.

The Museum of Reconstruction Era at Woodrow Wilson Family Home

Part of the Historic Columbia Organization, this home shifted its focus from an early focus on Wilson to the racial and political climate of Columbia.

South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum

Similar to the South Carolina Military Museum, the Confederate Relic Room displays military related artifacts.

Columbia Fire Department Museum

Once home to South Carolina’s largest fire department, this museum displays artifacts related to firefighting from the mid-1800s to present.

Martin Luther King Memorial at MLK Park

Erected in 1996, the Stone of Hope Memorial stands to honor MLK and inform future students of his impact.

Libraries

Richland Library (Main, Southeast, North Main, Northeast, Wheatley, Cooper, St Andrews, Edgewood, Sandhills, etc)

The central network of libraries within Columbia, spanning over 13 different branches. Provides access to countless different research platforms for archival work, including Heritage Hub and the South Carolina Newspaper Collection.
South Carolina State Library

Primary library of South Carolina, responsible for funding the rest of the state’s libraries. Houses several different archives, including the South Carolina Collection, the Rare Book Collection, and the state’s digital collection.
J Drake Edens Library

The library of Columbia College, this location houses everything from research books to newspaper articles.
South Caroliniana Library

The University of South Carolina’s library, home to a vast digital collection as well as moving exhibits.

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Newspapers

The State

Newspaper owned by the McClatchy Company, focused on local news and sports. It is the second popular newspaper after The Post and Courier.

Carolina Panorama

An essential newspaper to the African American community of Columbia.

The Columbia Star

Containing everything from local art to educational news, this paper has been running weekly since 1963.

The Daily Gamecock

Student run paper serving as the main distributor of news on the University of South Carolina campus. This newspaper distributes information on everything from sports to opinion based articles.

The Post and Courier

Based in Charleston, this newspaper is the most read throughout Columbia, providing local news from across South Carolina.

Books Set in Columbia

The Burning of Columbia, SC by Daniel Trezevant

A firsthand account of the 1865 burning of Columbia at the hands of Union forces during the Civil War, told by a respected physician.
The Garretts of Columbia by David Nicholson

Tells the story of a Black family in Columbia, spanning from slavery to Jim Crow era.
Things I Remember by Zen Heyward

Autobiography of Zen Heyward, a founding member of the SC Wildlife Federation.
Sherman and the Burning of Columbia by Marion Lucas

A study of wartime Columbia, focusing on Sherman’s army and their role in the burning.
Lost Columbia by Alexia Helsley

A collection of images documenting Columbia’s past.

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Documentaries

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No Address (2020)

A two part documentary series, No Address brings awareness to homelessness in Columbia

No Address The Movie

C-SPAN Cities Tour - Columbia: "South Carolina: A History"

A Youtube produced short Film, this documentary is part of a series depicting the history of South Carolina

C-SPAN Cities Tour - Columbia: "South Carolina: A History"

Constructed by Melissa Howdershelt

Works Cited:

“C-SPAN Cities Tour - Columbia: ‘South Carolina: A History.’” YouTube, May 16, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvNdRmVjPHg.

“Columbia Fire Department Museum.” Experience Columbia SC. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://www.experiencecolumbiasc.com/listing/columbia-fire-department-museum/16189/.

Columbia Museum of Art. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://www.columbiamuseum.org/.

Columbia SC Breaking News, Sports & Crime | The State. Accessed February 22, 2024. https://www.thestate.com/.

“Columbia Star.” Columbia Star - Columbia’s locally owned weekly newspaper since 1963. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://www.thecolumbiastar.com/.

“Crradmin.” Home. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://www.crr.sc.gov/.

The Daily Gamecock at University of South Carolina. Accessed February 22, 2024. https://www.dailygamecock.com/.

Helsley, Alexia Jones. Lost Columbia: Bygone Images from South Carolina’s Capital. Charleston, SC: History Press, 2008.

Heyward, Zan, and Jak Smyrl. Things I Remember. Columbia , SC: The State-Record Company, 1965.

Home | South Carolina State Library. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://www.statelibrary.sc.gov/.

“Home.” Richland Library, February 28, 2024. https://www.richlandlibrary.com/.

“J. Drake Edens Library: J. Drake Edens Library: Home.” Home - J. Drake Edens Library - J. Drake Edens Library at Columbia College (SC). Accessed February 21, 2024. https://libguides.columbiasc.edu/homepage.

Lucas, Marion Brunson. Sherman and the Burning of Columbia. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 2021.

“Mann-Simons Site.” Historic Columbia. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://www.historiccolumbia.org/tours/house-tours/mann-simons-site.

“McKissick Museum.” University of South Carolina. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/artsandsciences/mckissick_museum/.

“The Museum of the Reconstruction Era.” Historic Columbia. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://www.historiccolumbia.org/woodrow-wilson-family-home?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA29auBhBxEiwAnKcSqgfEq-0WuRvefKoTtBQSWOPCVvfIzEL_eWRk5g3jcoziYD0m9V5txRoC8MwQAvD_BwE#utm_source=sem&utm_campaign=sem.

“News & Information Columbia, SC, Richland Lexington, Orangeburg.” Carolina Panorama Newspaper, February 6, 2024. https://www.carolinapanorama.com/.

Nicholson, David. The Garretts of Columbia: A Black South Carolina Family from Slavery to the Dawn of Integration. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 2024.

“No Address: Supporting Homelessness.” No Address Movie. Accessed February 22, 2024. https://www.noaddressmovie.com/.

The Olympia Mill Village Museum. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://olympiamillvillagemuseum.org/.

Post and Courier. “Post and Courier: Charleston, SC. Local News, Sports and Weather.” Post and Courier, December 31, 1969. https://www.postandcourier.com/.

“South Carolina Military Museum.” Mysite. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://www.scmilitarymuseum.com/.

South Carolina State Museum. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://scmuseum.org/.

Trezevant, D. H. The burning of columbia. New York, NY, 1866.

“Uncovering the History of the Stone of Hope.” SC Humanities, June 27, 2018. https://schumanities.org/uncovering-the-history-of-the-stone-of-hope/.

University of South Carolina. Accessed February 21, 2024. https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/university_libraries/browse/south_caroliniana/index.php.

Columbia, SC

Museums

Columbia Museum of Art

This museum houses a modern collection of art collected from around the globe, some spanning back close to 5,000 years. They promote education as well as traveling exhibits, divided thematically to promote engagement with the public.

South Carolina State Museum

Smithsonian Affiliate Museum dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of “the Palmetto State”.

South Carolina Military Museum

Collection highlighting the military history of South Carolina, this museum aims to inform the public of military heritage.

Olympia Mill Village Museum

A former mill company house, Olympia Mill preserves the history of cotton mill workers and their families.

Mann-Simons Site

A collection of historic homes and gardens available to rent for weddings, take tours, and more. This site also houses and runs the online archives for Historic Columbia

McKissick Museum

Located on the University of South Carolina’s campus, McKissick gives insight on the history of the American South and provides object-based experience for student research.

The Museum of Reconstruction Era at Woodrow Wilson Family Home

Part of the Historic Columbia Organization, this home shifted its focus from an early focus on Wilson to the racial and political climate of Columbia.

South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum

Similar to the South Carolina Military Museum, the Confederate Relic Room displays military related artifacts.

Columbia Fire Department Museum

Once home to South Carolina’s largest fire department, this museum displays artifacts related to firefighting from the mid-1800s to present.

Martin Luther King Memorial at MLK Park

Erected in 1996, the Stone of Hope Memorial stands to honor MLK and inform future students of his impact.

Libraries

Richland Library (Main, Southeast, North Main, Northeast, Wheatley, Cooper, St Andrews, Edgewood, Sandhills, etc)

The central network of libraries within Columbia, spanning over 13 different branches. Provides access to countless different research platforms for archival work, including Heritage Hub and the South Carolina Newspaper Collection.

South Carolina State Library

Primary library of South Carolina, responsible for funding the rest of the state’s libraries. Houses several different archives, including the South Carolina Collection, the Rare Book Collection, and the state’s digital collection.

J Drake Edens Library

The library of Columbia College, this location houses everything from research books to newspaper articles.

South Caroliniana Library

The University of South Carolina’s library, home to a vast digital collection as well as moving exhibits.

Newspapers

The State

Newspaper owned by the McClatchy Company, focused on local news and sports. It is the second popular newspaper after The Post and Courier.

Carolina Panorama

An essential newspaper to the African American community of Columbia.

The Columbia Star

Containing everything from local art to educational news, this paper has been running weekly since 1963.

The Daily Gamecock

Student run paper serving as the main distributor of news on the University of South Carolina campus. This newspaper distributes information on everything from sports to opinion based articles.

The Post and Courier

Based in Charleston, this newspaper is the most read throughout Columbia, providing local news from across South Carolina.

Books Set in Columbia

The Burning of Columbia, SC by Daniel Trezevant

A firsthand account of the 1865 burning of Columbia at the hands of Union forces during the Civil War, told by a respected physician.

The Garretts of Columbia by David Nicholson

Tells the story of a Black family in Columbia, spanning from slavery to Jim Crow era.

Things I Remember by Zen Heyward

Autobiography of Zen Heyward, a founding member of the SC Wildlife Federation.

Sherman and the Burning of Columbia by Marion Lucas

A study of wartime Columbia, focusing on Sherman’s army and their role in the burning.

Lost Columbia by Alexia Helsley

A collection of images documenting Columbia’s past.

Documentaries

No Address (2020)

A two part documentary series, No Address brings awareness to homelessness in Columbia

C-SPAN Cities Tour - Columbia: "South Carolina: A History"

A Youtube produced short Film, this documentary is part of a series depicting the history of South Carolina