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In 1860, roughly 60% of the population in Columbia were slaves. 60% of the gross economic capital in South Carolina was in human property. With the growing popularity of the Republican Party, and...
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The first sign of the Great Depression in South Carolina was the drastic drop in cotton prices. While the rest of the country was hit hard by the depression, those living in Columbia had an economic...
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Sitting on the Congaree River, Columbia, South Carolina has a rich, diverse, and celebrated history. Columbia was founded on what was once a plantation owned by Colonel Thomas Taylor. The “back...
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The addition of Columbia’s new Army training ground, Camp Jackson, would have a significant impact on the city. The U.S. was being drawn into World War Two, and many of the Army’s soldiers would come...
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The 1950s signaled a decade of prosperity for Columbia, including drive-ins, drug-stores, hot cars, and rock and roll. Columbia residents recall their memories of the 1950s. Throughout the 50s and 60s...
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In the 1970s, the growth of state government jobs and light industry began to draw people from outside the midlands into Columbia. New generations of residents moved back into Downtown Columbia, and...
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After Reconstruction, the local business community thrived in the 1880s. Horse-drawn trollies became common-place in the streets of Columbia, and the Columbia Canal was completed in 1882. “Mill...
Interactive
Completed by 1713, The Powder Magazine is the oldest governmental building in South Carolina. This facility was used as an arsenal from 1713 - 1748 to defend the colony from the Spanish, French...
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The Reconstruction years were tough for the Baruch family, and the last straw for Simon was when he was asked to be the medical doctor at the famed Cash-Shannon Duel, in Camden. Simon Baruch moved his...
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Belle Baruch shared her father’s love for Hobcaw Barony when she was as young as five years old, for it was the perfect place for hunting and fishing. The home which the Baruchs resided in was known...