National Register of Historic Places listings in Columbia, South Carolina facts for kids

This map shows where Columbia is located in South Carolina.

This page is a list of special places in Columbia, South Carolina that are part of the National Register of Historic Places. Think of it like a national scrapbook of important buildings, neighborhoods, and sites that tell America's story!

The National Register of Historic Places is an official list kept by the United States government. It helps protect places that are important because of their history, architecture, or what happened there. When a place is on this list, it means it's recognized as a special part of our country's heritage.

In Richland County, South Carolina, where Columbia is, there are 183 places on this list. Five of these are even more special and are called National Historic Landmarks. Columbia itself has 145 of these historic spots, including all the National Historic Landmarks! Other places in Richland County are listed on a different page. A few places in Columbia were once on the list but have since been removed.

What is the National Register of Historic Places?

The National Register of Historic Places is like a big, official list of buildings, sites, objects, and districts that are important to American history. It's managed by the National Park Service. When a place is added to this list, it helps people understand its value and encourages its protection. It's not just about old buildings; it's about places where important events happened or where people lived who changed history.

Why are places added to the list?

Places are added to the National Register for many reasons. Maybe they are:

Very old and show how people lived long ago.
Designed by famous architects or show a special style of building.
Connected to important events, like the American Civil War or the Civil Rights Movement.
Linked to important people, like presidents or inventors.
Part of a historic district, which is a whole neighborhood with many historic buildings.

What is a National Historic Landmark?

A National Historic Landmark is an extra special place! It's like being on the National Register, but with an even higher honor. These places are considered to be important to the history of the entire United States, not just a state or local area. Columbia is lucky to have five of these very important landmarks!

Historic Places in Columbia

Columbia has many amazing historic places. They include old homes, churches, schools, and even a canal! Each one has a unique story to tell about the city's past.

Important Buildings and Homes

Many buildings in Columbia are on the National Register. These include:

Allen University: This historic university has buildings that show its long history in education.
Alston House: An old home that is part of a larger group of historic places in Columbia.
Arcade Building: A cool building downtown with a unique design.
Babcock Building, South Carolina State Hospital: Part of an old hospital, this building has a long history.
Bethel A.M.E. Church: A historic church that has been important to the community for many years.
Caldwell-Hampton-Boylston House: A beautiful old house with a rich past.
Canal Dime Savings Bank: An old bank building that shows how businesses used to look.
Carver Theatre: A historic theater where people used to go for entertainment.
Chesnut Cottage: Another charming old home in Columbia.
Claussen's Bakery: This building used to be a bakery and is now a historic spot.
Columbia Central Fire Station: The main fire station, which has served the city for a long time.
Columbia City Hall: Where the city's government works, a very important building.
Columbia Mills Building: This old mill now houses the South Carolina State Museum, a great place to visit!
Columbia Township Auditorium: A place where many shows and events have happened over the years.
Confederate Printing Plant: This building was used during the American Civil War to print important papers.
Consolidated Building: Another historic building in the downtown area.
Harriet M. Cornwell Tourist House: This house was important during a time when some places were segregated.
Curtiss-Wright Hangar: An old airplane hangar, showing Columbia's aviation history.
Debruhl-Marshall House: A historic home with interesting architecture.
Eau Claire Town Hall and Survey Publishing Company Building: An important building in the Eau Claire area.
Ebenezer Lutheran Chapel: A historic chapel.
Efird's Department Store: A former department store, showing how shopping used to be.
Ensor-Keenan House: Another historic home.
Fair-Rutherford and Rutherford Houses: Two historic houses together.
Federal Land Bank Building: An important building related to farming and land.
First National Bank: An old bank building.
First Presbyterian Church: A beautiful and historic church.
Good Samaritan-Waverly Hospital: An old hospital that played a role in the community's health.
Greyhound Bus Depot: The old bus station, a place where many journeys began.
Hale-Elmore-Seibels House: A historic home.
Harden Street Substation: An old power station.
Heslep House: A historic home.
Horry-Guignard House: A historic house that has been carefully restored.
House of Peace Synagogue: This building was once a synagogue and is also known as the Big Apple Club.
B.B. Kirkland Seed and Distributing Company: An old warehouse.
Kress Building: A historic building that used to be a popular store.
Lace House: A very pretty historic house.
Ladson Presbyterian Church: A historic church.
Lever Building: Another historic building downtown.
Preston C. Lorick House: A historic home.
Lutheran Theological Seminary Building: Beam Dormitory: Part of a historic seminary.
Lyles-Gudmundson House: A historic home.
Mann-Simons Cottage: A special cottage that tells the story of an African American family in Columbia.
McCord House: A historic home.
Miller Brothers Cotton Warehouse: An old warehouse used for cotton.
Moore-Mann House: A historic home.
National Loan and Exchange Bank Building: An old bank building.
North Carolina Mutual Building: An important building for African American businesses.
North Columbia Fire Station No. 7: Another historic fire station.
Olympia Mill: A large old mill building.
Olympia Union Hall: A building important to workers' history.
Owen Building: A historic building.
Pacific Community Association Building: An important community building.
Palmetto Building: A tall, historic building in downtown Columbia.
Palmetto Compress and Warehouse Company Building: This old warehouse is now used for homes!
J. Davis Powell House: A historic home.
George R. Price House: A historic home.
Raymond Price House: Another historic home.
Richland Cotton Mill: An old cotton mill.
St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church: A historic Catholic church.
Sidney Park Colored Methodist Episcopal Church: A historic church.
Modjeska Monteith Simkins House: The home of a very important civil rights leader.
South Carolina Governor's Mansion: The official home of South Carolina's governor.
South Carolina State Armory: A historic building used by the military.
Southern Cotton Oil Company: An old company building related to cotton.
A. Fletcher Spigner House: A historic home.
Supreme Court of South Carolina Building: Where the state's highest court meets.
Sylvan Building: A historic building.
Taylor House: A historic home.
Strom Thurmond Federal Building and United States Courthouse: A large federal building.
Town Theatre: A historic theater that is still used today.
Trinity Episcopal Church: A beautiful and historic church.
Union Station: The old train station.
J. Bratton Davis United States Bankruptcy Courthouse: A historic courthouse.
Wade Hampton State Office Building: A state office building.
Wallace-McGee House: A historic home.
Wardlaw Junior High School: A historic school building.
Washington Street United Methodist Church: A historic church.
Wesley Methodist Church: A historic church.
W. B. Smith Whaley House: A historic home.
A.P. Williams Funeral Home: A historic funeral home.
Thomas Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home: The home where Woodrow Wilson, a former U.S. President, lived as a boy.
Woodrow Memorial Presbyterian Church: A historic church.
World War Memorial Building: A building that honors those who served in wars.
Zimmerman House: A historic home.
Zimmerman School: A historic school.

Special Historic Landmarks

Columbia is home to five National Historic Landmarks, which are extra important:

Chappelle Administration Building: Located at Allen University, this building is a key part of the university's history.
First Baptist Church: This church is very old and has a significant place in the city's history.
Ainsley Hall House: Also known as the Robert Mills House, this beautiful home was designed by a famous architect.
South Carolina State Hospital, Mills Building: This building is part of a historic hospital complex.
South Carolina Statehouse: The main government building for South Carolina, where laws are made. It's a very important symbol of the state.

Historic Districts and Areas

Some areas in Columbia are recognized as historic districts, meaning a whole group of buildings and streets are important together.

Alta Vista-Camp Fornance-Newman Park Historic District: A historic neighborhood.
Bellevue Historic District: Another historic neighborhood.
Benedict College Historic District: The historic campus of Benedict College.
Columbia Commercial Historic District: This area includes many historic businesses and shops.
Columbia Historic District I & II: These are large areas with many historic homes and buildings.
Elmwood Park Historic District: A historic neighborhood.
Forest Hills Historic District: A historic neighborhood.
Granby Mill Village Historic District: This area was built around a textile mill.
Melrose Heights-Oak Lawn-Fairview Historic District: A historic neighborhood.
Old Campus District, University of South Carolina: The historic heart of the University of South Carolina.
Old Shandon Historic District: A historic neighborhood.
University Neighborhood Historic District: A historic area near the university.
Waverly Historic District: A historic neighborhood.
West Gervais Street Historic District: A historic area along Gervais Street.

Other Unique Historic Sites

Brown's Ferry Vessel: This is a historic boat that is now on display at a museum.
Columbia Canal: An old canal that was important for transportation and power.
Elmwood Cemetery: A historic cemetery with many old graves and monuments.
Gervais Street Bridge: A historic bridge that crosses the Congaree River.
Millwood: The ruins of a historic home that belonged to Wade Hampton II.
Nipper Creek (38RD18): A historic archaeological site.
Randolph Cemetery: A historic cemetery.
South Carolina Memorial Garden: A beautiful and historic garden.

Former Listings

Sometimes, a historic place might be removed from the National Register. This usually happens if the building is changed too much, or if it's unfortunately torn down. Here are a few places in Columbia that were once on the list but are no longer there:

Columbia High School: The old high school building was demolished.
South Carolina Penitentiary: This old prison was also torn down.
South Carolina Dispensary Office Building: This building was demolished too.

Images for kids

The Chappelle Administration Building at Allen University.
The historic Alston House.
Inside the Arcade Building.
The Palmetto Iron Works and Armory at Arsenal Hill.
The Babcock Building.
Bethel A.M.E. Church.
A historic building on Main Street.
Another historic building on Main Street.
A historic building on Main Street.
The Caldwell-Hampton-Boylston House.
The Canal Dime Savings Bank.
The Carolina Life Insurance Company building.
The Carver Theatre.
The Chappelle Administration Building.
The Chesnut Cottage.
Claussen's Bakery.
The Columbia Canal.
Columbia City Hall.
A house in Columbia Historic District II.
The Columbia Mills Building, now the South Carolina State Museum.
The Confederate Printing Plant.
The Consolidated Building.
The Harriet M. Cornwell Tourist House.
The Debruhl-Marshall House.
The Dovillers-Manning-Magoffin House.
The Eau Claire Town Hall and Survey Publishing Company Building.
Ebenezer Lutheran Chapel.
Efird's Department Store.
Elmwood Cemetery.
A view of the Elmwood Park Historic District.
The Ensor-Keenan House.
The Rutherford House.
The Federal Land Bank Building.
First Baptist Church.
First Presbyterian Church.
The Gervais Street Bridge.
The Good Samaritan-Waverly Hospital.
The Greyhound Bus Depot.
The Hale-Elmore-Seibels House.
The Ainsley Hall House (Robert Mills House).
The Hampton-Preston House.
The Horry-Guignard House.
The House of Peace Synagogue.
The B.B. Kirkland Seed and Distributing Company.
The Kress Building.
The Lace House.
Ladson Presbyterian Church.
The Lever Building.
Logan School.
The Preston C. Lorick House.
The Lutheran Theological Seminary Building.
The Mann-Simons Cottage.
The McCord House.
McMaster School.
The ruins of Millwood.
The National Loan and Exchange Bank Building.
The North Carolina Mutual Building.
North Columbia Fire Station No. 7.
The Old Campus District, University of South Carolina.
The Palmetto Building.
The Palmetto Compress and Warehouse Company Building.
The J. Davis Powell House.
Randolph Cemetery.
St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church.
The Modjeska Monteith Simkins House.
The South Carolina Governor's Mansion.
The South Carolina Memorial Garden.
The South Carolina State Armory.
The Mills Building at the South Carolina State Hospital.
The South Carolina Statehouse.
The Supreme Court of South Carolina Building.
The Sylvan Building.
The Strom Thurmond Federal Building and United States Courthouse.
The Town Theatre.
Trinity Episcopal Church.
A view of the University Neighborhood Historic District.
The J. Bratton Davis United States Bankruptcy Courthouse.
The Wade Hampton State Office Building.
Wardlaw Junior High School.
A home in the Waverly Historic District.
The W. B. Smith Whaley House.
The Thomas Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home.
The World War Memorial Building.
The Zimmerman School.

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National Register of Historic Places listings in Columbia, South Carolina Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.