Timeline of Columbia, South Carolina facts for kids

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Columbia, South Carolina, USA.

18th-19th centuries

• 1786 - Columbia established as state capital (previously located in Charleston).
• 1788 - Columbia becomes part of the new US state of South Carolina.
• 1795 - First Presbyterian Church congregation founded.
• 1797 - Commission of Streets and Markets established.
• 1801 - University of South Carolina was founded
• 1803 - Washington Street Methodist builds the first church building in Columbia
• 1804 - Columbia Library Society founded.
• 1805
  • Town chartered.
  • John Taylor elected intendant (town leader).
  • South Carolina College opens.
• 1809 - First Baptist Church founded.
• 1813 - Trinity Episcopal Church founded.
• 1814 - State Legislative Library established.
• 1824 - St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church built.
• 1825 - March: Lafayette visits town.
• 1830
  • Columbia Theological Seminary active.
  • Population: 3,310.
• 1838 - Southern Chronicle newspaper begins publication.
• 1840 - Population: 4,340.
• 1842
  • Railroad (Branchville-Columbia) begins operating.
  • Arsenal Military Academy (the Citadel) established.
• 1846 - J.T. Zealy daguerreotypist in business.
• 1847 - Southern Presbyterian Review begins publication.
• 1850
  • Carolina Times newspaper begins publication.
  • Population: 6,060.
• 1852 - Charlotte-Columbia railway begins operating.
• 1853
  • Greenville-Columbia railway begins operating.
  • First Presbyterian Church building constructed.
• 1854 - Office of mayor established.
• 1856
  • Town police force and Athenaeum established.
  • South Carolina State Fair begins.
• 1857
  • Trinity Episcopal Cathedral building consecrated.
  • Southern Guardian newspaper begins publication.
• 1865
  • February 17–18: Union forces in power; city burned.
  • The Phoenix newspaper begins publication.
• 1869 - South Carolina State House built.
• 1870
  • Benedict College founded.
  • Area of city expands.
• 1871 - October: "Southern States Convention of Colored Men" held in Columbia.
• 1874 - State normal school opens.
• 1875 - US Court House built.
• 1880 - Population: 10,036.
• 1891 - The State newspaper begins publication.
• 1892 - Columbia Hospital established.
• 1893 - Sidney Park Colored Methodist Episcopal Church built.
• 1895 - Columbia Duck Mill begins operating.
• 1896 - South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Museum established.
• 1897 - Columbia Record newspaper begins publication.
• 1899 - Olympia Mill built.

20th century

• 1908 - Main Street paved.
• 1913
  • National Corn Show held in city.
  • Palmetto Building constructed.
• 1917 - Military Camp Jackson established.
• 1920 - Population: 37,524.
• 1921 - Bethel A.M.E. Church built.
• 1922 - February: Trolley strike.
• 1924 - Town Theatre built.
• 1925 - Part of North Columbia annexed to city.
• 1926-7 - Capital Heights, Hollywood, Kilbourne Park, Rose Hill, and Rosewood annexed to city.
• 1930
  • Dreher Shoals Dam begins operating.
  • WIS radio begins broadcasting.
  • Belk's department store in business.
• 1931 - Carolina Theatre opens.
• 1932 - Thomas Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home (museum) opens.
• 1934 - Richland County Public Library established.
• 1937
  • US Courthouse becomes Columbia City Hall.
  • Palmetto Theater opens.
  • University South Caroliniana Society founded.[1]
• 1939
  • WCOS radio begins broadcasting.
  • Municipal Association of South Carolina headquartered in Columbia.[2]
• 1940
  • Lexington County Airport built.
  • US military Fort Jackson active.
  • Population: 62,396.
• 1941 - Carver Theatre built.
• 1950
  • Columbia Museum of Art and Twilite Drive-In cinema open.
  • Population: 86,914.
• 1953 - WIS-TV and WNOK-TV (television) begin broadcasting.
• 1958 - Lester Bates becomes mayor.
• 1960 - South Carolina Department of Corrections headquartered in city.
• 1961
  • Richland Mall in business.
  • Historic Columbia Foundation established.
• 1963 - Columbia Festival Orchestra founded.
• 1966 - Hammond School founded.
• 1968 - University of South Carolina's Carolina Coliseum opens.
• 1970
  • Dutch Square shopping mall in business.
  • John Tucker Campbell becomes mayor.
  • Population: 112,542.
• 1974
  • Riverbanks Zoo opens.
  • Shambhala Center founded.
• 1976 - WLTR radio begins broadcasting.
• 1977 - Palmetto Alliance (antinuclear group) founded.
• 1978 - Kirkman Finlay becomes mayor.
• 1979
  • Masjid as-Salaam (Muslim center) built.
  • Nickelodeon Theater opens.
  • Columbia becomes part of Tree City USA.
• 1980 - South Carolina Military Museum established.
• 1981 - Harvest Hope Food Bank established.[3]
• 1983 - Chicora Foundation (historic preservation group) established.
• 1984 - Hindu Temple built.
• 1986 - T. Patton Adams becomes mayor.
• 1987 - AT&T Building constructed.
• 1988
  • South Carolina State Museum opens in the former location of the vacant Columbia Mills Building.
  • University of South Carolina's Koger Center for the Arts built.
• 1990
  • Bob Coble becomes mayor.
  • Population: 98,052.
• 1991 - Sidney Park opens.
• 1992 - Masjid Al-Muslimiin (mosque) built.
• 1993
  • Richland County Public Library new main branch building opens.
  • Jim Clyburn becomes U.S. representative for South Carolina's 6th congressional district.
• 1994 - Sikh Religious Society founded.
• 1996 - City website online.
• 2000 - January 17: Confederate flag protest.

21st century

• 2001 - Columbia Zen Buddhist Priory founded.
• 2002
  • Colonial Center (arena) opens.
  • Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority and Ganden Mahayana Buddhist established.
• 2005 - Columbia City Paper begins publication.
• 2007 - Columbia Quadsquad (rollerderby league) formed.
• 2009 - Fort Jackson National Cemetery established.
• 2010
  • Stephen K. Benjamin becomes first African-American in city elected mayor.
  • Population: 129,272 city; 767,598 metro.