Columbia, SC

About Columbia

• • Hootie & the Blowfish, the famous rock band, formed at the University of South Carolina.
• • The South Carolina State Fair, a large annual event, originated in Columbia.
• • Chosen as South Carolina's capital in 1786, its central location boosted its importance.
• • The city's water system once used wooden pipes, relics still occasionally unearthed.
• • The burning of Columbia during the Civil War drastically changed the city's landscape.
• • Named for Christopher Columbus, it was founded in 1786 as the state's capital.
• • With 137,303 residents, it's smaller than Charleston but growing steadily.
• • At 295 feet, the elevation is higher than the coastal areas of South Carolina.
• • Government and healthcare provide many jobs in the Columbia metropolitan area.
• • A warm, inviting city that feels both historic and refreshingly modern.
• • The Carolina Panthers, an NFL team, are based in nearby Charlotte, North Carolina.
• • The University of South Carolina Gamecocks boast a strong SEC football rivalry with Clemson.
• • The Fall Line, marking the transition from Piedmont to Coastal Plain, runs through Columbia.
• • Congaree National Park, featuring old-growth bottomland hardwood forest, is a short drive southeast.
• • The Congaree River is formed by the confluence of the Broad and Saluda Rivers in Columbia.
• • Riverbanks Zoo is home to the endangered red wolf, a native to the southeastern United States.
• • The area features diverse pine savannas and hardwood forests.
• • The Congaree were a Siouan-speaking tribe that lived in the area before European colonization.
• • Sherman's troops burned Columbia in February 1865 during the Civil War.
• • The South Carolina State House construction began in 1851 and was completed in 1907 after multiple interruptions.
• • US Route 1, also known as the Jefferson Davis Highway, runs through Columbia.

Artists From Columbia

Songs About Columbia

Nearby Places