About the Columbia, South Carolina Area 

A city of 117,508, Columbia is a vibrant state capital and county seat. Renown for its high quality of life, the city offers excellent cultural events; a lively arts community; a full range of parks and recreational opportunities; excellent special event and sports facilities, and a rich history. A strong economy and easy accessibility are combined with delightful Southern hospitality. This city is vivacious and calm, historic and new. You have it all here in Columbia!
 

•Location and Geography 

Columbia is located in Richland County, in the Midlands region of South Carolina. Geographically, it is just 13 miles northwest of South Carolina’s center, in the southeastern part of the United States. Columbia is South Carolina’s largest city, and a small section of it extends into Lexington County.  

Columbia has a total area of 127.7 square miles, 125.2 square miles of which is land and 2.5 square miles of which is water. It is situated at the convergence of the Broad and the Saluda Rivers, at an altitude of 314 feet. Columbia is geographically noted for its fall line, the boundary between the upland region and the coastal plain. At this fall line, the Broad and Saluda Rivers from the upland region join as the Congaree River, which drops to the plain as falls or rapids.

Columbia is located 85 miles south of Charlotte, North Carolina; 65 miles northeast of Augusta, Georgia; and 143 miles southwest of Fayetteville, North Carolina. 

•Jobs  

Columbia has a diverse economy, and is home to several of South Carolina’s banking headquarters, corporate and legal offices, and major medical facilities. It has been nationally recognized for its economic strength and highly educated workforce. Entrepreneur Inc. ranked Columbia 8th in its 2005 Hot Cities for Entrepreneurs, and Expansion Management named it as one of America's top business opportunity metros. In Forbes 2005 "Best Places for Business and Careers" list, Columbia rated 48th for cost of doing business and 29th for educational attainment.  

The major employers in Columbia are; South Carolina State Government, the Palmetto Health hospital system, Blue Cross Blue Shield of SC, the University of South Carolina, Fort Jackson (the U.S. Army’s largest training installation), Richland School District One, Humana/TriCare, and the United Parcel Service. The Columbia region is home to more than 70 foreign affiliated companies and 14 Fortune 500 companies, including SCANA. The unemployment level in the area is 5.6% and recent job growth is 1.16%. The average commute time is 18 minutes. The median income in the city is $47,366 and the average per capita income is $26,867.  

•Housing  

Columbia offers a delightful diversity of housing styles, lot sizes, and prices. Many new homes and apartment complexes are being built in town, and some housing developments include community pools and tennis courts. You can find everything from renovated Victorian homes on tree-lined streets with large rooms, stained glass windows, and unique architecture, to newly built three-story Charleston style residences with private, walled gardens. The average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom apartment in the city is $632. Housing prices range from $30,000 to several million. The average price for a single-family home is $174,229.
 

• Columbia Neighborhoods
Columbia has many great and diverse neighborhoods that range from living in the heart of downtown to the shores of Lake Murray or the banks of the Saluda, Broad, or Congaree Rivers. Columbia offers downtown living in quiet neighborhoods like Elmwood Park, Forest Hills, Heathwood, and Shandon; or enjoy the energy of living in a downtown shopping and nightlife neighborhood such as 5 Points, or the Vista. For those desiring an escape from the city, Columbia offers many country club type communities such as Spring Valley and Wildewood for the golf lover; horse communities such as Blythewood for the riding enthusiast; and waterfront living on Lake Murray, or one of our three rivers -- the Broad, the Congaree, or the Saluda. Visit the "My Neighborhoods" section under Local Info for more detailed information about the downtown Columbia community. 

•Arts, Activities and Special Attractions in Columbia 

For a city of our size, Columbia has a very strong arts program. Tickets to ballets, orchestra, and theater performances are readily available and reasonably priced. Starting fall 2006 we will have Broadways Plays performed regularly at the acclaimed Koger Center. The Cultural Council, the "official arts council for the Midlands," works with and promotes organizations such as The Columbia World Affairs Council, The Columbia Design League and our new children's museum, EdVenture. 

The Cultural Council publishes an Arts Monthly Calendar in The State newspaper, and also produces a web page with the calendar of events of artistic happenings in Columbia.  

The University of South Carolina also frequently hosts cultural events that are open to the public. In addition, USC provides residents of the Columbia area with a wide selection of fun sporting events to attend. The University of South Carolina Gamecocks play in the highly competitive Southeastern Conference and host football games at Williams Brice Stadium, one of the ten largest stadiums in the country. Columbia also plays host to minor league baseball and to its own professional ice hockey team. 

The Congaree Vista is the city's historic commercial district, and has become one of the city's most lively areas for shopping, dining, and nightlife. The Colonial Center, which opened in 2002, is South Carolina's premiere arena and entertainment facility, and next to it is the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, which opened in 2004. This 142,500 square foot, modern facility was designed for hosting a variety of meetings and conventions. The Carolina Coliseum is also used for performing arts events such as the Chicago Symphony and Feld Ballet. You can visit the Columbia Museum of Art, the state’s top international art museum, Newberry Opera House, McKissick Museum, Lexington County Museum, South Carolina State Museum, and State House. 

The city has a number of festivities throughout the year. The South Carolina State Fair is held every October. St. Patrick’s Day Festival in March is a popular event. Riverfest Celebration is held in early spring and includes a 5K River Run, musical entertainment, arts, crafts and food. Earth Day at Finlay Park and Main Street Jazz are also held each spring. Three Rivers Music Festival is a three-day event with a wide array of local as well as national musical acts. Artista Vista has become a major attraction for artists and collectors. The Greek Festival is held in September, as is the Irmo Okra Strut, which features a street dance, a 10K road race, golf tournament, arts and crafts, rides, food and South Carolina’s largest festival parade. Family Fest is a one-day open-air concert held in Finlay Park in late spring. Eau Claire Renaissance Faire features the Renaissance Parade and an outdoor concert. The year ends with the celebration of Vista Lights.  

Riverbanks Zoo is a sanctuary for over 2,000 animals, which is situated along the Saluda River. It has been rated one of the nation’s top 10 zoos as well as the top travel attraction in the Southeast. The zoo features a penguin exhibit and a working farm, among other fascinating exhibits. Just across the river is the 70-acre botanical garden, with gardens, woodlands, plant collections, and historic ruins. It has been recognized as one of the top 20 botanical gardens in North America. Columbia is also home to EdVenture, the South's largest children's museum.  

Columbia is known for its large number of independent theater groups. Some of the local theatres include; Columbia's Town Theatre purports to be the oldest continually operating theater in America, Trustus Theatre, Nickelodeon Theatre, Columbia Marionette Theatre, the South Carolina Shakespeare Company, and the Workshop Theatre of South Carolina. The city has a city ballet, philharmonic orchestra, a jazz dance company, and a choral society. The Columbia Marionette Theatre, a member of the Cultural Council, is one of only 10 marionette theaters in the United States.  

• Parks/Sports/Recreation/Golf 

With three rivers just downstream from a 50,000-acre recreational lake, Columbia has a wealth of recreational opportunities available. The banks of the three rivers form a unique eco-system of wetlands, grasslands, and forests. Finlay Park, one of the best-known parks in the state, is a scenic 18-acre park, which has hosted a range of events from festivals and road races to Easter services. Granby Park is a 24-acre linear park, which provides a nature trail along the Congaree River. Also located along the Congaree River is 22,200-acre Congaree National Park, a protection area for the largest contiguous tract of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the United States. This international biosphere reserve, with its hardwoods and pines, has one of the highest canopies in the world and some of the tallest trees in the eastern United States. Sesquicentennial State Park is a 1,419-acre park, with a lovely 30-acre lake, trails, and picnic areas. Three Rivers Greenway is a 12-mile linear park, which connects to the area’s three rivers. Riverfront Park runs along the Columbia Canal, providing a two and a half mile trail for walking, running, biking, and fishing.
 

Columbia, with its three rivers and nearby lakes, is one of the best destinations in the country for water sports. Lake Murray is a 50,000-acre water playground located just 15 minutes from the city where you can enjoy all types of boating pleasures; sailboats, kayaks, canoes, motorboats, fishing boats, and even jet-skiing. Fishing is also popular in the area. Large Mouth Bass, Striped Bass, Catfish, or Crappie can be found in Lake Murray. Lake George Warren in Lake Warren State Park is a 200-acre man-made lake, renowned for great fishing and a great place to view alligators.  

Columbia boasts nine excellent golf courses, providing fun and challenges for every skill level. Hickory Ridge is a public 9-hole course, the oldest course in Columbia. Northwoods, a public 18-hole course, has hosted two PGA Tour events, as well as the annual City Tournament in 1993 and 1994. Forest Lake Club, Spring Valley Country Club, WildeWood Country Club, and Woodlands Country Club are private 18-hole golf courses in the area, and Oak Hills Golf and Country Club is semi-private. LinRick and River Side Golf Center are two additional public courses.  

For spectator sports, Columbia has several top-notch facilities. The Colonial Center is the largest arena in the state and the tenth largest on-campus basketball facility in the nation. It is the home of the men and women's USC Gamecocks basketball teams. The Williams-Brice Stadium, located just south of downtown Columbia, is the home of the USC Gamecocks football team and is one of the largest college football stadiums in the nation. The Carolina Coliseum initially served as the home of the USC Gamecocks basketball teams, and is currently the home of the Columbia Inferno hockey team.
 

•A Brief History of Columbia
The city's name is derived from a poetic name for America, based on the name of Christopher Columbus. It was founded in 1786, and was one of the first planned cities in the United States. It was chosen as the capital in 1786 as a compromise between the up-country and low-country residents. Located at the site where the Saluda and Broad Rivers merge to form the Congaree, Columbia became only the second planned city in the United States. 

Columbia was designed as a 2-mile-square grid along the Congaree River, with thoroughfares as wide as 150 feet. Why such wide streets? The belief was that the ever-present mosquitoes couldn't fly more than 60 feet without dying of starvation along the way. 

The city planners designed a town of 400 Blocks in a two-mile square along the river. In some of our city's first real estate transactions, the blocks were divided into half-acre lots and sold to land speculators and prospective residents. Land buyers were required to build a house at least 30 feet long and 18 feet wide within three years or face an annual 5 percent penalty. 

The perimeter streets and two through streets were 150 feet wide. The remaining squares were divided by thoroughfares 100 feet wide.
Columbians still enjoy most of this great network of wide streets.  

In 1805, Columbia received its first town charter. And by 1816, there were 250 homes in Columbia and a population of just over 1,000. 

The City of Columbia paved its first street in 1908, when 17 blocks of Main Street were surfaced.  

In 1934, the old federal courthouse at Main and Laurel Streets was purchased by the city for use as City Hall. Built of granite from nearby Winnsboro, Columbia City Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Columbia is now home to more than 100,000 citizens, and more than 500,000 live in the immediate Columbia area.  

Sherman's troops captured the city, and in just 24 hours after his arrival on February 17, 1865, about one-third of the city, all of its war-related facilities, and many private homes, lay in ruins. 

In the early twentieth century, the federal government established Camp Jackson as a basic training facility for the United States Army during World War I. Then, during World War II, the facility was improved, and enlarged to become Fort Jackson, the nation's largest Army basic training facility.
Columbia was recently one of 30 communities named "America's Most Livable Communities," and has the nickname, “The Capital of Southern Hospitality.” Some well-known residents have included: president Woodrow Wilson; country music performer James William Anderson; film director and choreographer Stanley Donen; poet James Dickey; astronaut Charles F. Bolden Jr.; Actress Kristin Davis; Miss America 1994 Kimberly Clarice Aiken; comedian J. Anthony Brown; actor Barton Maclane; U.S. Olympians Elizabeth Callahan and Terrance Trammel; singer Angie Stone; saxophonist Chris Potter and rapper Young Jeezy. 

Columbia is the capital city of South Carolina and home to the University of South Carolina Fighting Gamecocks. We have a rich History and bright future.