I've been to the SC State House several times thru out the yrs for events. It's really nice to also…read morego inside and do a tour, educational. They keep the grounds secured, and very clean. Great place to have lunch on the lawn. Outside has some historical statues as well. I attended the Peace Walk in Columbia SC at the state house. A group of 19 monks from the Huong Dao Temple walked over 2,300 miles from Ft Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C. Aloka (whose name means "divine light" in Sanskrit) accompanied them every step of the way. He did have surgery for his leg during the journey. It was a beautiful day to be in SC! Thankful to witness such a great community event.

Beautiful interior and grounds. A few early blooms in the beginning of March. This is the 18th…read morestate capitol building I've toured. 32 more to go. This is probably not in my top 5 ranking, but it was easily accessible. I just did my own self-guided tour, although I probably would have learned a lot more if I had't just missed the tour that began at 9:30 AM. I arrived just a little too late. I did walk around and snap some photos and I also stopped into the gift shop and picked up a few trinkets and some coffee. Columbia is a pretty town and has some interesting history.

Nice place to Walk, run, bike while enjoying nature. It's maintained well and has emergency call…read morephone boxes and benches to rest on. It has historical signs along the way. 3+ mile path way. Very pleasant place for relaxing walkers.

Beautiful scenery and very clean! I was impressed! We went to walk the Three Rivers Greenway with…read morethe intention of walking 3 miles. But we enjoyed our walk so much that we ended up walking almost 5 miles! Every quarter mile there is a marker letting you know how far you've walked. When it's dark they have plenty of lights along the Greenway. We also saw security throughout our walk and emergency phones. Pets were properly leashed on our week which made me happy since i'm not the biggest fan. It was also so adorable to see kids on the greenway with their bikes as their parents walked alongside them. You can see plenty of people out enjoying themselves doing different activities such as fishing. I can't wait to return to Columbia and walk this greenway again!

What great reminder that everyone should pay tribute to the great men and women that have lost…read moretheir lives no matter what you believe. The memorial is located on Lincoln st. and nice benches and is easy assessable for all to sit and reflect on the what has transpired since then and now. It has been a great addition to our fine city !

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!…read more This memorial is located outside of the Convention and Visitor's Bureau. It was inspired by the events of 911 memorial and is a tribute to all SC Midlands firefighters, law enforcement, EMS, and branches of the military who have lost their lives in the line of duty since 9/11/01. The memorial is constructed of two granite towers as well as two beams recovered from the World Trade Center. It is a quiet contemplative space that has four metal benches for visitors who want to stop and reflect. It's location is ideal so that visitors and residents are able to pay their respects and truly appreciate its symbolism. It was dedicated on 9/11/2011.

What is that and why is there a length of super chain joining these two buildings? Yes, that's the…read more"Neverbust Chain" and it was installed in 2000 to connect two very large office buildings in downtown Columbia. The installation is by local artist Blue Sky (aka Warren Edward Johnson) who is also responsible for the nearby works "Tunnelvision" and "Busted Plug Plaza". Maybe they're fake? Nope, these are actual steel chain links that were welded together and hand about 15 feet over this small alleyway. According to the artist's statement, "One building looked like it was leaning a little bit." Check it out (and those other two) in downtown Columbia. [Review 2186 of 2024 - 1159 in South Carolina - 23204 overall]

Never Bust Chain is a work of art by Blue Sky, a SC artist. Only approval from the owners of the…read morebuildings was involved but this work of art gained immediate government approval due to the renown of the artist. 2000 pounds of hydraulic pressure was required to link the final parts of the chain together while professional welding occurred. Whimsical tourist point of interest in Columbia, SC.

This is a really beautiful monument, and I'm glad that I stopped to take the time to check it out…read more I loved how the sculptures making up the monument seemingly came to life, and depicted everything from the African slave trade, all the way up to the current African-American experience in the US. In my opinion, it's important not to shy away from the ugly parts of our history as a state and a nation, and this monument does a great job of illustrating those moments with grace and class, as well as highlighting the achievements and contributions of African-Americans in the US and the state of South Carolina. If you're ever near the state capital for any reason, I'd strongly encourage you to take a few minutes to stop and check out this amazing monument.

For those of you who don't know about this monument. It's a very impotant part of African American…read morehistory because it's the first monument of it's kind on any state house grounds in the USA. It captures African American History from times of slavery. Where we were carried over on boats from different regions in Africa (Ghana, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Senegal) up until present day where it shows us making strides in various prominent industries. There is a big lack of places where you can go to absorb African American history and culture, and it's nice to see more and more places popping up in the last couple of decades that aim to change that. (The museum in Philly, the new Smithsonian in DC, etc.) It was an honor to witness this memorial and take pictures in front of it.

The first neighborhood shopping district in Columbia, Five Points is named for the intersection of…read moreDevine Street, Harden Street and Santee Avenue. It had the first bar in South Carolina to serve a cocktail and the first supermarket in Columbia. Back in the old days, Five Points was a rotating circle for the street cars. Today, there are more bars, more markets and no streetcars. But this fountain is the gathering point for folks and it was a nice spot to sit in the shade before beginning my drive back to Charlotte. [Review 14038 overall, 1360 of 2020, number 675 in South Carolina.]

This is the best meeting place at 5 points, or being dropped off by the shuttle or taxi because…read moreit's in the middle of all the shops and an easy place to get to. Right next to Starbucks and small specialty shops here. However, the specialty shops close at 6pm, so not much to shop after 6pm.

This lovely park is a historic memorial garden that was established in 1944-1945 by the Garden Club…read moreof South Carolina. It was the first memorial garden sponsored by a state garden club in the United States that recognized veterans of World War II. The marker out front points out some other facts. On the front, "This garden was established in 1944 by the Garden Club of South Carolina. It was the first memorial garden in the U.S. created by a state garden club in honor and in memory of those who served in World War II. Sarah P. Boylston donated part of her own garden for it, and noted landscape architect Loutrel W. Briggs (1893-1977) donated his landscape design. It opened in 1946 and was dedicated at its completion in 1957." And on the back side, "This garden was described in a 1946 award citation from the National Council of State Garden Clubs as "expressed in terms of beauty, a place apart." It has long hosted events on Memorial Day and other occasions. The Garden Club of South Carolina, founded in 1930, was incorporated in 1945. It and its member clubs and leaders promote education, beautification, and environmental awareness." The gates were closed today but I was able to look through them and over the walls to still enjoy this lovely space. I'd like to return when it's open and accessible. There is street parking. [Review 14029 overall, 1351 of 2020, number 666 in South Carolina.]

I have mixed thoughts on this place. Of the mansion tours, this is perhaps the least compelling,…read moredespite its history and famous resident. A museum on Reconstruction more than about the President himself, it feels like it is lacking on both. If you have the time, this beautiful house is worth it, but you will walk away feeling like something was missing. Reconstruction was a complicated and often ugly situation for both sides, So it can be a very difficult topic. Although there are some artifacts and some good information on static displays with in the home, the tour guide did not seem to know much about either topic. It lacks virtually any furniture or belongings from Woodrow Wilson himself, and it was not very versed in terms of its artifacts from Reconstruction. When telling the story, it is often falls short. Woodrow Wilson lived in Columbia in this house during the period and it shaped his attitudes and opinions and ultimately led him to run for office. That's the primary reason Historic Columbia made the era the focus. I believe it is the only museum dedicated to Reconstruction. Wilson lived in several homes as an adult, but only two growing up. The one in Augusta is much more focused on Wilson. I find the topic and the occupant of the home very fascinating, and if you really want to visit an important American landmark, you definitely should. Keep your expectations tempered though as it may not have enough artifacts from either the president or the era for your taste. There are two tours per day for this house. Visit the Historic Columbia gift shop at the Robert Mills Home to get tickets. It is approximately two blocks away.

Some artwork is just so anachronistic that my eye twitched when I came upon this very different…read moreartwork. The history dates back to 1989 when there was an old railroad trestle that passed through here. When the demolition crew hit this particular one, it refused to crumble and so they left it behind. And a few years later, South Carolina artist and muralist Richard Lane arrived and thought it looked like an Egyptian obelisk. And so in 1993, he decided to paint a mural on the structure depicting Ra, the Egyptian sun god, along with various symbols and hieroglyphs. Some of the symbols translate to the titles of Beatles songs "Here Comes the Sun" and "All You Need is Love." Underneath Ra's throne is a scarab, which in mythology rolled the sun across the sky. If you stand at the base of the obelisk on a sunny day, the light from the sun will create a glow above Ra's head, which means the scarab is working. In 2004, the obelisk became the centerpiece of a "pocket park" with benches around it as well as a sidewalk leading up to it. In October of 2018, artists Jeff Donovan and Georgia Lake matched colors, aligned symbols, and repainted the mural of Ra keeping true to the work of Richard Lane. There isn't much parking nearby but I found a spot to leave the car for a few while I checked it out. Enjoy! [Review 14757 overall, 258 of 2021, number 795 in South Carolina.]