Kensington Plantation House is a historic plantation house located near Eastover, Richland County,…read moreSouth Carolina. At the moment it remains closed as they make repairs from ice storm damage in 2014. I follow there Facebook page for announcements on the reopening dates. This is a beautiful historic old mansion.

This is a great fountain, and represents the epicenter of the Five Points area! It's a great place…read moreto sit and enjoy a snack from one of the nearby restaurants, wait on some friends, or simply collect your thoughts and enjoy a beautiful day. The fountain also looks beautiful, and even mesmerizing, at night time as well! Love the famous Five Points Fountain!

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.]

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.

I love visiting state capitals, and South Carolina did not disappoint! They run a formal (and…read morecomplimentary) tour program, with a tour guide and a welcome video. On the day we visited, we missed the video, but were quickly welcomed to the complimentary tour. The tour guide gave a wonderful overview of the history of the State House along with South Carolina politics, and brought it to current day activities. The State House is on beautiful grounds, and it's right at the intersection where Main Street begins. After the tour, the guy gave us opportunity to take all the photos we wanted, and there's a lot to see.

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.

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.

The governor's mansion is stunning. I was blessed to be able to visit for our district teacher of…read morethe year recognition. We enjoyed the gala and the beautiful gardens. The meal that was prepared was fantastic, the tent was nicely decorated. They even created a signature drink for the event, teachers pet. It was a beautiful event.

The South Carolina Governor's Mansion (or the South Carolina Executive Mansion) is a historic U.S…read more governor's mansion in the Arsenal Hill neighborhood of Columbia, South Carolina and the official residence of the Governor of South Carolina. It is a Federal style home influenced by British Colonial plantations. The building has a white stucco exterior and originally served as faculty quarters for the Arsenal Academy, which together with the Citadel Academy in Charleston formed the South Carolina Military Academy (now The Citadel). The Arsenal was burned along with the city of Columbia by Sherman's forces in February, 1865; the structure was the only surviving building and became South Carolina's executive mansion in 1868. The grounds and the mansion are available to be toured by the public though appointments are required. You can see quite a bit from outside the walls. [Review 14232 overall, 1555 of 2020, number 682 in South Carolina.]

There isn't much to do with Woodrow Wilson at this place, for that you have to go to Georgia. This…read morehas been turned into a reconstruction time period house. Unlike the other house tours in Columbia, this house is set up more like a museum with items corresponding to Reconstruction and the black experience. Nothing wrong with that; however, I came to learn about one of our presidents and just received another Civil Rights museums that every museum wants to turn into nowadays. Shameful that we don't like certain parts of history, so we suppress them. We were the only ones on the tour, whereas the other tours we attended that day were full, so others must have felt the same way. The tour guide wasn't that knowledgeable and had us just reading placards in silence; she also couldn't get one of the videos working, which was a relief to us.

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.

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'm so obsessed with this place I could wander the aisles forever and never get bored!!! Shop owner…read moreis soo friendly and they have a salon in back that's amazing too! Shout out Laura. I love love love this place . 5 stars isn't enough !!!!!

Staff is extremely attentive and knowledgeable. Environment is calming, great vibrations.read more