Summer Camp 2019
Looking for a summer camp packed full of fun, history, and slime? We got it dude! Campers ages 8 to 12 are invited to take an adventure through the ‘90s of three different centuries and see history come to life at the gardens, grounds and houses of Historic Columbia!
“At its most basic, preservation is about protecting places that matter to each of us. We want our children to know these places. We want them to stand as beacons for us and for those who come after us—to tell our stories, and the stories of our communities and our lives.”
— Stephanie K. Meeks
Why Join?
If you look around, you’ll see Historic Columbia’s advocacy work everywhere—from the Bull Street development to the new Palmetto Compress building…and we’ve got big plans to save even more historic properties from demolition, but we need the help of people like you to make it happen.
Join TodayWhy Join?
Your membership helps us create entertaining historical programming that brings people from diverse age groups and backgrounds together. Our educational programs help explain the connections between our past and present, using history as a prism for a deeper understanding.
Join TodayWhy Join?
As a member, you’ll get discounted admission and early access to our most popular events. Joining Historic Columbia is a great way to “plug in” to the city’s professional network and get involved in your community.
Join TodayTours
We offer historic house tours six days a week, garden tours for groups, off-site walking and bus tours and self-guided neighborhood web-based tours.
Take a TourRentals
Let your special day be one for the history books at any of our beautiful rental properties.
Rent a VenueThursday, June 20th
6 — 7:30 p.m.
Renovation Rodeo | Wales Garden
Wales Garden, Columbia, SC 29201
Presented by The Moore Company, the Renovation Rodeo series takes guests on tours of old homes and buildings in the Columbia area that have been refurbished and renovated while staying true to the roots and history of the house.
Monday, June 24th — Friday, June 28th
9 a.m.—4 p.m.
1616 Blanding Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Looking for a summer camp packed full of fun, history, and slime? We got it dude! Campers ages 8 to 12 are invited to take an adventure through the ‘90s and see history come to life through interactive activities and exploration of the gardens, grounds and houses of Historic Columbia.
Monday, June 24th
4 — 6 p.m.
Jenks Farmer Lecture & Book Signing
1601 Richland Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Join us on June 24 and welcome Jenks Farmer, a renowned plantsman and writer, as he discusses his newest book, Funky Little Flower Farm . Funky Little Flower Farm is available for advance purchase at Historic Columbia's Online Store . Books will be available for pickup when registrants check-in at...
Tuesday, June 25th
12 — 1 p.m.
Research Roundtable | Hampton-Preston Phase III
1601 Richland Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Join John Sherrer, Director of Cultural Resources, as he chronicles recent capital improvements at the Hampton-Preston Mansion, now in its 201st year as a well-known landmark property. Participants are welcome to bring their lunch to this program.
Thursday, July 4th
10 a.m. — 4 p.m.
1601 Richland Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Offices and properties will be closed for the holiday. Enjoy the fireworks and stay safe! Join us for a tour on July 5th.
Monday, July 8th — Friday, July 12th
9 a.m.—4 p.m.
1616 Blanding Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Looking for a summer camp packed full of fun, history, and slime? We got it dude! Campers ages 8 to 12 are invited to take an adventure through the ‘90s and see history come to life through interactive activities and exploration of the gardens, grounds and houses of Historic Columbia.
Thursday, July 11th
7:30 — 9:30 p.m.
Moonlight Cemetery & Secrets from the Grave Tours
501 Elmwood Avenue, Columbia, SC 29201
One hundred and sixty years of history will come to life during our popular Cemetery Tours! Grab your flashlight as we tour one of Columbia's oldest cemeteries and acres of carefully planned grounds.
Thursday, July 18th
6 — 7:30 p.m.
Behind-the-Scenes Tour | McCants
Lyles St, Columbia, SC 29201
The Homes at McCants occupy the historic Fannie McCants Elementary School built in 1931 and was named for Columbia High School's first full-time librarian and pioneer in Columbia's education system.
Sunday, July 21st
1 — 4 p.m.
Dollar Sunday | Robert Mills House
1616 Blanding Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Residents of Richland and Lexington counties are invited to take a guided tour of one of our historic house museums on Dollar Sunday! On September 16, visit the Robert Mills House & Gardens, one of only five National Historic Landmarks within Columbia, and explore architecture and daily life in the 1820s in Columbia.
Thursday, August 1st
10 — 11 a.m.
1615 Blanding Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Join Historic Columbia and Richland County Public Library for a special outdoor Storytime in the Gardens! Enjoy stories and songs at the Gardens of the Robert Mills House. In addition, participate in old fashioned historic games in gardens. This event is free and open to children of all ages.
Thursday, August 8th
7:30 — 9:30 p.m.
Moonlight Cemetery & Secrets from the Grave Tours
501 Elmwood Avenue, Columbia, SC 29201
One hundred and sixty years of history will come to life during our popular Cemetery Tours! Grab your flashlight as we tour one of Columbia's oldest cemeteries and acres of carefully planned grounds.
Thursday, August 15th
5:30 — 7 p.m.
1615 Blanding Street, Columbia, SC 29201
We’re inviting South Carolina teachers to start off the school year with Historic Columbia’s first ever Teacher’s Night Out! Teachers are invited to join us Thursday, August 15th for an evening in the Gardens at the Hampton-Preston Mansion. Enjoy beer, wine, and hors d’oeuvres as you explore the site and...
Friday, August 16th
5:30 — 7 p.m.
Historic Happy Hour: Water Balloon Battle
1616 Blanding Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Join us for our fourth annual Historic Water Balloon Battle from 5:30 – 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 16. Using water balloons, guests will break into teams to learn about military tactics through history and battle on the grounds of the Robert Mills House & Gardens.
Sunday, August 18th
1 — 4 p.m.
Dollar Sunday | Woodrow Wilson Family Home
1705 Hampton Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Every third Sunday of the month, residents of Richland and Lexington counties are invited to tour of one of Historic Columbia’s house museums for just $1 on Dollar Sunday! This month, visit the Woodrow Wilson Family Home, the nation's only museum dedicated to interpreting the post-Civil War Reconstruction period and South Carolina's only remaining presidential site.
Tuesday, August 27th
12 — 1 p.m.
1601 Richland St, Columbia, SC 29201
Founded in 1961, Historic Columbia shared one major trait with other preservation-based organizations—it had women largely to thank for its existence. Join Director of Cultural Resources John Sherrer for this Research Roundtable as we meet two key members of that tour de force – Jennie Dreher and Mabel Payne, whose respective efforts saved the Robert Mills House five decades ago and whose spirits continue to shape the character of our city today.
Columbia City of Women
This month, we are celebrating Jean Hoefer Toal, the first woman elected to be an Associate Justice on the South Carolina Supreme Court and the first woman to serve as the court’s Chief Justice. Toal’s accomplishments as a lawyer, legislator, and South Carolina Supreme Court Justice are unparalleled. She continues to be an outspoken advocate for women’s rights, social justice, and education.
Latest News from HC
There’s no better way to finish Preservation Month than learning about two of Columbia’s key preservation advocates—Mabel Payne and Jennie Dreher—who were responsible for saving the Robert Mills House over 50 years ago. Mabel Payne, ca. 1961. Image courtesy of City of Columbia Planning Office Mabel Bradley Payne was born...
