2019-20 Annual Fund
Help us protect nearly 225 years of history by making a donation to our Annual Fund for Seibels House—Columbia's oldest remaining historic structure.
Columbia's oldest remaining building is in critical need!
This year's Annual Fund will enable Historic Columbia to embark on the structural stabilization of this venerable landmark. Built circa 1796, it has hosted Historic Columbia's administrative offices and has been a popular designation for private events and weddings since 1984, when Historic Columbia became owners of the property. Learn More
Without the capacity to shoulder this massive project at one time, Historic Columbia and engineers have arrived at a three-phase approach to stabilizing the building. We are seeking your support to complete the first phase, which includes:
Help us reach our goal of $100,000 to continue to use the building for day-to-day operations and event rentals!
Seibels House, as it looked before its early-20th century renovation into its current appearance.
Connecting Our Future & Past
If you look around, you’ll see Historic Columbia’s advocacy work everywhere—because we recognize the importance of preserving our built history and the impact it has on the community in which we live in today. We’ve got big plans to save even more historic properties from demolition—and Seibels House is where we begin!
Protecting Our Built History
Historic Seibels House has helped us continue our efforts to make the connections between the past and present to better tell the stories of our community. For nearly 225 years, this venerable historic property has remained a pillar in Columbia. As this community's oldest remaining structure, it continues to cultivate new ideas from diverse groups to ensure our future successes.
Cultivating Community
Historic Columbia strives to grow our network of preservation, history, and community advocates. Our efforts to stabilize Seibels House comes from our core desire to use our voices and our dollars to making a difference in our backyard—the home of our dedicated staff members who work tirelessly in this charge.
"Seibels House is central to the significant waves Historic Columbia is making in the preservation community. Lots of culture-shifting, progressive ideas were birthed out of this place."
John Sherrer, Director of Cultural Resources
Did you know that the Seibels House & Gardens property once featured another large residence? Between 1883 and 1895, Edwin G. Seibels, co-founder of the Seibels-Bruce Insurance Company, erected 1613 Richland Street, a two-story residence and auto garage. During the 1920s, the family demolished this building to expand the gardens surrounding their earlier home, then listed as 1603 Richland Street.
Stay UpdatedLong celebrated for its beautiful garden, the Seibels House garden is often mentioned in 19th- and 20th-century travelogues and articles. The garden received a comprehensive transformation in 2007 through the vision of contemporary horticulturist A. Jenkins Farmer, featuring a revitalized landscape that merges existing historic elements with heritage plantings to showcase the contributions of generations of gardeners.
Visit Our DatabaseHaving aesthetically evolved for more than 125 years since its construction in the late 18th century, the Seibels House today reflects Colonial Revival architecture of the 1920s, offers grand views of the thriving gardens. One of Columbia's most treasured buildings, the house was donated to Historic Columbia in 1984 and adapted for offices and rental space. Revitalized in 2007, the property's landscape merges existing historic elements with heritage plantings to represent the evolution of southern gardening from the 19th through early 20th centuries. Today, the historic structure hosts Historic Columbia's administrative office and functions as a popular venue for private events and weddings.
Learn More"It's fascinating to think about the staying power of this place. It's been over 100 years and remains one of the most resilient homes in the city. "
Grace Salter, Palladium Board Member
Historically Ever After
Seibels House and Garden isn’t just a great venue for your wedding and reception, they’re also an idyllic spot for bridal portraits, as well. We’re delighted to share with you Avis Washington’s recent bridal portraits with you. Avis’s pictures make great use of the neo-classical interior space at Seibels. During the spring, an...
"Seibels House was everything I ever dreamed of in regards to a wedding location! The inside/outside services enabled it to really feel like I was hosting the reception in the backyard. The grounds and the home were beautiful, and I did not hear a single complaint from anyone."
Former Renter
To learn more, please contact Megan Plott, director of development, at 803.252.7742 x 12 or mplott@historiccolumbia.org.
