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Friday, December 31st
10 a.m. — 3 p.m.
Holiday House Tours 2021
Gift Shop at Robert Mills : 1616 Blanding Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Guests are invited to see a variety of holiday decorations and experience traditions at our historic house museums through Saturday, Dec. 31. Tour guides will provide stories of holidays past in Columbia and discuss how families decorated and entertained during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
At the Robert Mills House, guests will see how a home of its size might have been decorated in the 1820s during the time before Christmas trees were popular. Across the street at the Hampton-Preston Mansion, Christmas of the 1860s was very different from today in many ways but some of the traditions we carry on today have their roots from this time. Eggnog, poinsettias and Christmas trees were all part of the Victorian era holidays.
Admission includes a guided tour of both the Robert Mills House and the Hampton-Preston Mansion. Tours are offered Wednesday – Saturday at 10 a.m.,12 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. On Friday, Dec. 31, only the 12 p.m. tour will be held.
Visit The Gift Shop at Robert Mills, located at 1616 Blanding Street, to purchase admission and begin your tour. To schedule a group tour, call 803.252.1770 x 23 or email reservations@historiccolumbia.org.
Upcoming Events
See All Events22 Mar

Saturday, March 22nd: 1 — 2:30 p.m.
2204 Park Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Join Historic Columbia for a stroll through the Elmwood Park neighborhood. Established in 1904 as a suburb of Columbia, Elmwood Park stands today as one of the city's most architecturally intact neighborhoods. Participants will learn about different architectural forms and some of the notable residents who once called this neighborhood home.
23 Mar

Sunday, March 23rd: 1 — 2:30 p.m.
2204 Park Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Join Historic Columbia for a stroll through the Elmwood Park neighborhood. Established in 1904 as a suburb of Columbia, Elmwood Park stands today as one of the city's most architecturally intact neighborhoods. Participants will learn about different architectural forms and some of the notable residents who once called this neighborhood home.
27 Mar

Thursday, March 27th: 6 — 7:30 p.m.
TBA, Columbia, SC 29201
Join Palladium on Thursday, March 27, 2025, from 6:00–7:30 p.m. to view a newly renovated home located in Earlewood. Attendees of this Renovation Rodeo will have the unique chance to tour the home and learn about its history and renovation process. Enjoy light refreshments as you mingle with fellow preservation...
02 Apr

Wednesday, April 2nd: 12 — 1 p.m.
Knowledge at Noon | Spring Migration
Spring Migration: Identifying South Carolina's Most Colorful Warblers Join local birder and HC volunteer John Tjaarda as he discusses how to identify some common warblers that will be migrating through Columbia on their journey north to nest in late April and early May. Warblers are some of the brightest, most...
03 Apr

Thursday, April 3rd: 5 — 7 p.m.
1615 Blanding Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Update March 3: Pre-sale tickets are sold out! In the event of favorable weather, additional tickets will go on sale the week of the event and be available for purchase at the gate. Email us to join the waitlist for tickets. Performers from the South Carolina Philharmonic will join Historic...
06 Apr

Sunday, April 6th: 1 — 6 p.m.
Palladium Tour | A Century of Style
TBA, Columbia, SC 29204
You are invited to the 6th annual Palladium Tour | A Century of Style! Join us in Forest Hills on April 6, 2025, to explore a curated group of homes that showcase varied styles of architecture while learning about the history of Forest Hills and the people who have called...
10 Apr

Thursday, April 10th: 8 — 9 a.m.
1615 Blanding Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Grab your binoculars to join Historic Columbia and local birder John Tjaarda for a free, guided bird walk around the Hampton-Preston Gardens to learn about the many local and migratory birds in Columbia. With the Hampton-Preston gardens playing host to over 100 bird species over the course of the year...
10 Apr

Thursday, April 10th: 4 — 6 p.m.
Members-Only Early Access: Spring Plant Sale
1615 Blanding St., Columbia, SC 29201
Join us in the lush gardens of the Hampton-Preston Mansion for the 2025 Spring Plant Sale! Celebrate spring at our Plant Sale! Browse heirloom flowers, shrubs, vegetables, and perennials, all grown in Historic Columbia’s gardens. All selections are integral to the stories we share and many are rare or hard-to-find...
11 Apr

Friday, April 11th: 11 a.m. — 5 p.m.
1615 Blanding St., Columbia, SC 29201
Join us in the lush gardens of the Hampton-Preston Mansion for the 2025 Spring Plant Sale! At one of two plant sales Historic Columbia holds every year, attendees will be able to purchase and learn about a wide array of plants propagated from the Living Collections across all of our...
12 Apr

Saturday, April 12th: 10 a.m. — 2 p.m.
1615 Blanding St., Columbia, SC 29201
Join us in the lush gardens of the Hampton-Preston Mansion for the 2025 Spring Plant Sale! At one of two plant sales Historic Columbia holds every year, attendees will be able to purchase and learn about a wide array of plants propagated from the Living Collections across all of our...
13 Apr

Sunday, April 13th: 1 — 2:30 p.m.
2204 Park Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Join Historic Columbia for a stroll through the Elmwood Park neighborhood. Established in 1904 as a suburb of Columbia, Elmwood Park stands today as one of the city's most architecturally intact neighborhoods. Participants will learn about different architectural forms and some of the notable residents who once called this neighborhood home.
24 Apr

Thursday, April 24th: 8 — 9 a.m.
Birdwatching in the Gardens | Migration Season
1615 Blanding Street, Columbia, SC 29201
For bird watchers in South Carolina, spring migration brings tons of warblers, vireos, flycatchers, and more species that we don’t normally see as they make their way north to their breeding grounds. Hopefully, some of these birds will take a rest on their mammoth journey here at Historic Columbia! Grab...
27 Apr

Sunday, April 27th: 1 — 2:30 p.m.
1101 Lincoln Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Explore the Congaree Vista with Historic Columbia.
06 May

Tuesday, May 6th: 6 a.m. — 11:59 p.m.
1601 Richland Street, Columbia, SC 29201
We are excited to participate in Midlands Gives again this year on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, for an online giving campaign. Last year, as a part of Midlands Gives, we raised over $60,000 with 438 donations. This is a great community-wide day of giving, and it’s a fun way to raise money and awareness of Historic Columbia! HC has finished in the top of the leaderboard and has won the early morning Power Hour each year.
08 May

Thursday, May 8th: 8 — 9 a.m.
1615 Blanding Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Grab your binoculars to join Historic Columbia and local birder John Tjaarda for a free, guided bird walk around the Hampton-Preston Gardens to learn about the many local and migratory birds in Columbia. With the Hampton-Preston gardens playing host to over 100 bird species over the course of the year...