The city of Columbia is the capital of South Carolina and owes its name to the explorer Columbus. It is also the largest city in South Carolina with an urban agglomeration of more than 700,000 inhabitants. The city was founded in 1786 as the capital of South Carolina and today Columbia is considered one of the most pleasant cities in the US to live in.
History
Columbia is built on the so-called ‘fall line’. This is an invisible frontier where the Appalachians meet lowlands. The rivers that flow in the area are generally unnavigable upstream. It was discovered in the 18th century that downstream these streams were ideal for working mills. At the beginning of the last century there were no fewer than 6 working mills in the city, which meant that the economy of Columbia was improving. Thanks to these mills, Columbia was seen in the 20th century as a prosperous city with the production of textiles as the main source of income.
Racial segregation
In South Carolina, segregation was the most normal thing in the world until well into the 20th century. Nevertheless, the first attempt to eliminate discrimination was made in the 1940s in Columbia. African-American teachers from then on were paid the same as their white colleagues.
It was not until the 1960s that the abolition of racial segregation began in other areas. The first African-American students were admitted to universities and the city put an end to discrimination in hiring. Because of this progressive, anti-racist attitude, the city won the All-America City Award in 1964.
The big friendly
One of Columbia’s nicknames is “the big friendly.” The city has been given this nickname because of the typical southern hospitality. In recent years, more and more people have moved to this region because of the high standard of living and the attractive environment.
Edventure
If you’re out with the kids, Edventure is a fun outing that you won’t soon forget! On more than 6000 square meters a museum has been built especially for children of all ages! The museum has several exhibits ranging from information about the human body but also about other cultures. Information is provided in a child-friendly way about West Africa and this culture, but also about Vietnam and Vietnamese customs.
Very interesting is the large plastic doll in the museum, called Ed. Why is this doll so important then? Well you can walk through it with the kids and climb in it to get acquainted with the functioning and organs of the human body in an adventurous way. Certainly do! In addition to these exhibitions, there are plenty of other performances that are interesting for children, but also for yourself. That way you learn something new!
Finlay Park
In the heart of Columbia is Finlay Park. Named after former mayor Finlay, the park is also the busiest park in the entire city. This park is highly recommended if you want to rest or stretch your legs. Fun for the whole family!
You can have a nice picnic on a sunny day, the children can romp in one of the playgrounds and you can wander around on the paths of the park. There is a cafe in the park so after walking and playing you can relax here and enjoy a drink.
The park reopened in 1990 and has been the pride of Columbia ever since. It has a beautiful waterfall with rippling water that flows over a landscaped rock into the lake. Usually there are free concerts of all kinds of music genres. In the summer months you can often even watch movies in the open air on Friday evenings!
