# Timeline of Columbia, South Carolina

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Columbia, South Carolina, USA.

## 18th-19th centuries

Part of a series on the :
History of South Carolina :
Timeline :
| Colonial period | 1562–1774 |
| American Revolution | 1775–1788 |
| Antebellum period | 1812–1860 |
| Civil War era | 1861–1865 |
| Reconstruction era | 1865–1877 |
| Civil Rights Movement | 1954–1968 |
| Economy of South Carolina | 1651–2021 |
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* 1786 - Columbia established as state capital (previously located in Charleston).
* 1788 - Columbia becomes part of the new US state of South Carolina.
* 1795 - First Presbyterian Church congregation founded.
* 1797 - Commission of Streets and Markets established.
* 1801 - University of South Carolina was founded
* 1803 - Washington Street Methodist builds the first church building in Columbia
* 1804 - Columbia Library Society founded.
* 1805
** Town chartered.
** John Taylor elected intendant (town leader).
** South Carolina College opens.
* 1809 - First Baptist Church founded.
* 1813 - Trinity Episcopal Church founded.
* 1814 - State Legislative Library established.
* 1824 - St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church built.
* 1825 - March: Lafayette visits town.
* 1830
** Columbia Theological Seminary active.
** Population: 3,310.
* 1838 - Southern Chronicle newspaper begins publication.
* 1840 - Population: 4,340.
* 1842
** Railroad (Branchville-Columbia) begins operating.
** Arsenal Military Academy (the Citadel) established.
* 1846 - J.T. Zealy daguerreotypist in business.
* 1847 - Southern Presbyterian Review begins publication.
* 1850
** Carolina Times newspaper begins publication.
** Population: 6,060.
* 1852 - Charlotte-Columbia railway begins operating.
* 1853
** Greenville-Columbia railway begins operating.
** First Presbyterian Church building constructed.
* 1854 - Office of mayor established.
* 1856
** Town police force and Athenaeum established.
** South Carolina State Fair begins.
* 1857
** Trinity Episcopal Cathedral building consecrated.
** Southern Guardian newspaper begins publication.
* 1865
** February 17–18: Union forces in power; city burned.
** The Phoenix newspaper begins publication.
* 1869 - South Carolina State House built.
* 1870
** Benedict College founded.
** Area of city expands.
* 1871 - October: "Southern States Convention of Colored Men" held in Columbia.
* 1874 - State normal school opens.
* 1875 - US Court House built.
* 1880 - Population: 10,036.
* 1891 - The State newspaper begins publication.
* 1892 - Columbia Hospital established.
* 1893 - Sidney Park Colored Methodist Episcopal Church built.
* 1895 - Columbia Duck Mill begins operating.
* 1896 - South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Museum established.
* 1897 - Columbia Record newspaper begins publication.
* 1899 - Olympia Mill built.

## 20th century

* 1908 - Main Street paved.
* 1913
** National Corn Show held in city.
** Palmetto Building constructed.
* 1917 - Military Camp Jackson established.
* 1920 - Population: 37,524.
* 1921 - Bethel A.M.E. Church built.
* 1922 - February: Trolley strike.
* 1924 - Town Theatre built.
* 1925 - Part of North Columbia annexed to city.
* 1926-7 - Capital Heights, Hollywood, Kilbourne Park, Rose Hill, and Rosewood annexed to city.
* 1930
** Dreher Shoals Dam begins operating.
** WIS radio begins broadcasting.
** Belk's department store in business.
* 1931 - Carolina Theatre opens.
* 1932 - Thomas Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home (museum) opens.
* 1934 - Richland County Public Library established.
* 1937
** US Courthouse becomes Columbia City Hall.
** Palmetto Theater opens.
** University South Caroliniana Society founded.
* 1939
** WCOS radio begins broadcasting.
** Municipal Association of South Carolina headquartered in Columbia.
* 1940
** Lexington County Airport built.
** US military Fort Jackson active.
** Population: 62,396.
* 1941 - Carver Theatre built.
* 1950
** Columbia Museum of Art and Twilite Drive-In cinema open.
** Population: 86,914.
* 1953 - WIS-TV and WNOK-TV (television) begin broadcasting.
* 1958 - Lester Bates becomes mayor.
* 1960 - South Carolina Department of Corrections headquartered in city.
* 1961
** Richland Mall in business.
** Historic Columbia Foundation established.
* 1963 - Columbia Festival Orchestra founded.
* 1966 - Hammond School founded.
* 1968 - University of South Carolina's Carolina Coliseum opens.
* 1970
** Dutch Square shopping mall in business.
** John Tucker Campbell becomes mayor.
** Population: 112,542.
* 1974
** Riverbanks Zoo opens.
** Shambhala Center founded.
* 1976 - WLTR radio begins broadcasting.
* 1977 - Palmetto Alliance (antinuclear group) founded.
* 1978 - Kirkman Finlay becomes mayor.
* 1979
** Masjid as-Salaam (Muslim center) built.
** Nickelodeon Theater opens.
** Columbia becomes part of Tree City USA.
* 1980 - South Carolina Military Museum established.
* 1981 - Harvest Hope Food Bank established.
* 1983 - Chicora Foundation (historic preservation group) established.
* 1984 - Hindu Temple built.
* 1986 - T. Patton Adams becomes mayor.
* 1987 - AT&T Building constructed.
* 1988
** South Carolina State Museum opens in the former location of the vacant Columbia Mills Building.
** University of South Carolina's Koger Center for the Arts built.
* 1990
** Bob Coble becomes mayor.
** Population: 98,052.
* 1991 - Sidney Park opens.
* 1992 - Masjid Al-Muslimiin (mosque) built.
* 1993
** Richland County Public Library new main branch building opens.
** Jim Clyburn becomes U.S. representative for South Carolina's 6th congressional district.
* 1994 - Sikh Religious Society founded.
* 1996 - City website online.
* 2000 - January 17: Confederate flag protest.

## 21st century

* 2001 - Columbia Zen Buddhist Priory founded.
* 2002
** Colonial Center (arena) opens.
** Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority and Ganden Mahayana Buddhist established.
* 2005 - Columbia City Paper begins publication.
* 2007 - Columbia Quadsquad (rollerderby league) formed.
* 2009 - Fort Jackson National Cemetery established.
* 2010
** Stephen K. Benjamin becomes first African-American in city elected mayor.
** Population: 129,272 city; 767,598 metro.