page_title: Richland County, South Carolina
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Richland County, South Carolina / History
caption_attribution_description: Red Gum felled- also called Sweet Gum. Left in woods to dry out with top on before cutting into logs. Young Gum and Elm in background. Congaree River, Richland Co., South Carolina.
context_page_description: Richland County is located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 384,504, making it the second-most populous county in South Carolina, behind only Greenville County. The 2019 estimated population was 415,759. The county seat and largest city is Columbia, the state capital. The county was founded in 1785. Richland County is part of the Columbia, SC Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2010, the center of population of South Carolina was located in Richland County, in the city of Columbia.
context_section_description: Richland County was probably named for its "rich land." The county was formed in 1785 as part of the large Camden District. A small part of Richland later went to adjacent Kershaw County in 1791. The county seat and largest city is Columbia, which is also the state capital. In 1786 the state legislature decided to move the capital from Charleston to a more central location. A site was chosen in Richland County, which is in the geographic center of the state, and a new town was laid out. Richland County's boundaries were formally incorporated on December 18, 1799. Cotton from the surrounding plantations was shipped through Columbia and later manufactured into textiles there. General William T. Sherman captured Columbia during the Civil War and his troops burned the town and parts of the county on February 17, 1865. The U. S. Army returned on friendlier terms in 1917, when Fort Jackson was established, which is now the largest and most active Initial Entry Training Center in the U.S. Army. The South Carolina State House is located in downtown Columbia.
caption: Harvesting red gum trees in Richland County, 1904
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