Historic Columbia announces March 2024 events
March 4, 2024
Historic Columbia is excited to announce programming and events for March 2024. See the full list of March events below and be sure to leave room in your calendar to experience all Historic Columbia has to offer.
CALENDAR OF PROGRAMS & EVENTS:
Sunday, March 10 | 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. | Begins and ends at The Graduate Hotel | 1619 Pendleton Street
Join Historic Columbia on a walking tour of one of the oldest residential communities in Columbia. University Hill features homes with a mix of architectural styles and designs from prominent regional and local architects, and this neighborhood has continued to be shaped and defined by urban renewal and the University of South Carolina’s eastward expansion.
Tickets: This event is at capacity. See a list of all other upcoming Walking Tours.
Thursday, March 14 | 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. | Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | 1615 Hampton Street
Join Historic Columbia and local birder John Tjaarda every second Thursday of the month for a free, guided bird walk around the Hampton-Preston Gardens to learn about the many local and migratory birds in Columbia. Bring your binoculars and learn how to identify birds by sight, sound, and behavior. The Hampton-Preston Gardens host over 100 bird species throughout the year, providing a great opportunity to observe and learn about our feathered friends at HC.
Tickets: This event is at capacity. Additional dates have been added to late April and early May for migration season.
Thursday, March 14 | 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Museum of the Reconstruction Era at the Woodrow Wilson Family Home | 1705 Hampton Street
Performers from the South Carolina Philharmonic will join Historic Columbia to present a beautiful concert of light classics in the gardens at the Woodrow Wilson Family Home. Please plan to arrive any time after 6:00 p.m. The concert will begin at 7:00 p.m. and last an hour. Bring your own blanket or chairs, and pack a picnic if you’d like (alcohol is permitted). No food or beverage vendors will be on site. Tickets are required and space is limited. Please note that this event is for those 21 & over.
Tickets: General admission tickets are $20. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the Boyd Horticultural Center. In the event of favorable weather, tickets will be on sale at the venue.
Wavering Place Tours
Saturday, March 16 | Tour times run from 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Wavering Place | 427 Adams Hayne Road, Eastover
Join Historic Columbia for a tour of Wavering Place, affording attendees one of the only opportunities to access the site outside of private events. The grounds of Wavering Place are a remarkably intact built landscape, featuring structures that largely predate the main house and provide vital connections to understanding and interpreting the life in lower Richland County from the 1830s through the 1940s. This outdoor tour of Wavering Place will explore how the site held very different meanings to the people who lived there through the centuries, while hands-on and interactive elements provide tangible instances of the words and work of the site’s residents. Five tours are being offered: 11:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:00 p.m., and 1:30 p.m.
Tickets: Tickets are $15 for HC members and $25 for non-members. Each tour has only 20 tickets, so act fast to reserve your spot!
Free Sunday at the Mann-Simons Site
Sunday, March 17 | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Mann-Simons Site | 1403 Richland Street
On the third Sunday of the month, residents of Richland and Lexington Counties are invited to tour of one of Historic Columbia’s house museums for FREE thanks to Richland County, with support from HC Board Liaison, Councilwoman Gretchen Barron! This month features the Mann-Simons Site, which historically was a collection of commercial and domestic spaces owned and operated by the same African American family from at least 1843 until 1970. Self-guided tours are offered from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Space is limited so guests will be registered on a first come first serve basis.
Tickets: FREE for HC members and residents of Richland and Lexington counties with valid ID. All other adults are $12 and youth are $8, paid on site.
Renovation Rodeo | Millwood Ave.
Thursday, March 21 | 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. | Ticketholders will receive the property address the day prior to this event
Join Historic Columbia and Palladium to view a mid-century modern commercial property located in Melrose Heights. Attendees of this Renovation Rodeo will have the unique opportunity to tour both halves of this architect-designed building—one of which has been completely renovated, and the other which reveals a bygone era that the owners hope will inform its future use. Enjoy light hors d’oeuvres, beer, and wine as you mingle with fellow preservation enthusiasts and learn about the site’s history and renovation.
Tickets: This event is sold out.
South Carolina’s Jewish Merchants Webinar
Sunday, March 24 | 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. | Virtual Event
Discover the untold stories of Jewish merchants in South Carolina! Join Rebecca Woodruff, Historic Columbia‘s Research Coordinator, in conversation with Judge Richard Gergel and Robert Rosen, as they delve into the intriguing history of Jewish merchants from across the state. This online “Conversations” series is presented by the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina.
Tickets: Admission is free, but registration is encouraged.
Palladium Tour | Landmarks and Landscapes
Sunday, April 4 | 1:00 – 6:00 p.m. | Wales Garden
Join Historic Columbia and Palladium for this year’s self-guided, self-paced walking tour showcasing several residences in Wales Garden, a historic neighborhood known for its charm, tree-lined streets, and diverse architectural styles. After touring the homes and browsing Art in the Garden, a neighborhood stroll featuring various Columbia artists, Palladium Tour attendees will enjoy an after party with food, drinks, live music, and the southern hospitality that defines much of our community.
Tickets: Tickets are $35 for Palladium members, $40 for HC members, and $50 for non-members. Tickets include admission to the homes on the tour and the after party, including all food and beverages.
HISTORIC HOUSE TOURS:
Historic Columbia’s historic house museum tours offer a peek into the past! Tours are free for members, $12 for adults, and $8 for youth ages 6-12 (Add $3 each for Journey to Freedom combined tour.). Discounts are available to active military, seniors, AAA members, and students, and must be requested at the time of purchase. Please purchase tickets online OR at the Gift Shop at Robert Mills, located at 1616 Blanding Street. All tours begin at the Gift Shop at Robert Mills.
Robert Mills House & Gardens | 1616 Blanding Street
Wednesday – Sunday | 3:00 p.m.
The Museum of Reconstruction Era at the Woodrow Wilson Family Home | 1705 Hampton Street
Wednesday – Saturday | 10:30 a.m.
Sunday | 1:30 p.m.
Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | 1615 Blanding Street
Wednesday – Saturday | 12:00 p.m.
Sunday | 1:30 p.m.
Journey to Freedom: Mann-Simons Site and Modjeska Monteith Simkins House | 1403 Richland Street & 2025 Marion Street
Wednesday – Saturday | 1:30 p.m.
Sunday | 3:00 p.m.
PUBLIC GARDENS:
Our 14 acres of landscapes in the heart of Robert Mills Historic District feature heirloom plantings popular with gardeners over the past two centuries. Entrance to the gardens is free, so come by to take a stroll or enjoy your lunch in any of our gardens. Don’t hesitate to sprawl on the grass to get some sun and throw a frisbee—and your four-legged friends are welcome!
Seibels House & Gardens | 1601 Richland Street
Tuesday – Friday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Robert Mills House & Gardens | 1616 Blanding Street
Tuesday – Saturday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | 1615 Blanding Street
Tuesday – Saturday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sundays | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Woodrow Wilson Family Home | 1615 Blanding Street
Tuesday – Saturday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sundays | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
About Historic Columbia
In November 1961, a small group of individuals intent on saving the Ainsley Hall House from demolition officially incorporated as Historic Columbia. Over the next five decades, the organization, which was founded on the premise of preservation and education, would take on the stewardship of seven historic properties in Richland County. Today, the organization serves as a model for local preservation efforts and interpretation of local history. Visit historiccolumbia.org or find us on Facebook, Instagram, X, or YouTube for more details.
