City of Columbia celebrates National Historic Preservation Month
May 1, 2026
May is National Historic Preservation Month and the City’s Preservation staff has several activities planned to commemorate the event. Since its inception by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1973, National Historic Preservation Month has been a way to promote historic places. The City’s Planning staff is promoting a number of activities and events throughout the month of May that focus on the history and architecture of Columbia.
Preservation Bike Tour: Green Book and African American History
Hop on your bike and join City preservation staff on a bike tour to explore sites related to Columbia’s rich African American history. The tour will include a look at the Green Book sites that were safe havens for traveling African Americans during the Jim Crow era. Registration and helmet required.
Proclamation & Mabel Payne Award
Tuesday, May 5, 4:00 p.m., City Hall, 1737 Main St.
Join Columbia City Council as they officially declare May as Historic Preservation Month! The proclamation will be followed by an announcement of Preservation Month activities and the presentation of this year’s Mabel Payne Award. For details, view the City Council agenda.
Researching Your House History
Thursday, May 7, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m., Richland Library Main, Local History Room
Join preservation and library staff in the Walker Local and Family History Center to discover tools and methods for researching your historic Columbia home. This session will feature a deep dive into using Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps to understand how individual buildings, and the city at large, have changed over the decades. For more information, check out Richland Library’s website.
Food is not permitted in the Local History Room
Masonry Repointing Workshop
Wednesday, May 20, 5:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Historic Melrose
Do you own a brick building that needs a little TLC? Come learn the basics of masonry repointing and repair with an expert mason. The event is free thanks to the Coalition of Columbia’s Historic Districts but registration is required. Tools will be provided on site.
More information about planning for historic preservation in the City of Columbia can be found at https://planninganddevelopment.columbiasc.gov/historic-preservation/.
Visit www.columbiacompass.org/celebratemay for more information on all of these great events, as well as additional events still being planned for May!
