Historic Columbia announces December 2024 Events
December 2, 2024
Historic Columbia announced programming and events for December 2024, including our popular Candlelight Tours. See the full list of December events below and be sure to leave room in your calendar to experience all Historic Columbia has to offer.
CALENDAR OF PROGRAMS & EVENTS:
Through Sunday, January 5 | Times vary | Robert Mills House & Hampton-Preston Mansion | 1600 block of Blanding Street
Join Historic Columbia to see a variety of holiday decorations in both the Hampton-Preston Mansion and Robert Mills House, where tour guides will provide stories of holidays past in Columbia and discuss how families decorated and entertained during the 19th century. Don’t miss your opportunity to view artifacts and learn about holiday traditions involving Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year celebrations.
*Please check our website for holiday closures.
Admission: FREE for HC members, $18 for non-member adults, $15 for non-member youth.
Knowledge at Noon: Meet Executive Director Suzanne Brooks
Wednesday, December 3 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. | Virtual
Join Historic Columbia’s Executive Director Suzanne Brooks as she walks through the professional milestones that led her “back” to HC. Suzanne will share insight into her goals and priorities as Historic Columbia enters a new strategic plan while building upon our strong foundation of community engagement and support. This is a free, virtual Zoom lecture, followed by a Q and A.
Admission: FREE; register to receive meeting link.
Friday, December 6 | 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. | Robert Mills House & Hampton-Preston Mansion | 1600 block of Blanding Street
Join Historic Columbia for a special holiday evening touring the Hampton-Preston Mansion and Robert Mills House by candlelight. Learn about traditions of the past as musicians play selections from the 19th century. Tickets include entry to both house museums as well as free, takeaway crafts for both adults and children. Attendees will have exclusive access to Historic Columbia’s pop-up Holiday Shop featuring plants and small gifts that are perfect for friends and family.
Admission: Advance purchase pricing: FREE for HC youth members, $10 HC member adults, $20 non-member adults, $8 non-member youth. Walk up tickets are $20.
Thursday, December 12 | 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. | Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | 1615 Blanding Street
Join Historic Columbia and local birder John Tjaarda every second Thursday of the month for a free, guided bird walk around the gardens at the Hampton-Preston Mansion 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.
Admission: FREE; space is limited and registration is required.
Free Sunday at the Modjeska Monteith Simkins House
Sunday, December 15 | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Modjeska Monteith Simkins House | 2025 Marion 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, self-guided tours of the Modjeska Monteith Simkins House are offered from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Additionally, Dr. Alexandria Russell will be onsite to share her new book, Black Women Legacies: Public History Sites Seen & Unseen, which features Historic Columbia’s work in preserving the Modjeska Monteith Simkins House and Mann-Simons Site.
Admission: FREE for HC members and residents of Richland and Lexington counties with valid ID. All other adults are $12 and youth are $8.
BullStreet District Walking Tour
Sunday, December 15 | 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. | Begins and ends at the Mills Building| 2100 Bull Street
Join Historic Columbia on this tour of the former main campus of the South Carolina State Hospital, highlighting the experiences of men, women, and children affected by mental illness—whether as patients, caregivers, or family members—from the early 19th century to the late 20th century. Their stories and the retention of historically significant buildings have driven Historic Columbia’s preservation advocacy efforts throughout the site’s redevelopment as The BullStreet District, which began in 2015.
Admission: This event is sold out.
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.
*Please check our website for holiday closures.
Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | 1615 Blanding Street
Regular tours of the Hampton-Preston Mansion are suspended due to Holiday House Tours. Holiday House Tours are offered:
Wednesday – Saturday | 12:00 & 3:00 p.m.
Sunday | 1:30 & 3:00 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.
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.
Robert Mills House & Gardens | 1616 Blanding Street
Regular tours of the Robert Mills House are suspended due to Holiday House Tours. Holiday House Tours are offered:
Wednesday – Saturday | 12:00 & 3:00 p.m.
Sunday | 1:30 & 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. Entry 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!
*Please check our website for holiday closures.
Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | 1615 Blanding Street
Tuesday – Saturday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sundays | 1:00 – 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.
Seibels House & Gardens | 1601 Richland Street
Tuesday – Friday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Woodrow Wilson Family Home | 1405 Hampton 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.
