Historic Columbia announces February 2025 events
February 3, 2025Historic Columbia announced programming and events for February 2025. See the full list of February events below and be sure to leave room in your calendar to experience all Historic Columbia has to offer.
PROGRAMS & EVENTS:
Knowledge at Noon: The Warming Kitchen Unlocked
Wednesday, February 5 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. | Virtual
Join Historic Columbia’s Curator of History Becca Woodruff and USC Distinguished Professor of History Mark Smith for a free webinar discussion of the new exhibit “Heat and Hardship: The Hidden Labor of Enslaved Cooks.” Explore the exhibit’s themes, research, and how interactive elements give visitors a true sensory experience. This is a free, virtual Zoom lecture, followed by a Q and A.
Admission: FREE; register to receive meeting link.
Behind-the-Scenes Tour: Olympia Armory
Thursday, February 11 | 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. | Olympia Armory | 551 Granby Lane
Don’t miss this exclusive chance to learn from project team members about the history of the circa-1937 Olympia Armory and the inspiration for its ongoing rehabilitation, a project undertaken by the local team of Garvin Design Group and Solid Structures. Admission includes complimentary food and beverages.
Admission: $25 for HC Members; $35 for Non-Members
Thursday, February 13 | 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. | Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | 1615 Blanding Street
Local birder John Tjaarda will guide you around the Hampton-Preston Gardens to learn how to identify birds by sight, sound, and behavior. Bring your binoculars!
Admission: FREE; registration is required.
Columbia Conversations: The Cost of the Vote
Thursday, February 13 | 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. | Boyd Foundation Horticultural Center | 1615 Blanding Street
Join Carolyn Click for a talk and signing of her new book, The Cost of the Vote: George Elmore and the Battle for the Ballot. Learn about the steep personal price paid by George Elmore and Black leaders in 1940s Columbia who successfully challenged the all-white primary in SC. This is a free event with books available for purchase. HC members save 30% on the book, thanks to our partnership with USC Press!
Admission: This free event is at capacity; visit the event page to join the waitlist.
Free Sunday at the Mann-Simons Site
Sunday, February 16 | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Mann-Simons Site | 1403 Richland Street
Residents are invited to tour one of Historic Columbia’s museums for FREE thanks to Richland County, with support from HC Board Liaison, Councilwoman Gretchen Barron! This month, explore local Black history at the Mann-Simons Site.
Admission: FREE self-guided tours for HC members and residents of Richland and Lexington counties with valid ID. All other adults are $12 and youth are $8.
Sunday, February 23 | 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. | Begins and ends at Arsenal Hill Community Center | 1800 Lincoln Street
Learn how this antebellum-era neighborhood, combined with spiritual, educational, and governmental institutions, resulted in an eclectic mix of architecture filled with dynamic community histories.
Admission: This event is sold out.
VISIT US:
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.
- Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | 1615 Blanding Street
- Wednesday – Saturday | 10:30 a.m.
- Sunday | 3:00 p.m.
- Journey to Freedom: Mann-Simons Site and Modjeska Monteith Simkins House | 1403 Richland Street & 2025 Marion Street
- Wednesday – Sunday | 3:00 p.m.
- The Museum of Reconstruction Era at the Woodrow Wilson Family Home | 1705 Hampton Street
- Wednesday – Saturday | 1:30 p.m.
- Robert Mills House & Gardens | 1616 Blanding Street
- Wednesday – Saturday | 12:00
- Sunday | 1:30
Historic Columbia’s 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!
- Hampton-Preston Mansion & Gardens | 1615 Blanding Street
- Monday – Saturday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
- Robert Mills House & Gardens | 1616 Blanding Street
- Monday – Saturday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday | 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
- Seibels House & Gardens | 1601 Richland Street
- Monday – Friday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Woodrow Wilson Family Home | 1405 Hampton Street
- Monday – Saturday | 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Sunday | 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, or YouTube for more details.