Timeline of Columbia, South Carolina

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Columbia, South Carolina, USA.

18th-19th centuries

 * 1786 - Columbia established as state capital (previously located in Charleston).
 * 1788 - Columbia becomes part of the new US state of South Carolina.
 * 1795 - First Presbyterian Church congregation founded.
 * 1797 - Commission of Streets and Markets established.
 * 1801 - University of South Carolina was founded
 * 1803 - Washington Street Methodist builds the first church building in Columbia
 * 1804 - Columbia Library Society founded.
 * 1805
 * Town chartered.
 * John Taylor elected intendant (town leader).
 * South Carolina College opens.
 * 1809 - First Baptist Church founded.
 * 1813 - Trinity Episcopal Church founded.
 * 1814 - State Legislative Library established.
 * 1824 - St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church built.
 * 1825 - March: Lafayette visits town.
 * 1830
 * Columbia Theological Seminary active.
 * Population: 3,310.
 * 1838 - Southern Chronicle newspaper begins publication.
 * 1840 - Population: 4,340.
 * 1842
 * Railroad (Branchville-Columbia) begins operating.
 * Arsenal Military Academy (the Citadel) established.
 * 1846 - J.T. Zealy daguerreotypist in business.
 * 1847 - Southern Presbyterian Review begins publication.
 * 1850
 * Carolina Times newspaper begins publication.
 * Population: 6,060.
 * 1852 - Charlotte-Columbia railway begins operating.
 * 1853
 * Greenville-Columbia railway begins operating.
 * First Presbyterian Church building constructed.
 * 1854 - Office of mayor established.
 * 1856
 * Town police force and Athenaeum established.
 * South Carolina State Fair begins.
 * 1857
 * Trinity Episcopal Cathedral building consecrated.
 * Southern Guardian newspaper begins publication.
 * 1865
 * February 17–18: Union forces in power; city burned.
 * The Phoenix newspaper begins publication.
 * 1869 - South Carolina State House built.
 * 1870
 * Benedict College founded.
 * Area of city expands.
 * 1871 - October: "Southern States Convention of Colored Men" held in Columbia.
 * 1874 - State normal school opens.
 * 1875 - US Court House built.
 * 1880 - Population: 10,036.
 * 1891 - The State newspaper begins publication.
 * 1892 - Columbia Hospital established.
 * 1893 - Sidney Park Colored Methodist Episcopal Church built.
 * 1895 - Columbia Duck Mill begins operating.
 * 1896 - South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Museum established.
 * 1897 - Columbia Record newspaper begins publication.
 * 1899 - Olympia Mill built.

20th century

 * 1908 - Main Street paved.
 * 1913
 * National Corn Show held in city.
 * Palmetto Building constructed.
 * 1917 - Military Camp Jackson established.
 * 1920 - Population: 37,524.
 * 1921 - Bethel A.M.E. Church built.
 * 1922 - February: Trolley strike.
 * 1924 - Town Theatre built.
 * 1925 - Part of North Columbia annexed to city.
 * 1926-7 - Capital Heights, Hollywood, Kilbourne Park, Rose Hill, and Rosewood annexed to city.
 * 1930
 * Dreher Shoals Dam begins operating.
 * WIS radio begins broadcasting.
 * Belk's department store in business.
 * 1931 - Carolina Theatre opens.
 * 1932 - Thomas Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home (museum) opens.
 * 1934 - Richland County Public Library established.
 * 1937
 * US Courthouse becomes Columbia City Hall.
 * Palmetto Theater opens.
 * University South Caroliniana Society founded.
 * 1939
 * WCOS radio begins broadcasting.
 * Municipal Association of South Carolina headquartered in Columbia.
 * 1940
 * Lexington County Airport built.
 * US military Fort Jackson active.
 * Population: 62,396.
 * 1941 - Carver Theatre built.
 * 1950
 * Columbia Museum of Art and Twilite Drive-In cinema open.
 * Population: 86,914.
 * 1953 - WIS-TV and WNOK-TV (television) begin broadcasting.
 * 1958 - Lester Bates becomes mayor.
 * 1960 - South Carolina Department of Corrections headquartered in city.
 * 1961
 * Richland Mall in business.
 * Historic Columbia Foundation established.
 * 1963 - Columbia Festival Orchestra founded.
 * 1966 - Hammond School founded.
 * 1968 - University of South Carolina's Carolina Coliseum opens.
 * 1970
 * Dutch Square shopping mall in business.
 * John Tucker Campbell becomes mayor.
 * Population: 112,542.
 * 1974
 * Riverbanks Zoo opens.
 * Shambhala Center founded.
 * 1976 - WLTR radio begins broadcasting.
 * 1977 - Palmetto Alliance (antinuclear group) founded.
 * 1978 - Kirkman Finlay becomes mayor.
 * 1979
 * Masjid as-Salaam (Muslim center) built.
 * Nickelodeon Theater opens.
 * Columbia becomes part of Tree City USA.
 * 1980 - South Carolina Military Museum established.
 * 1981 - Harvest Hope Food Bank established.
 * 1983 - Chicora Foundation (historic preservation group) established.
 * 1984 - Hindu Temple built.
 * 1986 - T. Patton Adams becomes mayor.
 * 1987 - AT&T Building constructed.
 * 1988
 * South Carolina State Museum opens in the former location of the vacant Columbia Mills Building.
 * University of South Carolina's Koger Center for the Arts built.
 * 1990
 * Bob Coble becomes mayor.
 * Population: 98,052.
 * 1991 - Sidney Park opens.
 * 1992 - Masjid Al-Muslimiin (mosque) built.
 * 1993
 * Richland County Public Library new main branch building opens.
 * Jim Clyburn becomes U.S. representative for South Carolina's 6th congressional district.
 * 1994 - Sikh Religious Society founded.
 * 1996 - City website online.
 * 2000 - January 17: Confederate flag protest.

21st century

 * 2001 - Columbia Zen Buddhist Priory founded.
 * 2002
 * Colonial Center (arena) opens.
 * Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority and Ganden Mahayana Buddhist established.
 * 2005 - Columbia City Paper begins publication.
 * 2007 - Columbia Quadsquad (rollerderby league) formed.
 * 2009 - Fort Jackson National Cemetery established.
 * 2010
 * Stephen K. Benjamin becomes first African-American in city elected mayor.
 * Population: 129,272 city; 767,598 metro.