Grand Central Hotel, Columbia, S.C.

Thanksgiving Ball Invitation dated Nov. 13, 1834.  "The company of Mr. Jared ? Wilbur and Lady is respectfully solicited at Mr. S. T. Hosmer's Hall, Friday Evening, November 28th, 1834, at 4 o'clock P.M. W. H. Rosmmer, L. D. Abbott, C. K. Hills, G. Y. Robertson, H. J. Robertson, A. W. Franklin - Managers"

Hotel Jefferson, Columbia, SC 1930

Main Street, Columbia, SC 1930's

State Captial, Columbia, SC

Federal Bank, Columbia, SC abt. 1930

photo courtesy of John Howell President William H. Taft, Columbia, 1909

Spanish American veterans in parade in Columbia looking north on Main St. Photo courtesy of John Howell

Photo courtesy of John Howell South Carolina Governor Richard I. Manning. The stars on the flag represents his five sons who served in WWI.

Photo courtesy of John Howell Furnished home in Columbia in the late 1800s.

Photo courtesy of John Howell Gervais St. Bridge over the Congaree River in flood stage ion 1908.

Photo courtesy of John Howell Landmark store in business today (2009) in Columbia. (Department Store)

Photo courtesy of John Howell Columbia College in Columbia

S. S. Columbia photo's courtesy of John Howell The outline of this boat can be seen today (2009) when the river level is low. Paddle wheel (sternwheeler) steamer, Length 135 feet; Width 25 feet; Draft 3 feet Built in 1905 at a boatyard near the Senate Street side of the Congaree River, the S. S. Columbia (also known as the City of Columbia) plied the waters between the Midlands and Georgetown . Carrying cotton and lumber primarily, the paddle wheel steamer reached Georgetown via the Congaree and the Santee rivers in about 22 hours. Although riverboats had been used extensively before 1845, the river became too congested with floating logs and overhanging trees to be effective after that date. Near the end of the century the Army Corps of Engineers cleaned it out, opening it up again for navigation in 1903. Since railway rates were more expensive, the renewal of river traffic gave Upcountry and Midlands' businesses a cheaper way to ship products to the coast. By 1916 floods played a key role in ending regular river traffic again, and the S. S. Columbia stopped operations. The vessel was left at its moorings, just below this location, until it collapsed from neglect near the West Columbia riverbank. Remnants of its hull can be seen when the river is low.

Many of the above (black & white) photos were put together by Security Federal Savings and Loan for their customers. Some of the photos are identified as Blanchard photos,who was a well known photographer of the area.