Historic Columbia Businesses

Columbia's Skyline at night during the Christmas season. Photo by Jay Browne.

Unlike most major cities in America, Columbia did not naturally evolve from a small, spontaneous settlement. Rather, it was conceived late in the 18th century as the new seat of state government and located close to the exact geographic center of South Carolina, where no prior town had existed. The plan for establishing Columbia was ratified by the General Assembly in February, 1786.

Copy of the original plan of the City of Columbia from the survey ordered in 1786 and reproduced by the Tomlinson Engineering Company in 1931. Courtesy of the South Caroliniana Library.

The Capital was originally conceived as a two-mile square tract on the east banks of the Congaree River near Granby (now Cayce). The street plan was laid out in a grid, the north-south axis oriented slightly east of north. Land was set aside for future construction of government buildings, the remaining land being divided into half-acre plots which went on sale to the general public in Charleston in September, 1786. Although this was over 200 years ago, strict provisions were established for buildings to be erected on these lots within a three-year period after purchase. If no construction was begun within this time, title to the land reverted to the city. Revenues generated by these land sales were earmarked for construction of the new State House.

Sketch from Harper's Weekly of South Carolina's second State House, a wooden structure designed by James Hoban, built in Columbia in 1787. Destroyed by Sherman's troops, February, 1865. Courtesy of South Caroliniana Library.

By 1790, the State House building was completed and the state government formally moved to Columbia. In 1792, the population totaled 2,479 whites and 1,451 blacks. As a governmental center, the city was growing. Concurrently, Columbia began mushrooming as a trade center, for here was the logical point to exchange furs and agricultural produce from the Up-Country for salt, manufactured goods and imported products from Charleston and the Low-Country ports. Tobacco was the first major commodity, a tobacco inspection station and warehouse being established in 1797. There was also a brisk trade in lumber, grainmeal, rope and cotton.

Interior of Tobacco grading room. Courtesy of South Caroliniana Library

Soon the old century became a new one; South Carolinians acquired the right to manufacture cotton gins based on Eli Whitney's design, whereupon cotton became king of Columbia's - and South Carolina's - economy, ruling well into the 20th century. But brick-making, cooperage, carriages and fertilizers were also prominent manufacturing activities during the late 1800s. During the current century, changing needs and technologies have led to the healthy diversity of industry Columbia's economy enjoys today.

Many of the following businesses began in the 19th century, others came later but have become part of the continuing growth of Columbia and South Carolina:

Adluh Flour

Bruns Monumental Company

R. L. Bryan Company

Cromer's P-Nuts Inc.

Dunbar Funeral Home

Gibbes

Jaco's

Olympia Mill

Seibels Bruce Group Inc.

The State Newspaper

Sylvan Brothers