South Carolina State House Complex - Columbia, SC

Thursday Aug 31:

One of the most visited tourist attractions in the state is the South Carolina Statehouse (Greek Revival architecture that was in style during the post-Civil War reconstruction-era in the South). The capital towers 180 feet high with a patinated copper dome.

The State House houses the government of the state of South Carolina including the South Carolina General Assembly and the offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina. Until 1971, it also housed the Supreme Court, which is now located across the street.

The General Assembly adopted the current version of South Carolina’s flag on Jan. 28, 1861. This version added the Palmetto tree to the original design by Colonel William Moultrie in 1775 for use by South Carolina troops during the Revolutionary War. Colonel Moultrie chose a blue color which matched the color of their uniforms and a crescent which reproduced the silver emblem worn on the front of their caps. (patterned after the breastplate from a Revolutionary War uniform)

We planned to tour the grounds first before it started to rain and then do the inside tour last. It was a cloudy and dreary start to our day. Photos of the beautiful building don’t do it justice, especially in the poor lighting. Ironically, after we toured the grounds and it was time to go inside, the sun came out and the day turned out beautiful.

We went in search of a parking garage and eventually found one. 

 gentleman asleep on a park bench

 the short walk to the State House - mural on building

There are several paths around the grounds that are beautifully landscaped and dotted with various monuments.

 Confederate monument in front of State House

 George Washington monument 

 Robert E Lee memorial Highway

 Benjamin Ryan Tillman

 memorial to confederate Army's dead

Spanish American Veteran's Memorial

 the grounds on the grounds of the complex

 James F Byrnes

 South Carolina Supreme Court

 gun from Battleship Maine

gardeners taking a  break

 memorial to South Carolina's Generals

 Trinity Episcopal Cathedral - across the street from the complex

Narciso Gonzales (newspaper owner)

 time capsule - will be opened in 2036

 Eastern Towhee

 tree is a living memorial to General Robert E Lee

 Brown Thrasher

 State office building

 Wade Hampton

 Red Tail Hawk - Juvenile

 African-American History Monument

 Robert McNair - Governor 1965 - 1971

 Strom Thurmond

 monument to SC women of the confederacy

 Strom Thurmond

 South Carolinian law enforcement memorial - officers killed while on duty

we found this guy again - the guard on the grounds told him he is always welcome

 James Marion Sims was an American physician and a pioneer in the field of surgery, known as the "father of modern gynecology"

 Palmetto Tree (state tree)

where the original State House was before it burned down

 the bronze stars mark hits from Sherman's cannons

We went inside for the free tour they offer all throughout the day. It really is a beautiful building inside and out. We were shown a short film about the State House and then a guide took us around. The House of Representatives was being remodeled so we couldn't visit that.

 the lower floor

 up on the main floor (second) the Senate

 the wallpaper

ceiling in the hall

 the Meeting Room/Library

 decorative dome (not the one you see outside)

 John C Calhoun

 original chandelier (upgraded to use lightbulbs)

 3rd floor

 beautiful mosaic stained glass window

door to the House of Representatives (that was closed for renovations)

Well, it turned out to be a beautiful sunny day. After our tour it was time for lunch and we headed for Mr Friendly’s New Southern Café .

 Buttermilk Fried Chicken with  tasso ham gravy, buttermilk mashed potatoes & creole slaw

 Oyster Po’Boy & Tater Tots

Since the weather was holding out we headed for The World's Largest Fire Hydrant.  It's a sculpture almost 40 feet tall  and weighs 675,000 pounds. The hydrant is designed to look tilted and broken, as if it had been knocked cockeyed by a giant truck. Water initially sprayed up at random angles from its base (It was meant to be a fountain), but the pumps gradually failed, the water was reduced to a trickle, and it was finally shut off in 2012.

We also stopped to scope out the Columbia Canal & Riverfront Park. Very nice area with a about 2.5 miles of trails which we will go back and do another day. Tomorrow, is supposed to be the worst rainy day, but they really blew today's forecast so who knows? We'll wait to decide tomorrow what we'll do if the weather is good.