National Register of Historic Places

Columbia City Hall

Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina
Listed
June 18, 1973
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
73001725

About this property

The Columbia City Hall, in Columbia, South Carolina, also known as Old United States Court House and Post Office, was built in 1870 at a cost of $400,000 (approximately $13,200,000 in 2025). It served as a federal courthouse from 1874 to 1936 when it was re-purposed to serve as the city hall. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It includes Renaissance architecture. It served historically as a courthouse and as a post office. The Grant Administration appropriated funds for the building and construction began in 1870. The Supervising Architect of the Treasury, Alfred B. Mullett, designed the building. Once opened, the building hosted both a United States federal court and a post office. The post office relocated in 1921. In 1935, the city government engaged in a land-swap deal with the federal government to take ownership of the building. It has used it as the city hall since.

Location

Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina
34.00897, -81.03728

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Columbia City Hall

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
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Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Building at 1722-1724 Main Street
Colonial
0 mi
US Courthouse
Industrial
0 mi
Building at 1644 Main Street
Colonial
0.1 mi
Sidney Park Colored Methodist Episcopal Church
Industrial
0.1 mi
Veterans Administration Regional Office
Industrial
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Columbia City Hall listed on the National Register?

Columbia City Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 18, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Columbia City Hall?

Columbia City Hall is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Columbia City Hall?

The period of significance for Columbia City Hall is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Columbia City Hall?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Columbia City Hall will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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