COLUMBIA, S.C., Thursday, May 24, 2018 – Summer is officially upon us, and Historic Columbia has a full line up of exciting programs in June for guests of all ages. Programs range from walking tours of Heathwood and Waverly neighborhoods, to a Storytime in the Gardens, to a special Happy Hour Yoga in the Gardens, to the return of Historic Columbia’s popular Summer Camp. The full June calendar of events is highlighted below.
CALENDAR OF PROGRAMS & EVENTS:
Saturday, June 2 | 2 – 3 p.m. | Tour begins at Heathwood Park
Join Historic Columbia for a Saturday Stroll, presented by Seed Architecture, through the Heathwood neighborhood at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 2. This historic neighborhood derives its name from Moses Chappell Heath, who established this community east of the city in the early 20th century. Today, Heathwood is a name associated with land developed by both Heath, beginning in 1914, and his son-in-law Burwell Deas Manning, Sr., starting about 1940. Successive generations of original families remain in this tight-knit community of architecturally distinct residences with mature landscapes. The tour is 60-minutes in length and walk-ins are welcome. Second Sunday and Saturday Strolls are free for Historic Columbia members and $8/adult and $5/youth for non-members. Space is limited. Visit HistoricColumbia.org, call (803) 252-1770 x 23 or email reservations@historiccolumbia.org to purchase tickets.
Thursday, June 7 | 10 – 11 a.m. | Hampton-Preston Gardens
Join Historic Columbia and Richland County Public Library for a special outdoor Storytime in the Gardens at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 7. Enjoy stories and songs in the gazebo at the Hampton-Preston Mansion’s Henry Michael Powell Memorial Children’s Garden. In addition, participate in historic games in gardens. This free event will take place in the Hampton-Preston Mansion Gardens, located at 1615 Blanding Street and is open to children of all ages.
Second Sunday Stroll | Waverly
Sunday, June 10 | 2 – 3 p.m. | Tour begins at First Calvary Baptist Church
Join Historic Columbia for their Second Sunday Stroll, presented by Seed Architecture, through the Waverly neighborhood at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 10. Established shortly after the Civil War on plantation land once owned by Robert Latta, Waverly is recognized as one of Columbia’s first documented suburbs. By the late 1800s, the neighborhood was home to both black and white working- and middle-class residents. Growth, stimulated by railroad and streetcar lines, led to the district’s incorporation into the city limits by 1913. As the South became increasingly segregated during the Jim Crow era, Waverly evolved into a self-contained, self-sustaining black community featuring many middle- and upper-class African American residents, among whom were leaders within spiritual, business, academic and professional circles. The tour is 60-minutes in length and walk-ins are welcome. Second Sunday and Saturday Strolls are free for Historic Columbia members and $8/adult and $5/youth for non-members. Space is limited. To purchase tickets, visit HistoricColumbia.org, email reservations@historiccolumbia.org or call 803-252-1770 x 23.
Mann-Simons Site Volunteer Training
Monday, June 11 | 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. | 1403 Richland Street
Historic Columbia invites the public to help share the history of the Mann-Simons family and become a volunteer tour guide. This training session will consist of a sample tour of the site, an overview of the family, history of the site, broad topics related to the site, including slavery, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement and Urban Renewal, and a day in the life of a volunteer, which will cover logistics of giving tours and other opportunities at the site. Volunteer training is free. Coffee and light refreshments will be provided at the training. For more information contact Betsy Kleinfelder at 803-252-1770 x 24 or bkleinfelder@historiccolumbia.org.
Moonlight Cemetery & Secrets from the Grave Tours
Thursday, June 14 | 7:30, 8, and 8:30 p.m. | Elmwood Cemetery
Grab your flashlight and tour one of Columbia’s oldest cemeteries and discover centuries of stories etched in stone on the markers and headstones found within Elmwood Cemetery’s acres of carefully planned grounds. The perfect after-work activity, Historic Columbia’s Cemetery Tours are an event the whole family can enjoy. Choose from two tour options: “Secrets from the Grave Tours” and “Moonlight Cemetery Tours.” Tickets are $8/adult and $4/youth for members and $12/adult and $6/youth for non-members. To purchase tickets, visit HistoricColumbia.org, email reservations@historiccolumbia.org or call (803) 252-1770 x 23.
- Secrets from the Grave Tours, 7:30 p.m. –Study the symbols found on many of the markers and headstones in the historic Elmwood Cemetery.
- Moonlight Cemetery Tours, 8 & 8:30 p.m. – Tour Elmwood Cemetery and discuss the lives, burials, cemetery plots and tombstones of families and prominent citizens from Columbia's 19th and 20th centuries.
Historic Happy Hour | Yoga in the Gardens
Friday, June 22 | 5:30 – 7 p.m. | Robert Mills House & Gardens
Wind down after a long week and find your inner Zen at Yoga in the Gardens, Historic Columbia’s latest event in its Historic Happy Hour series. Good Company Yoga will lead an outdoor yoga class in the serene landscapes of the Robert Mills House & Gardens. Stay hydrated with cold beer (during your practice, if you'd like!) and enjoy some light refreshments when you're done. The fresh air and easy pace of this event is the perfect break in today’s fast-paced world! This event will take place from 5:30 - 7 p.m. on Friday, June 22 at the Robert Mills House & Gardens, located at 1616 Blanding Street. Tickets are $15 for members and $20 for non-members. Drinks and snacks included in ticket price. Please bring your yoga mat and water. Participants must be 21 or older. To learn more or purchase, visit HistoricColumbia.org, call 803-252-1770 x 23 or email reservations@historiccolumbia.org.
June 25 – 29 & July 9 – 13 | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Robert Mills Carriage House
Travel back 50 years in time and explore life during the summer of 1968 at Historic Columbia’s Summer Camp ’68, which kicks off the week of June 25-29. Campers ages 8 to 12 are invited to take an adventure in time and see history come to life through interactive activities and exploration of the gardens, grounds and houses of Historic Columbia. Campers will lead a movement, embrace the flower power by tie-dying shirts, take part in a Summer Olympics relay, and much more. Discover the entertainment, music, sports, and discoveries of this dynamic and exciting year! Summer Camp is $160 for Historic Columbia members and $200 for non-members. Historic Columbia’s Summer Camp will be offered June 25 – 29 and July 19-13. Participants must complete both the registration form and waiver before they can register. For more information, visit HistoricColumbia.org, call 803-252-1770 x 26 or email education@historiccolumbia.org.
Thursday, June 28 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Shandon
Historic Columbia's The Palladium Society invites guests to explore the renovations of recently renovated Shandon cottage at their quarterly Renovation Rodeo tour on Thursday, June 28 from 6-7:30 p.m. Presented by Modern Exterminating, the Renovation Rodeo series takes guests on tours of old homes and buildings in the Columbia area that have been refurbished and renovated while staying true to the roots and history of the house. Enjoy light hors d'oeuvres as well as beer and wine during the event. Space is limited and reservations are required. The event is free for Palladium Society members and $15 for non-Palladium Society members. To purchase tickets, visit historiccolumbia.org, email lmojkowski@historiccolumbia.org or call (803) 252-7742 x 15.
HOUSE TOURS:
Historic House Museum Tours
Tuesday - Saturday: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and Sunday: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Historic Columbia’s historic house museum tours offer a peek into the past! Tour the Hampton-Preston Mansion, Robert Mills House & Gardens, Mann-Simons Site or the Woodrow Wilson Family Home to learn more about Columbia's history. Tours are free for members, $8 for adults, $5 youth (ages 6-17) and free for children under 5. For a more detailed tour schedule, visit historiccolumbia.org.
Historic Columbia is happy to arrange a private guided tour groups of 10 or more with advance registration. Bus tours are available. To schedule a group tour, call 803.252.1770 x 23 or email reservations@historiccolumbia.org.
About Historic Columbia:
In November 1961, a small group of individuals intent on saving the Ainsley Hall House from demolition officially incorporated as the Historic Columbia Foundation. Over the next five decades the organization, which was founded on the premise of preservation and education, would take on the stewardship of seven historic properties in Richland County. Today, the organization serves as a model for local preservation efforts and interpretation of local history. Visit historiccolumbia.org or find us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube for more details.
