Columbia is in the geographic center of the state, and it was selected
as the capital city primarily because it was the junction point of two
major rivers, the Broad and Saluda, which made it accessible to a large
number of South Carolinians. The Columbia study site is unique, as
it is geographically situated on three different geological regions, the
Piedmont, the Sandhills, and the Coastal Plain. The Piedmont band
of rolling topography runs in the northeast-
southwest direction and is bounded by the Sandhills Region. Today,
Columbia, like other urban and suburban metropolitan cities in South Carolina,
needs services and resources to support its large population and busy economy.
Water, electricity and natural gas are needed for both industrial and residential
use. Transportation facilities such as airports, highways, and railroads
are needed to link the people and resources. Space and land are needed
for housing, businesses, factories, shopping centers, and utility corridors
in urban areas. Specifically, Columbia is fully supported by the
surrounding landscape, including forest land for timber, agricultural land
for row crops and dairy products, and mining sites for building materials.
Careful attention must be paid to the possibility of over-stressing the
available resources of these areas.
Background Information Description of Landforms Characteristic Landforms
of the Sandhills / Midlands
Geographic Features of Special
Interest
Fall Line Zone
Sandhills Soils
Influence of Topography
on Historical Events and Cultural Trends Landforms Influenced the
Development of Cities
Choosing a New Site for
the Capital
Laying Out the City of Columbia
The Columbia Canal and Water
Transportation
The Secession Convention
and the Onset of the Civil War
Sherman's March Through
South Carolina
The Fall of Columbia
Preservation of Historic
Homes
Natural Resources, Land
Use, and Environmental Concerns Climate and Water Resources
Agriculture and Forestry
Carolina Sandhills National
Wildlife Refuge
Unique Natural Habitats
in the Sandhills
Clay Deposits
The Pottery Industry
Study Site 3A--Columbia (Metropolitan Area) Brief Site Description Introduction
Naming Columbia Streets
Elmwood Cemetery once thought
to be haunted
Street Railroad changes
Columbia
The Mall Culture
Activity 4A-1: Landforms
of Metropolitan Columbia Activity 4A-2: Urbanization
of the City of Columbia
