Seaboard Air-Line Railway Station #1
The State May 10, 1900.
The Blue Marlin occupies the former Seaboard Air Line Railway Station, which served passengers in Columbia. The Seaboard Air Line Railway was created in the 1880s by the consolidation of the Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad, and a number of other lines in the Carolinas. Eventually, more that 100 lines would be incorporated into the S.A.L. By May of 1899, 65 passenger trains came through Columbia, daily, including the Seaboard Air Line Railway, the Southern Railway and the Atlantic Coast Line.
In June of 1899, to insure that a new planned rail line would come through their community from Cheraw, Columbia's city council agreed to lease Sidney Park (now Finlay Park) to Seaboard for $30,000. It turned the park into a rail head (yard) in a matter of a few months, and returned the property to the city in the 1960s.
One of the most remembered of Seaboard's trains that stopped at this former station was the Silver Meteor. Begun in 1939, it ran from New York City to Miami, Florida, covering 1,389 miles in 25 hours. The Silver Meteor was diesel powered, had all-reclining seat coaches, a diner, a tavern-coach and an observation car. The streamliner proved so popular that Seaboard
this page online
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad in 1967, and this railway station eventually closed in 1991, after serving Columbia for 87 years.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical date for this entry is May 10, 1900.
Location. 34° 0.002′ N, 81° 2.316′ W. Marker is in Columbia, South Carolina, in Richland County. It is in Midtown - Downtown. Marker is on Lincoln Street just north of Gervais Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Columbia SC 29201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Seaboard Air-Line Railway Station #2 (within shouting distance of this marker); Lincoln Street (within shouting distance of this marker); 1001 Gervais Street (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); 9 -11 / First Responders (about 500 feet away); Generations (about 500 feet away); Gadsden Street (about 600 feet away); R.L. Bryan Co. Warehouse (about 600 feet away); Congaree Vista (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbia.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 8, 2015, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 418 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 8, 2015, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland.
