Arsenal Hill in Columbia in Richland County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Harriett Cornwell Tourist Home
1. Harriett Cornwell Tourist Home Marker
This homes first owner was John R. Cornwell, an African American business man and civic leader who owned a successful barber shop on Main St. After his death, Cornwells wife Hattie and daughters Geneva Scott and Harriett Cornwell lived here. From the 1940s until after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 they ran the house as a tourist home for black travelers. Harriett also taught at Waverly Elementary School.
During the Jim Crow era, segregation gave African American travelers very few choices for restaurants or lodging. Many chose to stay in a network of private houses located across the South and nation. These tourist homes often relied on word-of-mouth, but many were also listed in guides such as The Negro Travelers Green Book. This house was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
Erected 2014 by Richland County Conservation Commission. (Marker Number 40-184.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the South Carolina Historical Markers series list.
Location. 34° 0.355′ N, 81° 2.702′ W. Marker is in Columbia, South Carolina, in Richland
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in the Midlands. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Richard Samuel Roberts House (within shouting distance of this marker); Arsenal Hill (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Hettie Anderson Homesite (about 600 feet away); Fleishman Family Chapel (about 600 feet away); Entrance to Cemetery of the Columbia Hebrew Benevolent Society (about 800 feet away); Cemetery of the Columbia Hebrew Benevolent Society (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Figure Eight in South Carolina (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Finlay Park Fountain (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbia.
September 4, 2014
2. Dr. Reggie Scott
Dr. Reggie Scott, the nephew of Harriet Cornwell, grew up in the house and calls it home now.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 24, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 19, 2018. This page has been viewed 1,115 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 5, 2018. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Photo of reverse side of marker. • Can you help?
