Midtown - Downtown in Columbia in Richland County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Prosperity and Property Ownership
Photographed by Dave W, May 13, 2023
1. Prosperity and Property Ownership Marker
Historically, owning a home provided a measure of freedom and security while giving the owner a sense of pride and respect. This was particularly true for Columbia's free black population, many of whom once had been legally enslaved. The property Celia Mann [b. 1799 - d. 1867] owned before the Civil War benefited later generations of her family decades after her death.
John Lucius Simons [b. 1859 - d. 1925 (?)] and his family lived in the small, wood frame residence the family built here in the late 1870s or early 1880s. By the 1910s, the house was enlarged from two to five rooms, to include a kitchen and bathroom.
Erected by Historic Columbia Foundation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Architecture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1859.
Location. 34° 0.718′ N, 81° 2.07′ W. Marker is in Columbia, South Carolina, in Richland County. It is in Midtown - Downtown. It is at the intersection of Richland Street and Marion Street, on the left when traveling east on Richland Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1403 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 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: Food for Thought (a few steps from this marker); The Family's First Home (a few steps from this marker); Making History One Generation at a Time (a few steps from this marker); From Historic House to Modern Museum (a few steps from this marker); Uncovering Traces of the Past (a few steps from this marker); Time to Collect the Rent (a few steps from this marker); Out With the Old and In With the New (within shouting distance of this marker); The Mann-Simons Site (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbia.
Also see . . . Mann-Simons Site.
Photographed by Dave W, May 13, 2023
2. Prosperity and Property Ownership Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on January 24, 2026. It was originally submitted on December 22, 2023, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. This page has been viewed 173 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 22, 2023, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
