Midtown - Downtown in Columbia in Richland County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
John C. Seegers
This ca. 1880s image shows the two buildings at 1631 and 1635 Main Street, built by prominent German businessman, land owner and legislator, John C. Seegers, in 1865 and 1873 to house his grocery and import business, as well as Columbia's original "Brew-Pub." Seegers, a native of Haste, Germany, brewed his own German-style lager beer in the cool basement and serve hearty lunch meals to Columbia's growing citizenry. He often placed advertisements in the local newspaper, inviting patrons to join him for lunch "at the sign of the big barrel." The name of Seegers' business partner and son-in-law, Christopher C. Habernicht, also appears on the building. Habernicht, a successful entrepreneur in his own right, went on to establish Columbia's first bottling operations nearby, building a distribution empire that served the entire state.
Erected by Seegers' descendants.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1631.
Location. 34° 0.439′ N, 81° 2.184′ W. Marker is in Columbia, South Carolina, in Richland County. It is in Midtown - Downtown. It is on Main Street north of Taylor Street (South Carolina Route
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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: Seegers-Habenicht Building (a few steps from this marker); Cabaniss Building (a few steps from this marker); Lutheran Publication Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Schulte-United Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Lever Building (within shouting distance of this marker); W.T. Grant Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Speaking Truth to Power (within shouting distance of this marker); Blanding Street (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbia.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 23, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 57 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 23, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
