Midtown - Downtown in Columbia in Richland County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Grounded in History
Due to the mansion's state of construction when Ainsley Hall died in 1823, it is unlikely any improvements had been made to the estates to the estate's grounds. By 1872, the Columbia Theological Seminary had planted magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) and elm (Ulmus Americana) trees at the rear of the campus, (shown here in the bird's eye view of Columbia by Camille Drie at right in this 1940s image below). Rather than pleasure gardens, students instead planted vegetable gardens.
[Captions:]
Buildings, not gardens, stood here during the property's use as Columbia Theological Seminary and later as Westerveldt Academy and Columbia Bible College. This two-story structure, initially used as a dining hall and later repurposed as a library, and one of the campus' three-story dormitories occupied portions as today's Founders Garden. Columbia Bible College from the perspective of Pickens and Taylor streets, ca. 1940.
During the 2004 reinstallation of the Founders Garden, many archaeological artifacts were unearthed. These fragments of the building materials, tools, ceramics and glassware provide glimpses into the everyday items used by students at the educational institutions that once occupied this block.
Erected by Historic Columbia Foundation.
Topics.
this page online
Location. 34° 0.549′ N, 81° 1.749′ W. Marker is in Columbia, South Carolina, in Richland County. It is in Midtown - Downtown. It can be reached from Blanding Street east of Pickens Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1616 Blanding St, Columbia SC 29201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
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: Balancing Old and New (a few steps from this marker); A Logical Design (a few steps from this marker); The Robert Mills Historic House and Park (within shouting distance of this marker); Hallowed Ground (within shouting distance of this marker); A Masterful Design (within shouting distance of this marker); Columbia Civil Rights Sit-Ins / Barr v. City of Columbia (1964) (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); An Evolving Landscape (about 300 feet away); Worth Preserving (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbia.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 24, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 24, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 28 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 24, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
