Midtown - Downtown in Columbia in Richland County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
A Logical Design
Gardens reflect the needs, tastes, aspirations and logic of those who design them. some are cultivated for food, others for beauty. Like building design, landscape architecture has changed from era to era. Early 19th-century formal gardens and buildings tended to be symmetrical and balanced. Later pleasure gardens took on less structured appearances. Gardens, like homes, also featured "furniture"usually benches, fountains and arbors, which added a further dimension to their design.
[Caption:]
From 1831 through 1927, the Presbyterian Synod of South Carolina and Georgia operated the Columbia Theological Seminary here. Other religion-based institutionsWestervelt Home, Chicora College and Columbia Bible Collegelater occupied the site. Throughout this time the property featured no gardens, as this circa-1908 postcard shows.
Erected by Historic Columbia Foundation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical year for this entry is 1831.
Location. 34° 0.559′ N, 81° 1.754′ W. Marker is in Columbia, South
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: Balancing Old and New (a few steps from this marker); The Robert Mills Historic House and Park (a few steps from this marker); Grounded in History (a few steps from this marker); Hallowed Ground (within shouting distance of this marker); A Masterful Design (within shouting distance of this marker); An Evolving Landscape
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 29 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 24, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
