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J. Marion Sims monument - Columbia
J. Marion Sims monument
by b1bob
Tips and photos for Columbia vacations and tourism, posted by real travelers and Columbia locals.
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Downtown Shopping District
  • Tip Rating:
    • b1bob
  • Updated By b1bob on November 3, 2006
  • Columbia Page by b1bob
    • Columbia's shopping district - Columbia
    Columbia's shopping district
    by b1bob
    Columbia's downtown has potential but lacks the money evident in Charlotte's uptown. There are plenty of vacant slots along Main Street. If the rich folks that live in Charlotte had set up shop here, the downtown would be more gleaming and vital than Charlotte is today, with all the shiny buildings plus the State House, the river, the parks, and deeper sense of history. Columbia still has old-fashioned five and dime stores that one would think would only exist in small rural towns- if even there.

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    Advocacy Groups
  • Tip Rating:
    • b1bob
  • Updated By b1bob on November 3, 2006
  • Columbia Page by b1bob
    • acemj and his favourite advocacy group - Columbia
    acemj and his favourite
    advocacy group
    by b1bob
    Like all other state capitals, a wide range of advocacy groups strategically position their offices somewhere between the State House and Governor's Mansion. These groups advocate their cause and try to influence the state legislature and the governor to enact laws favourable to it. This featured advocacy group on mental health is located near the governor's mansion, really convenient to South Carolina's previous governor in need of their services. Everybody knows Mark "acemj" is dotty bonkers and this is his advocacy group. Maybe Mark will have better luck with the mental health facilities in South Carolina than he has had in North Carolina.

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    Finlay Falls
  • Tip Rating:
    • b1bob
  • Updated By b1bob on November 3, 2006
  • Columbia Page by b1bob
    • Finlay Falls - Columbia
    Finlay Falls
    by b1bob
    On a hot day, the falls would certainly be tempting. Oddly enough, the picture was taken in late March when we had temperatures more befitting early June. There were kids who climbed up the steps into the waterfall for a little relief. It should be noted that just two days later, it cooled down dramatically.

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    University of South Carolina
  • Tip Rating:
    • b1bob
  • Updated By b1bob on November 3, 2006
  • Columbia Page by b1bob
    • University of South Carolina - Columbia
    University of South
    Carolina
    by b1bob
    The University of South Carolina has been an institution of higher education for over 200 years. The architecture of the academic and dormitory buildings has more character than at UNCC or my alma mater George Mason University. The University of South Carolina is a member of the Southeastern Conference and the home of the Fighting Gamecocks.

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    The Township Auditorium
  • Tip Rating:
    • nomorewars
  • By nomorewars on September 7, 2003
  • Columbia Page by nomorewars
    • Columbia General Tips
    by nomorewars
    Being unable to compete with the million dollar venues of the Carolina Center, the Columbia Township Auditorium is on the verge of closing its doors for good. Due to declining attendance rates, many of the scheduled programs are forced to cancel their performance, resulting in the lost of major revenue. If the auditorium were to close its doors, it would be a sad day for Columbia, since the auditorium is a hub of black performing arts in the State of South Carolina. The auditorium attracts many world-renowned black poets, like Jamie Jenks of Liverpool, England.

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    A Battle Awaits
  • Tip Rating:
    • nomorewars
  • Updated By nomorewars on September 1, 2003
  • Columbia Page by nomorewars
    • Columbia General Tips
    by nomorewars
    Not too long after 5:00 p.m., after the closure of daily business in downtown Columbia, homeless men, women & children rush to the Oliver Gospel Mission, hoping to gain entrance for the night. With the allowance of being permitted to enter, these people (if only for one night) are able to sleep in a warm bed, under the watchful eye of security. For these unfortunate souls (many of whom are victims of eminent domain), it is the one chance to sleep throughout the night with a feeling of safety. Here children can receive a hot bowl of soup, which more than likely is their first meal in days. Sadly, the mission (like most) suffers from the lack of funds. Supply is limited; whereas, demand is high.

    If driving pass the building, don’t be shocked if you see grown men shoving women & children to the ground, taking their spots in line & threatening further physical abuse if they protest. Don’t be surprised if you see an enormous line, stretching down a small portion of Taylor St., circling around until is stops 50 yards or so down Main Street. Don’t be surprised if you see Columbia Police Officers arresting infuriated people, who only know how to express their anger through no other means than disorderly conduct. They have such high hopes when on course to the mission, & it hurts when they are turned away.

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    Richland County Public Library
  • Tip Rating:
    • nomorewars
  • By nomorewars on August 18, 2003
  • Columbia Page by nomorewars
    • Columbia General Tips
    by nomorewars
    The Richland County Public Library is one of my favorite places in all of Columbia. Within the last 7 years the library has received numerous accolades, twice being voted the best public library in the United States. Throughout my life I have own many memberships to many different public libraries in the United States, & the Richland County Library by far carries some of the most diverse material in the United States, allowing students & others to study differing accounts of U.S. History & other subjects as well. In my opinion Richland County Library is rather small, but packed with books which is the main reason why we frequent such places. It’s clean, orderly & staffed by friendly librarians, some of whom speak German, French, & Japanese.

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    The second biggest fire hydrant I've ever seen
  • Tip Rating:
    • b1bob
  • Updated By b1bob on November 3, 2006
  • Columbia Page by b1bob
    • giant hydrant - Columbia
    giant hydrant
    by b1bob
    If there is a fire hydrant that big, I would hate to see the dog looking to use it! Seriously, I never will understand modern art, but some of it is so humourous that it merits a general tip. For tourist purposes, it can be used as a meeting place or a landmark.

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    acemj and me
  • Tip Rating:
    • b1bob
  • Updated By b1bob on November 3, 2006
  • Columbia Page by b1bob
    • acemj & b1bob VT'ing together again - Columbia
    acemj & b1bob VT'ing together
    again
    by b1bob
    Mark and I toured Columbia, South Carolina together on 27 March 2004. The photo was taken by Candice, the waitress at the Liberty Tap Room and Grill. No, Richie hasn't convinced me to become a beer conoisseur. Mark was the only one to have beer. I did, however, have some water. Richie might like this place.

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    J. Marion Sims Monument
  • Tip Rating:
    • b1bob
  • Updated By b1bob on November 3, 2006
  • Columbia Page by b1bob
    • J. Marion Sims monument - Columbia
    J. Marion Sims monument
    by b1bob
    Dr. Sims was the founder of gynecological medicine. I approached the monument not knowing this. I wanted to get this monument at a corner of State House grounds for reasons of architectural contrast with the buildings across Gervais Street. On finding out Dr. Sims' field of practice, Mark was laughing like a hysterical hyena wisecracking and teasing me about it halfway down the road.

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