Columbia, the capital of South Carolina and the seat of Richland County, was built along the Piedmont fall line, where the Saluda and Broad Rivers come together in a rush of rapids to form the gentle Congaree River. It was this abundance of water power, along with the site's central location, that led to its selection for the state capital in 1786. Named for Christopher Columbus, Columbia was the second planned city in the U.S., meticulously laid out before construction even began. Parcels of land were sold to new residents and investors, with a stipulation that a house be constructed within three years. Because of the prevalence of mosquitoes in the surrounding marshlands, malaria was a major concern. The streets of Columbia were designed at 100 to 150 feet wide, in the hopes that the mosquitoes would starve to death before flying across them.

Chartered as a town in 1805, Columbia continued to grow. The cotton trade proved quite lucrative, bringing in the railroads and attracting more people to the area. In 1860, just six years after Columbia received its city charter, the Secession Convention gathered at the First Baptist Church. There, delegates voted 159-0 in favor of seceding from the Union. In 1865, during the Civil War, much of Columbia was devastated by fire. To this day, the cause of the destruction is still a matter of debate. Some blame high winds and the burning of cotton bales by the Confederates, while others claim General Sherman and his Union troops were seeking revenge on the secessionists.