Richland County lies in the South Carolina midlands. Its county seat, Columbia, also serves as the state capital.
The county was founded in 1785 within the Camden District, and its name most likely refers to the “rich land” of the county. In 1791, Richland County became smaller when land previously belonging to this county was added to Kershaw County.
During the Civil War, Sherman entered Richland County and occupied Columbia before setting it on fire.
Since its founding, Columbia has served as an economic hub for the state, especially in terms of trade and manufacturing. The county is home to Fort Jackson, Congaree National Park, and multiple lakes and rivers. Notable county residents include Senator Wade Hampton and President Woodrow Wilson.
SOURCES: About Richland County.
Video
William T. Cassels, Jr. (Born May 22, 1929) As chairman and chief executive officer of Southeastern Freight Lines, Bill Cassels guides the fortunes of one of South Carolina's largest privately held...
Video
David Sloan Lewis (1917 - 2003) As a boy growing up in Charleston, David Lewis was fascinated by aviation. He read everything he could find about the World War I fighter planes and their romantic...
Video
George William "Bill" Rogers (Born February 8, 1925) Bonitz, Inc., and Consolidated Systems, Inc., are hardly household names in Columbia, where they were established in the 1950s, but both are well...
Video
Community volunteer gives a brief history about the Jenkins' home in the historic Waverly Community. Dr. Douglas Jenkins was the local dentist.
Video
Mrs. Modjeska Simkins gives a first-hand account of how the bus lawsuit case began in Clarendon county and her role in the groundbreaking case.
Video
Matthew James Perry, Jr. was born in Columbia, South Carolina, August 3, 1921. He attended law school at South Carolina State College and would play a central role in nearly every noteworthy civil...
Video
Edwin Wales Robertson (1863–1928) When he died of a heart attack, at age 65, on a business trip to New York City on November 20, 1928, The New York Times published a column-long story with the...
Video
An interview with R. Roy Pearce. Pearce discusses the qualities that are important to a person's success, how to handle challenges, and provides advice to students R. Roy Pearce (1919-2004) Roy Pearce...
Video
In the 1990s, the South Carolina legislature voted to set aside funding for some much-needed renovations to the state’s capitol building. To bring the building up to today’s standards, and to protect...
Video
The first of the three State House buildings was located in Charleston, South Carolina, in the mid-18th century. After the Revolutionary War, the capital of South Carolina was moved from Charleston to...
