SCIWAY thanks William Stuart Morgan, III of Columbia for this picture taken in December 2006.

Do you know more about the history of this barn? Comment below and let us know!

See more beautiful SC Barns.

When the school first opened its doors, Rutledge College was the only building on campus. Eventually, eleven other buildings were added, all facing into a beautiful garden area where students could gather. These buildings formed a U-shape which is now known as the Horseshoe.

Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, the campus expanded greatly. A student union, 21 residence halls, numerous academic buildings, the popular Longstreet Theatre, an arts center, a coliseum, and of course Williams-Brice Stadium have all been added.

The University of South Carolina continues to expand its facilities towards the Congaree River to better support its research plans and initiatives. This new part of the campus is called Innovista, and it mixes private and university research buildings with commercial and residential facilities.

Even with these changes, many students still enjoy the natural beauty of the Horseshoe. Wireless internet is available in this area, and you will often see students studying and reading under the oaks.

Some of the most famous buildings on the Horseshoe are the:

South Caroliniana Library: Built in 1840, this library was the first freestanding college library in the nation. Today it houses special collections and USC’s archives. J. Rion McKissick, the school’s 19th president, is buried in front of this building.

McKissick Building: Built in 1940 on the site of the original president’s house, the museum sits prominently at the head of the horseshoe. The visitors center is housed here, making McKissick the university’s “front door.” The McKissick Building is also the home of many historical collections and southern archives.

President’s House: The original faculty housing was destroyed by water damage in the early 1800s, and the President’s House was built in 1854 to replace that loss. It was used as faculty housing until 1952 when it became the home of the university’s president.

This building was constructed in 1940 on the site of the original USC president’s house and sits prominently at the head of the horseshoe. The visitors center is housed here, making McKissick the University’s “front door.”

The McKissick Building is also the home of many historical collections and southern archives.

For more information, please visit the museum’s website.

SCIWAY thanks Wilson Jumper of West Columbia for submitting this picture he took in 2012.

Do you know more about the history of this building? Please send it to us!

The original faculty housing for the university suffered water damage in the early 1800s, and in 1854, this home was built to replace it. It did not become the president’s home until 1952.

SCIWAY thanks Wilson Jumper of West Columbia for submitting this picture he took in 2012.

Want to see more? Take a virtual tour of the President’s House.

The library was built in 1840 and was the first freestanding college library in the nation. Today it houses special collections and USC’s archives. J. Rion McKissick, the school’s 19th president, is buried in front of this building.

For more information, please visit the library’s website.

SCIWAY thanks Wilson Jumper of West Columbia for submitting this picture he took in 2012.

Do you know more about the history of this building? Please send it to us!

The mill’s warehouse was built in 1900, with the first of three grain elevators coming in 1910. The flashing neon sign pictured above has become a celebratory beacon for downtown Columbia and serves as a reminder of the Vista’s industrial past.

Many thanks to Shannon Davis of Columbia for sharing this photo.

For more information about the Adluh Flour Mill be sure to visit their website.

The other clock is located on the corner of Main and Washington Streets. If you happen to have a picture of it, please send it to us!

Many thanks to Frederick Austin of Gilbert for submitting these pictures he took in 2011.

Frederick says that he’s actually seen the clocks opened and manually wound! “It was neat to see all the gears and the old fashioned equipment inside of a clock that size” he says.

Pictured above is a fully-restored B-25 bomber outside the famous Curtiss-Wright Hangar. This hangar was the first constructed at the airport and has welcomed many notable visitors to South Carolina including Amelia Earhart and Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was added to South Carolina’s National Register of Historic Places on April 30, 1998.

SCIWAY thanks Ann Helms of Spartanburg for this photo. Ann writes, “This B-25 was flown by student pilot Col. Dan Rossman in June 1944 when it crashed into Lake Greenwood. It was pulled out of the lake in 1983 and restored. It has been on display at the Curtiss-Wright Hangar ever since. The hangar and other B-25′s were used for training by Lt. Col. James Doolittle and his ‘Raiders’ prior to the bombing raid over Japan in early 1942 following Pearl Harbor.”

The building was added to South Carolina’s National Register of Historic Places on August 28, 1979. Just a few years later, the Big Apple was moved from its original location on 1318 Park Street to the corner of Hampton and Park streets and purchased by the Historic Columbia Foundation. Although the the building underwent extensive renovations, it still retains many of its original features such as the dome ceiling, horseshoe arches, and stained glass windows.

See a video of the Big Apple dance!

SCIWAY thanks David Asiamah of Columbia for this photo.

The State Agricultural and Mechanical Society of South Carolina, a non-profit group with origins dating back to 1839, is credited with the establishment of the South Carolina State Fair and continues to operate it today. It is important to note that even though it’s called the “State Fair,” it’s actually not state owned and receives no financial support from state government.

The society’s main objective is to “promote the material, educational, agricultural, and industrial interests of the state.” They achieve this by donating the majority of their proceeds to charities in South Carolina.

The fairgrounds were originally located on Elmwood Avenue in Columbia. When the Civil War broke out, the buildings on the fairgrounds were used by confederate forces to manufacture ammunition. Consequently, the buildings were burned down in 1865 when Sherman’s army marched through Columbia.

The Agricultural and Mechanical Society reconstructed the buildings with money received from selling life memberships to their club. The fair soon outgrew its home on Elmwood and moved to its current location on Bluff Road in 1904. Williams-Brice Stadium, home of South Carolina’s fighting Gamecocks, was built across the street from the fair in 1934. The fairgrounds have since become an important part of the school’s tailgating tradition. Many fall weekends in Columbia include a trip to the fair and a college football game.

Today, the South Carolina Agricultural and Mechanical Society owns six buildings which offer more than 125,000 square feet of exhibit space. Shows and events are held here throughout the entire year, but the fair is by far the most popular event. Over 600,000 people attend the fair annually.

Learn more about the South Carolina State Fair here.