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Columbia South CarolinaINTRODUCTION Columbia is the primary city of the Midlands region of South Carolina, and as such, it is centrally located to the rest of the state. Founded in 1786 as the site of South Carolina's new capital city, it was one of the first planned cities in the United States. The area is often cited for its high quality of life, with its many cultural amenities, parks, and recreational features. At the confluence of two major rivers, Columbia is one of the best destinations in the country for kayak and canoe enthusiasts. It is also known for its large number of independent theater groups. Columbia was recently one of 30 communities named "America's Most Livable Communities." The award was given by the Washington-based non-profit Partners for Livable Communities, and honors communities that are developing themselves in the creative economy. HISTORY Columbia was created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1787 although it was not incorporated as a village until 1805 and a city in 1854. This was a significant settlement because of the location of the Congarees, a frontier fort on the Congaree river that was head of navigation for the Santee River. After the town charter was given in 1805, population started to increase. The population grew rapidly in the 1850s and 1860s and Columbia became the largest inland city in the Carolinas. This is mainly due to the railroad industry that transported the main crop, cotton. Columbia hosted the South Carolina Secession Convention in 1860. During the Civil War, Columbia provided a place for conventions and meetings, however, much of it was destroyed by fire in 1865 during William Tecumsuh Sherman's march on the South. Columbia rebounded and became a textile manufacturing center in the early 20th century. In the 1940s, Carolina became the site of the military outpost, Fort Jackson. Columbia continued to have racial tensions thoughout this time. The University of South Carolina, for instance, did not allow Black students until 1963. However, afterwards, many aspects of racial segregation lifted leading Newsweek magazine to proclaim Columbia as a city that had "liberated itself from the plague of doctrinal apartheid" in 1965. ATTRACTIONS African American History Monument? RESTAURANTS LODGING 
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