West Columbia dates to 1894, and 5 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 42% of U.S. towns · #71 of 169 in South Carolina. What drives it
Most of West Columbia was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1976. 5 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 23 buildings. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1972 on, and the census since 1900.
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1887.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives West Columbia’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, West Columbia is more historic than 42% of U.S. towns, #71 of 169 in South Carolina. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of West Columbia’s overall grade.
South Carolina towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical South Carolina town has 3.2 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so West Columbia’s 16.1 sits above most of its state (70% of South Carolina towns have fewer) while its 29 historic buildings outnumber those of 81% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikipedia alone; no second source gives 1894.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B. The pre-1940 share (±1.8 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about West Columbia’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
West Columbia was incorporated in 1894 as "Brookland", but the U.S. Postal Service called the town "New Brookland" since there was another town called Brookland. In 1936, the name was changed to "West Columbia" to emphasize its proximity to Columbia, the capital. Numerous businesses, churches and a high school retain the Brookland and New Brookland names.
The Gervais Street Bridge, Mount Hebron Temperance Hall, New Brookland Historic District, and Saluda Factory Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of West Columbia. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1972Southwest Columbia sheet · 1:24,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of West Columbia.
Then & now
Stand where they stood
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Retake this viewBessinger's Bar-B-Q sign, 1988
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on West Columbia’s page.
In 1894, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. West Columbia’s post office opened in 1887, and the census of 1900 counted 1,089 people here.
How does West Columbia rank for history?
West Columbia is more historic than 42% of U.S. towns, #71 of 169 in South Carolina. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in West Columbia?
5 listings: 4 buildings and 1 historic district, the New Brookland Historic District, with 23 contributing buildings. 29 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in West Columbia?
3% of West Columbia’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.8 points), against a typical 3.5% for a South Carolina town; the median home was built in 1976.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (11), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (5), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1988
1988
2009
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
2008
