#TBT: Your bizarre old photos of downtown Cola.
If you haven’t picked up on this yet, we’re fascinated with Cola history. Since its official city charter in 1854, Columbia has seen changes upon changes – with many of these changes, from the 20th century onward, well-documented by its own citizens in the Facebook group “You may be from Columbia, SC if you remember when….”
Here are 7 of our favorite, most bizarre photos we found in the group – with even better stories behind them, provided by the group’s members. In the spirit of getting weird for Halloween, we hope you enjoy:
Maybe not bizarre, but still strange to see a trolley down the center of Main St. 🚃 Columbia had a trolley system from the mid-1880s to the late 1920s. The cars were initially pulled by horses until they converted to electric power in 1893. Read more in The State.
Another interesting find on Main St.: A (sort of creepy) statue of Nipper, the famous Radio Corporation of America dog, guarding the old Mehlman’s RCA Victor record store (and patiently posing for the common photo op with local kids).
This RCA Tube Test machine was located in an Eckerd’s drug store in Five Points (super colorful and memorable to many Cola kids back in the day). It was used to demagnetize TVs when the color got messed up. Apparently, the Western Auto at what is now Trenholm Plaza + an Eckerd’s at Richland Mall had them, too.
It’s wild to see a Belk on Main St. (and the fact that it was officially called Belk’s answers so many of my questions to why people still call it Belk’s). The site of the department store – which is now home to Boyd Plaza – closed down to move to the suburbs in the 1970s. The City later purchased the site (and the building behind it, which was formerly Macy’s) to be renovated into the Columbia Musem of Art. Also of note: The lady in the photo is carrying her things on top of her head. Efficient.
Rudolph (you know, the one who guides Santa’s sleigh) was kidnapped from the State House, and kids were very upset – via a story in an unnamed newspaper (most likely The State) on December 12, 1953. No one in the group knew the outcome of the heist, but as the guy in the comments said, “poor Columbia kids.”
Who remembers when Main St. had these tall, stadium-like light posts down the center of the road? These “eyesores” were taken down sometime in the 80s much to many residents’ joy. Initially, they were intended to help revitalize Main St. – hoping to give the area a “festival-type” atmosphere for “after hours” events.
What happened to the rest of Willy-B? The first upper-deck of the stadium was added in the late 1960s, increasing the capacity from 34,000 to 43,000. That’s a lot more Gamecocks. The East upper-deck was added in the 1980s – followed by the South upper-deck and the Zone much later.
Do you have any weird photos of Columbia back in the day? Share them with us. We’re loving all these crazy #TBT pics.
–Sam
