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A holiday history of Columbia, SC

Main St. 1967

Ebenezer Scrooge here. All I have to say about 2020 is, “bah humbug.”

Just kidding, but we are going to have a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past this morning — past pictures that is. Columbia has a few holiday photos worth a share to remember the good times of togetherness + the holidays of years long past.

Pictures hold a lot of memories, including everything from the good, the bad, and the down right holly jolly. Let’s see what Columbia looked like in previous years around the holidays.

Christmas postcard 1920s

Postcard of Christmas-time at night in Columbia from 1923 | Photo via UofSC South Caroliniana Library

Decorated Store Front

Holiday decorated store window display from 1949-1950 | Photo via UofSC South Caroliniana Library

Junior Red Cross deorating tree

Junior Red Cross Members trimming a Christmas tree at the Good Samaritan Waverly Hospital from the 1950s | Photo via UofSC South Caroliniana Library

St. Peters Catholic Church

St. Peter’s Catholic Church from the 1950’s | Photo via UofSC South Caroliniana Library

Shopping with children from Epworth

Holiday shopping with children from Epworth Orphanage from 1955 | Image from The State Newspaper Photograph Archive via Richland Library

Shopping in Cola 1955

Shoppers checking off their lists on Main Street in 1955 | Image from The State Newspaper Photograph Archive via Richland Library

Picking out a christmas tree

Picking out a Christmas tree in 1955 | Image from The State Newspaper Photograph Archive via Richland Library

Santa in a helicopter at Sears

Santa Claus arrives on the rooftop of Sears by helicopter in 1955 | Image from The State Newspaper Photograph Archive via Richland Library

holiday lights on Main Street

Christmas lights on Main Street from 1956 | Image from The State Newspaper Photograph Archive via Richland Library

Christmas decorations Main Street

Christmas decorations on the 1220 Block of Main Street in the 1960’s | Photo via UofSC South Caroliniana Library

Reindeer in the Midlands

Reindeer in the Midlands from 1961 | Image from The State Newspaper Photograph Archive via Richland Library

Hanukkah at junior high

Hanukkah celebrations at Crayton Junior High School in 1964 | Image from The State Newspaper Photograph Archive via Richland Library

merry christmas on main street

Merry Christmas signage on Main Street in 1964 | Image from The State Newspaper Photograph Archive via Richland Library

Christmas parade 1965

Christmas Parade from The Joseph E. Winter collection in Richland County in 1965 | Photo via UofSC South Caroliniana Library

Christmas Parade part 2

Christmas Parade (part two) from The Joseph E. Winter collection in Richland County in 1965 | Photo via UofSC South Caroliniana Library

Main Street parade 1966

Main Street views during the Carillon Parade in 1966 | Image from The State Newspaper Photograph Archive via Richland Library

Miss Columbia parade 1966

Miss Columbia during the Carillon Parade in 1966 | Image from The State Newspaper Photograph Archive via Richland Library

Main St. 1967

Carolighting at the South Carolina State House from 1967 | Image from The State Newspaper Photograph Archive via Richland Library

Joe Pinner

Joe Pinner (AKA Mr. Knowzit) riding the the Carillon Parade in 1968 | Image from The State Newspaper Photograph Archive via Richland Library

Menorah

Children lighting a Menorah from 1968 | Image from The State Newspaper Photograph Archive via Richland Library

Santa Claus at the mall

Santa Claus arriving at Richland Mall in 1972 | Image from The State Newspaper Photograph Archive via Richland Library

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Ice skating rink outside of Boyd Plaza in 2017 | Photo via @bifocalphotos


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