In May, Historic Columbia will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Hampton-Preston Mansion and will unveil much-anticipated improvements to the site and grounds. This milestone reopening will showcase the historic property in unprecedented ways intended to broaden appreciation for both the property and the people associated with it from 1818 through the mid-20th century. SC Humanities supported new interpretive exhibits at the Hampton-Preston Mansion with a Major Grant.
The new interpretation – presented through guided tours, new exhibits at the site, period vignettes, hands-on activities and digital elements – will critically explore historical perspectives beyond the mansion’s antebellum owners and their planter-class peers. These enhancements have dramatically built upon the foundational exhibit Home to Many People, which debuted 15 years ago and provided the first significant coverage of the roles enslaved people played at the site and in Columbia in general. This exhibit has been further developed and integrated into both of the site’s main floors to ensure a more balanced representation of African and African American voices.
The grand opening of the Hampton Preston Mansion will take place on Saturday, May 12, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m at the historic house site (1615 Blanding Street, Columbia, SC 29201). Numerous activities are available for families to enjoy at the event including food trucks, special presentations, children’s games and crafts, and tours of the gardens.
Historic Columbia is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Columbia and Richland County’s historic and cultural heritage. Learn more at https://www.historiccolumbia.org/.
The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. Established in 1973, this 501(c) 3 organization is governed by a volunteer 20-member Board of Directors comprised of community leaders from throughout the state. It presents and/or supports literary initiatives, lectures, exhibits, festivals, publications, oral history projects, videos and other humanities-based experiences that directly or indirectly reach more than 250,000 citizens annually.
