State House

Day 230
​Columbia SC

I just never know how the day is going to get started. A typical walk after breakfast is nothing out of the ordinary. Want to know what is? Sitting outside as Katie makes lunch and the leaves rustle a few feet from my chair. To my surprise it is a 3 foot long garter snake who just caught lunch. I run inside to get Katie and she comes out to see nature at work. I can only watch for a little before it becomes something I just don't need to see. Not my wife. No, she watches the frog twitch his legs as the snake works the amphibian brother down into his belly. Well, time for our lunch.

A return trip to the state house was in order. It's free and they usually are pretty neat architecturally. Columbia continues to show us it's good side complete with manicured capital grounds. A few easy walking trails are detailed on the map for visitors to get some steps in. We see tons of locals either out on a work break or out for a jog filling the sidewalks.

Statue of the state tree from 1858: Palmetto

Thin blue line: A memorial to fallen officers

A 44,000 pound dome made of copper tops the building

Security check in was typical of all state capitols. A metal detector, bag scanner, and an armed guard waited for visitors to come into the building. Once cleared of not having malice intent, we walked inside and towards the tour office. A scheduled tour was about to start and take visitors through the building. This should be fun. It will be nice to have someone explain things to us instead of trying to figure it all out. The story gets laid out and is quite simple. The original building was made of wood and burnt to the ground. In 1855 construction started on a "fireproof" building that consisted of granite, marble, and steel. Civil war broke out and union forces made it to Columbia before construction was complete. They fired cannonballs at it and burnt the wood internal structure to the ground. Our tour guide goes on to explain that General Sherman took a "scorched earth" approach to conquering the southeast. Basically the entire city was lit on fire until nothing remained that the confederacy could call home. Union troops then moved in and clamied it as theirs. The building then sat in limbo for a couple of decades and construction resumed in the 1890's. Carrying into the next century, construction was finally completed in 1907.

On the left side of the picuture is a lighted case with a mace. It is the oldest one in the country still used to start sessions in the house. Circa 1756

The tour wrapped up and we promptly headed back to Shirley. Our parking meter was nearly empty. A couple more quarters get dropped in and we go for a walk along the grounds. New knowledge from the tour gives a  different perspective on what this place actually is. It's a piece of history. Not just a local piece, but one that is pivotal in the way our country ended up. The good people of Columbia knew this and spared no expense on completing the build. Holding up the front facade are the tallest monolithic granite columns in the country. That means these 43 feet tall posts are each cut from a single piece of stone.

Another stark reminder of the times are 6 bronze stars bolted to the building. These indicate where cannonballs from union forces had struck the side of the building. It is proof that cannon folley from the civil war wasn't very strong at long range. This bruise on the brickwork is from a 8-10 pound piece of iron that was launched from a mile away. 

The broken corner is about the size of your hand

With the excitement over it's time to head home for the day. It's hot but that doesn't stop us from soaking in the Carolina sun. We have both come to grips with the fact that this once in a lifetime trip will be coming to an end. Three months ago it felt pointless. Stuck in a rut with no real future ahead. A waste of time. Now, the light is at the end of the tunnel and we can see the finish line. It's becoming clear to us just how lucky we are to have had this experience. There is no reason to waste my life inside. Not this life, a life on the road.

Can you count three animals?