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West Columbia, South Carolina facts for kids

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West Columbia, South Carolina
West Columbia, SC.jpg
Motto(s): 
"Bridging Past, Present, And Future"
Location in Lexington County, South Carolina
Country United States
State South Carolina
County Lexington
Government
 • Type City Council, City Administrator
Area
 • Total 9.16 sq mi (23.73 km2)
 • Land 8.99 sq mi (23.28 km2)
 • Water 0.17 sq mi (0.45 km2)
Elevation
282 ft (86 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 14,988
 • Estimate 
(2019)
17,998
 • Density 2,002.00/sq mi (772.96/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Area code(s) 803, 839
FIPS code 45-75850
GNIS feature ID 1251380

West Columbia is a city and commuter town in the suburban eastern sections of Lexington County, South Carolina, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population was 14,988, and the 2019 population estimate was 17,998. West Columbia is bordered to the east by Columbia, the state capital, across the Congaree River. It is near Columbia's city center or downtown district as well as the South Carolina State House and the Congaree Vista, known locally as "the Vista." The city is bordered to the south by its sister suburb, Cayce. A small portion of the city borders the town of Lexington to the east. West Columbia is part of the greater Columbia, SC metropolitan statistical area.

History

West Columbia was incorporated in 1894 as Brookland, but the United States 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, South Carolina. 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.

The 2008 South Carolina Learjet 60 crash occurred just before midnight on September 19, 2008, when a Learjet 60 (registration N999LJ) crashed while taking off from Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina. The weather at the time was cool, dry, and clear. The plane hit runway lights and crashed through the boundary fence, crossing South Carolina Highway 302 (SC 302/Edmund Highway/Airport Boulevard), and coming to rest on an embankment by the side of the highway. No one on the ground was hurt, but four of the six people on the plane (including both pilots) died in the crash, while the other two, Travis Barker (the drummer of Blink-182) and Adam Goldstein (DJ AM of Crazy Town), suffered severe burns. The plane was a charter flight taken by Barker, Goldstein and their entourage following a performance by their musical group TRV$DJAM at a free concert in Five Points earlier that night to Van Nuys, California.

Geography

West Columbia lies to the south and west of the Saluda and Congaree Rivers.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.3 km²), of which 6.1 square miles (15.7 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.5 km²) (3.18%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1900 1,089
1910 900 −17.4%
1920 1,793 99.2%
1930 1,722 −4.0%
1940 1,744 1.3%
1950 1,543 −11.5%
1960 6,410 315.4%
1970 7,838 22.3%
1980 10,409 32.8%
1990 10,588 1.7%
2000 13,064 23.4%
2010 14,988 14.7%
2019 (est.) 17,998 20.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

West Columbia racial composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 11,022 63.29%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 2,959 16.99%
Native American 58 0.33%
Asian 490 2.81%
Pacific Islander 5 0.03%
Other/Mixed 732 4.2%
Hispanic or Latino 2,150 12.34%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 17,416 people, 8,315 households, and 3,764 families residing in the city.

Education

West Columbia has a public library, a branch of the Lexington County Library.

Notable people

  • Duce Staley, former professional football player and football coach

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: West Columbia (Carolina del Sur) para niños

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