City of West Columbia

City of West Columbia Municipal Water Report Info

West Columbia was initially chartered in 1894 as Brookland, named for the numerous clear water brooks flowing through the region. The U.S. Postal Service designated it "New Brookland" to avoid confusion with an existing town. In 1936, the community officially became West Columbia.

Brookland's first major settlement appeared along the western shore of the Congaree River in an area known as "the village," primarily housing mill workers. Although the Columbia Mills were originally planned for the western shore, concerns about electricity transmission across the river and canal construction costs led to its placement on the eastern shore instead. This created the world's first electrically powered textile mill on the east bank with its workforce residing on the west bank.

Transportation across the river initially relied on ferries, but as the population grew, this became impractical. The Guignard family constructed the first wooden bridge across the Congaree, improving access to the mill and facilitating movement of people and goods. As the town sought independence and self-sufficiency, a business district emerged along what is now Meeting Street near the river and partially on State Street, featuring dry goods stores, livery stables, grocers, a post office, and various merchants.

On March 3, 1905, a devastating fire destroyed over seventy buildings in Brookland, leaving only the Finnegan house at 412 Spring Street intact. The community spent the next decade rebuilding homes and structures still visible today on Meeting and State Streets.

Before the construction of the Dreher Shoals (Lake Murray) Dam, the river flooded annually each spring. The most severe flood recorded occurred on August 27, 1908, when water levels rose 20 feet above the riverbank. The wooden bridge was later replaced by the Gervais Street Bridge in 1927.

While historical records about Brookland's first mayor were partially lost in the fire, with some accounts naming either Adam Shull or John Witt, the most memorable mayor was undoubtedly Lemuel Hall, elected in 1921. Hall ran the town on a modest 10 mill tax levy, with councilmen earning $25 annually, the water supervisor $60, and the mayor and treasurer $125 each. Hall became known for his unique method of catching bootleggers crossing the Guignard Bridge, using just himself and one town policeman to intercept smugglers, with fines ranging from $100 to $200 per offender. Hall is also credited with establishing the first water system in Brookland.

As Columbia developed, so did West Columbia. Today, the city offers comprehensive municipal services including police and fire protection, street maintenance, sanitation, recreational activities, planning and zoning, and water and sewer services. West Columbia stands as a community with both a rich heritage and promising future.