The Mann-Simons Site on Richland Street preserves the home of Celia Mann, a formerly enslaved woman who purchased her own freedom and walked from Charleston to Columbia in the 1840s, establishing a home that remained in her family for four generations. The site is one of the few surviving records of African American life in antebellum Columbia, and it is remarkable both for what survived and for the family history it documents.
The museum tells the story of Celia Mann's family from slavery through the early 20th century, with strong use of oral history and primary documents. This is one of the more historically important sites in Columbia and deserves more visitors than it typically gets. Open Tuesday through Sunday.