Waverly Marks 100th Anniversary of Annexation into Columbia

Thursday marked the Waverly Historic District's 100th anniversary of its annexation into the city of Columbia.

Community members were joined by local and state leaders at Bishop Memorial AME Church to celebrate the momentous event in the district's history.

The Waverly District was honored with a Congressional Record Tribute from Congressman James Clyburn, resolutions from local governing bodies and letters from U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott. 

After the presentations, those in attendance were able to participate in a stained glass window tour of the five churches in the neighborhood.

The Waverly community — whose boundaries include Gervais, Harden and Taylor streets as well as Milwood Avenue — is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Waverly was originally a subdivision of an 1855 antebellum plantation of the same name. The community annexed into the city of Columbia on June 13, 1913.

Waverly is considered to be Columbia's first suburb and home to black artisans, professionals and social reformers. Some notables included Matthew J. Perry, South Carolina's first African American federal judge; Edwin Roberts Russell, a research scientist who was involved in the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb; and James M. Hinton, who helped plan the strategy for Briggs v. Elliott, according to the SC Department of Archives & History.

Some historical properties in the Waverly District include:

• Visanska Starks House, 2214 Hampton Street
• Heidt-Russell House, 1240 Heidt Street
• James H. Hinton House, Heidt at Lady streets
• Matthew J. Perry House, 2200 block of Washington Street

See other properties on the National Register here.