Name/Title
S.C. Tricentennial ExpositionEntry/Object ID
2011.10.1Description
Color postcard depicting the Hampton-Preston Mansion with visitors and the westernmost geodesic dome in the foreground. Labeled on its reverse side in blue ink, “Midland Exposition Park, Columbia, Exhibit Domes and Hampton Preston House, S.C. Tricentennial.” The reverse also features the South Carolina Tricentennial logo and information about the publisher. The edges of the postcard are scalloped.Subject Place
Location
Hampton Preston MansionCity
Columbia, South CarolinaContext
This postcard depicts the Hampton-Preston Mansion alongside the westernmost of two geodesic domes erected for the 1970 South Carolina Tricentennial. The easternmost geodesic dome is barely visible in the background beneath the tree line. The South Carolina Tricentennial celebrated three hundred years of South Carolina history, with the event in Charleston focused on colonization and colonial life (1670-1770), the event in Columbia focused on life from the American Revolution through the Civil War (1770-1870), and the event in Greenville focused on the 100 years leading up to 1970.
The Hampton-Preston Mansion and surrounding grounds represented Columbia as the site of the Midlands Exposition Center. Over 135,000 people visited the mansion and the two geodesic domes erected on its east and west by the time the exposition center closed on June 30, 1971. The domes, incongruous with the mansion's historic architecture, served as temporary exhibition galleries showcasing South Carolina history from 1770 to 1870. Period rooms inside the mansion showcased the affluence and material possessions of the Hampton and Preston families from the Revolutionary War until the Reconstruction Era.
This postcard was produced by the Century Souvenir Company of Seattle, Washington, the sole and official souvenir licensee of the South Carolina Tricentennial logo. The company sold a variety of souvenirs, such as toys, pennants, postcards, and commemorative plates, and operated food stands during tricentennial celebrations. The South Carolina Tricentennial Commission, which received a percentage of the profits, made over $38,000 from souvenir and food sales.Postcard Details
Postcard Type
Photograph (1900-Present)Publisher
Century Souvenir Co., Inc.Place Published
City
Columbia, South CarolinaDate Published
circa 1970Printer
Dexter Press Inc.Dimensions
Height
3-7/8 inWidth
5-3/4 inRelationships
Related Places
Place
Location
Hampton Preston MansionCity
Columbia, South CarolinaRelated Events
Event
South Carolina Tricentennial
