Name/Title
Tricentennial PennantEntry/Object ID
2010.6.1Description
Pennant highlighting the South Carolina Tricentennial Celebration in 1970. The pennant has various colors with a picture of the grounds at Hampton-Preston on the left and "Midlands Exposition Park" printed above it. The right side is printed with the tricentennial logo. "South Carolina" is printed in large red letters above "Tricentennial," which is printed in black font on a yellow ribbon. A depiction of the state flower, the yellow jessamine, appears behind "Carolina," and a black palmetto tree is depicted near the point of the banner in from of the yellow ribbon.Context
The 1970 South Carolina Tricentennial celebrated three hundred years of South Carolina History, with Charleston focusing on colonization and colonial life (1670-1770), Columbia focusing on life from the American Revolution through the Civil War (1770-1870), and Greenville focusing on the most recent 100 years leading up to the 1970s.
The Hampton-Preston Mansion represented Columbia as its block—contained by Blanding, Pickens, Laurel, and Henderson Streets—was the site of the Midlands Exposition Center. Over 135,000 people visited the house and the two temporary geodesic domes erected on either side of the mansion. These two domes acted as museum space that focused on South Carolina history while the interior of the home's first floor was staged to show the lifestyle of one family in South Carolina from the Revolution through the Reconstruction Era. Along with featuring key symbols of South Carolina like yellow jessamine and a palmetto tree, this pennant shows the Hampton-Preston Mansion as well as the western dome, which exhibited pioneer life in South Carolina from 1770 until 1870.
It is likely that this pennant was produced by the Century Souvenir Company of Seattle, the sole and official souvenir licensee of the Tricentennial symbols. The Company sold a variety of souvenirs, such as toys, commemorative plates, postcards, and pennants, at a variety of prices, as well as operated the food stands during the Tricentennial. The commission received a percentage of the profits, making over $38,000 off souvenir and food sales.Dimensions
Height
8 inLength
28-1/2 inRelationships
Related Places
Place
Location
Hampton Preston MansionCity
Columbia, South CarolinaRelated Events
Event
South Carolina Tricentennial