COLUMBIA, S.C. — As the City of Columbia prepares to reopen Finlay Park, we asked local historians to take a look back at the greenspace’s long and varied history from its origins in the 1800s to its modern-day revitalization.

Located in the heart of downtown, Finlay Park has existed under several names and served many purposes over the past two centuries. Historians say it’s played a critical role in shaping the city’s identity.

Margaret Dunlap, manager of the Walker Local and Family History Center at Richland Library, and John Sherrer, director of preservation at Historic Columbia, shared the story of how the park came to be.

According to Dunlap and Sherrer, the land that would become Finlay Park was originally used as part of a waterworks system in the early 1800s, reportedly pumping

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