Richland County is named for the rich soil in the region.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Newberry County and Fairfield County
E – Kershaw County and Sumter County
S – Calhoun County
W – Calhoun County and Lexington County
Created: March 2, 1875 
County Seat:
Horry Hill 1785 – 1799
Columbia 1799 – present
County Courthouse – Columbia
Location: 1701 Main Street / Blanding Street
Built: 1978 – 1980
Style: Modern
Architect: Geiger-McElveen-Kennedy
Contractor: Congaree Construction Company
Description: The building faces north and is a four story gray colored stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Columbia. The building entrance at the northeast corner has a large overhang supported by five columns. The recessed entrance is faced with dark glass. On the west side of the entrance, small protruding sections are on the second and third stories. The County Circuit Court courtrooms are located on the second story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 5 th Judicial Circuit and is named as the Richland County Judicial Center.
History: The county was created in 1785 and Horry Hill was selected as the county seat. first courthouse was built in Horry Hill. The county seat was moved to Columbia in 1799 and the second courthouse was built. The courthouse was burned in 1862 during the Civil War. The third courthouse was built in 1872 and an addition was designed in 1906 by Shand & Lafey. The fourth courthouse was designed by James B Urquhart and constructed in 1935. The fifth and present courthouse was constructed in 1978 to 1980.
County Administration – Columbia
Location: 2020 Hampton Street / Harden Street
Built: 1987 – 1989
Style: Modern
Architect: Architectural Engineering Associates Inc.
Contractor: Davidson & Jones Construction Company
Description: The building faces north and is a three story red colored brick, concrete and glass structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Columbia. The building entrance is at the northeast corner which has a large semi circular overhang supported by eleven pillars. The center section is one story with glass skylight. The east and west wings are red colored brick with dark glass walls along the north and east sides. In the center is a large landscaped courtyard.
See: Located in the county are the South Carolina Court of Appeals and the South Carolina Supreme Court.
County Courthouse – Columbia
County Circuit Court courtroom
County Administration – Columbia
Photos taken 2008 and 2020