Since opening in April 1974, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden has become one of the most successful mid-sized zoos in the
United States, winning awards for exhibit design and animal conservation
efforts. Original features included the moated exhibits for cats, bears,
giraffes and rhinos, exhibits for small mammals and the 22,000-square-foot
Ecosystem Birdhouse. My oh my, how it has grown!
Riverbanks, located at Columbia, SC,
attracts more than 1.2 million visitors annually. That’s more than the
population of Columbia Metropolitan area which is home to about 810,000 souls. It’s
an easy 2 to 2-1/2 hour drive from cities such as Savannah, Charleston,
Asheville, Charlotte, Fayetteville, and Myrtle Beach.
In the early 1960s, some local
businessmen conceived the idea of a small community zoo for children. The
initial effort was doomed, but the idea didn’t die. In 1969 the South Carolina General Assembly created the Rich-Lex Riverbanks Park Special Purpose District
governed by a seven-member commission. By doing so, two counties joined the
city of Columbia in the project. Approximately 100 acres of land on the Saluda River outside the city limits were leased to the commission by South Carolina Electric and Gas for 99 years at $1.00 per year.
The property is also the site of
several interesting historical landmarks and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Points of interest date back to the early 1800s
with South Carolina’s textile industry and the War for Southern Independence.
Construction of Riverbanks Botanical
Garden began in 1994 and opened in the summer of 1995. It’s connected to the
zoo by an 800-foot-long bridge over the scenic Saluda River. The Garden
includes a large visitor center, a formal walled garden, an antique rose
garden, an education center and a half-mile long nature trail along the riverbank.
Visitors may access the Garden by walking or taking a motorized tram.
A recent addition is a modest water
park adjacent to the Botanical Garden. Together with the zoo, Riverbanks is a
great place to spend a day.
Follow along to see what grows
behind the garden wall.
Edgeworthia chrysantha (foreground) |
Crapemyrtle allee |
Mixed bulb, annual, perennial planting |
Hyacinthoides hispanica |
Riverbanks Botanical Garden View |
Riverbanks Botanical Garden View |
Stauntonia hexaphylla |
Bignonia capreolata |
Rose arbor |
Have you visited the Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Garden? We'd love to hear what you think about it. Let us know in the Comment section.
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