COTTON-
TOWN
neighborhood
Cottontown, one of Columbia’s first planned suburbs located just north of downtown, is today experiencing a rebirth in popularity, with many young professionals, artists and families drawn to its charming bungalows, walkable streets and hip vibe.
It’s a neighborhood of single-family homes, mostly Craftsman bungalows that have retained their architectural integrity and historic appearance nearly a century after they were built. The homes, with their covered front porches and welcoming feel, are nestled on lightly traveled streets with mature hardwoods forming a lush canopy overhead. Cottontown is an example of an early planned suburb whose appearance hasn’t been greatly altered even as Columbia has grown and changed over the past 100 years. Add in Cottontown’s location just north of the downtown business district, along with a growth spurt of neighborhood coffee shops, cool and casual restaurants, breweries, and beer gardens, and it’s easy to see why the area is drawing raves from newcomers and holding its appeal to long-time residents.
Also known as Bellevue, the neighborhood is on the National Register of Historic Places and is protected as an architectural conservation district by the City of Columbia. Along with its proximity to Columbia’s downtown business district, it is close to the BullStreet District and the revitalized North Main Street area. Cottontown is a short drive to the Vista, the University of South Carolina, and Five Points, and has easy access to I-26 and I-20.
COTTONTOWN
neighborhood
Cottontown, one of Columbia’s first planned suburbs located just north of downtown, is today experiencing a rebirth in popularity, with many young professionals, artists, and families drawn to its charming bungalows, walkable streets, and hip vibe.
It’s a neighborhood of single-family homes, mostly Craftsman bungalows that have retained their architectural integrity and historic appearance nearly a century after they were built. The homes, with their covered front porches and welcoming feel, are nestled on lightly traveled streets with mature hardwoods forming a lush canopy overhead. Cottontown is an example of an early planned suburb whose appearance hasn’t been greatly altered even as Columbia has grown and changed over the past 100 years. Add in Cottontown’s location just north of the downtown business district, along with a growth spurt of neighborhood coffee shops, cool and casual restaurants, breweries, and beer gardens, and it’s easy to see why the area is drawing raves from newcomers and holding its appeal to long-time residents.
Also known as Bellevue, the neighborhood is on the National Register of Historic Places and is protected as an architectural conservation district by the City of Columbia. Along with its proximity to Columbia’s downtown business district, it is close to the BullStreet District and the revitalized North Main Street area. Cottontown is a short drive to the Vista, the University of South Carolina, and Five Points, and has easy access to I-26 and I-20.
RECREATION & PARKS
The Cottontown neighborhood is perfect for exploring on foot or bicycle, with shady sidewalks and mainly flat terrain. Several city park options are accessible nearby, including Earlewood Park, one of the city’s oldest and largest parks, located just beyond the neighborhood’s border on Parkside Drive. The sprawling park includes a new community center, playground, walking trails, amphitheater, disc golf course, tennis courts, baseball and kickball fields, and basketball courts. NoMa Bark Park, a 2-acre dog park, is also located in Earlewood Park.
The neighborhood also is adjacent to the new BullStreet District, an urban redevelopment that will include walkable streets and a mix of residential, retail, dining, and recreational uses. It features a dynamic minor league baseball stadium and a new 20-acre park with a pond and plenty of green space.
FUN FACT
Following the lead of Shandon, a planned residential community on the east side of downtown Columbia, investors decided to give a planned neighborhood a try on the north side of downtown. Property owner William Wallace registered a plat with 16 lots facing Bull Street – the start of a neighborhood that eventually would be known as Cottowntown. In 1896, Columbia expanded its streetcar line north beyond Main Street to Hyatt Park, where there was a new casino and pavilion for the residents moving into the new suburb. In March 1913, the Cottontown neighborhood that was then known as Bellevue was annexed into the city of Columbia.
what’s in a name
There is no question where Cottontown’s name originated; it comes from the crop that was extensively harvested in South Carolina in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the neighborhood’s earliest days, this area was just outside of the original Columbia city limit and was home to cotton storage warehouses. By the late 19th century, it was renamed Bellevue Springs, the idea that a new name would make the new suburb feel more like a residential district rather than a warehouse area. While it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the Bellevue Historic District, these days it is popularly referred to by its original name –Cottontown.
RECREATION & PARKS
The Cottontown neighborhood is perfect for exploring on foot or bicycle, with shady sidewalks and mainly flat terrain. Several city park options are accessible nearby, including Earlewood Park, one of the city’s oldest and largest parks, located just beyond the neighborhood’s border on Parkside Drive. The sprawling park includes a new community center, playground, walking trails, amphitheater, disc golf course, tennis courts, baseball and kickball fields, and basketball courts. NoMa Bark Park, a 2-acre dog park, is also located in Earlewood Park.
The neighborhood also is adjacent to the new BullStreet District, an urban redevelopment that will include walkable streets and a mix of residential, retail, dining, and recreational uses. It features a dynamic minor league baseball stadium and a new 20-acre park with a pond and plenty of green space.
FUN FACT
Following the lead of Shandon, a planned residential community on the east side of downtown Columbia, investors decided to give a planned neighborhood a try on the north side of downtown. Property owner William Wallace registered a plat with 16 lots facing Bull Street – the start of a neighborhood that eventually would be known as Cottowntown. In 1896, Columbia expanded its streetcar line north beyond Main Street to Hyatt Park, where there was a new casino and pavilion for the residents moving into the new suburb. In March 1913, the Cottontown neighborhood that was then known as Bellevue was annexed into the city of Columbia.
what’s in a name
There is no question where Cottontown’s name originated; it comes from the crop that was extensively harvested in South Carolina in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the neighborhood’s earliest days, this area was just outside of the original Columbia city limit and was home to cotton storage warehouses. By the late 19th century, it was renamed Bellevue Springs, the idea that a new name would make the new suburb feel more like a residential district rather than a warehouse area. While it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the Bellevue Historic District, these days it is popularly referred to by its original name –Cottontown.
HOME STATS
Cottontown is home to nearly 400 residences, most of them single-family homes, with duplexes and apartments dotting the neighborhood. The majority of the homes were built in the first half of the 20th century, between 1925 and 1940. There are some Tudors, American foursquare, and Colonial revivals, but bungalows dominate the neighborhood. The homes have maintained their original appearance, with many new owners renovating them with 21st-century upgrades.
HOME STATS
Cottontown is home to nearly 400 residences, most of them single-family homes, with duplexes and apartments dotting the neighborhood. The majority of the homes were built in the first half of the 20th century, between 1925 and 1940. There are some Tudors, American foursquare, and Colonial revivals, but bungalows dominate the neighborhood. The homes have maintained their original appearance, with many new owners renovating them with 21st-century upgrades.
1
Homes for Sale
19
New Listings
17
Homes Sold
$310,400
Average Sales Price
16
Days on Market
98.27%
List Price to Sales Price Ratio
These numbers are provided by CMLS and collected by The Moore Company for 2022. They were updated on January 24, 2022. The information contained herein is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
1
Homes for Sale
19
New Listings
17
Homes Sold
$310,400
Average Sales Price
16
Days on Market
98.27%
List Price to Sales Price Ratio
These numbers are provided by CMLS and collected by The Moore Company for 2022. They were updated on January 24, 2022. The information contained herein is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
NEARBY
AMENITIES
RESTAURANTS & MORE
The North Main Street district has seen a rebirth in recent years, with the area stretching from the Elmwood Park neighborhood to Earlewood Park even getting its own nickname – NOMA. Shops, bars, and eateries with a distinctively cool flair have opened in the area, including the Cottontown Brew Lab, offering a beer garden as well as to-go craft beers, and a vegan soul food restaurant, A Peace of Soul. The War Mouth, with favorites on the menu like slow-cooked whole-hog barbecue and Carolina Gold rice, is a popular neighborhood gathering spot and also draws customers from around the city.
NEIGHBORHOODS SCHOOLS
Children in Cottontown attend Logan Elementary, St. Andrews Middle and Columbia High schools in Richland School District One.
NEED GROCERIES?
A Publix grocery store on Gervais Street in the Vista is a short drive from Cottontown. There also is a Food Lion on Harden Street in Five Points.
NEARBY
AMENITIES
RESTAURANTS & MORE
The North Main Street district has seen a rebirth in recent years, with the area stretching from the Elmwood Park neighborhood to Earlewood Park even getting its own nickname – NOMA. Shops, bars, and eateries with a distinctively cool flair have opened in the area, including the Cottontown Brew Lab, offering a beer garden as well as to-go craft beers, and a vegan soul food restaurant, A Peace of Soul. The War Mouth, with favorites on the menu like slow-cooked whole-hog barbecue and Carolina Gold rice, is a popular neighborhood gathering spot and also draws customers from around the city.
NEIGHBORHOODS SCHOOLS
Children in Cottontown attend Logan Elementary, St. Andrews Middle and Columbia High schools in Richland School District One.
NEED GROCERIES?
A Publix grocery store on Gervais Street in the Vista is a short drive from Cottontown. There also is a Food Lion on Harden Street in Five Points.
EXPLORE THE AREA
Cottontown is located just north of Columbia’s Main Street business district, bounded by North Main and Bull streets, and Grace and Elmwood avenues. It is close to the new BullStreet District and has easy access to I-26 and I-20.
EXPLORE THE AREA
Cottontown is located just north of Columbia’s Main Street business district, bounded by North Main and Bull streets, and Grace and Elmwood avenues. It is close to the new BullStreet District and has easy access to I-26 and I-20.