Shandon Real Estate

Shandon is a very popular neighborhood because of it’s old southern charm and it’s history.

The area bounded by Devine, Kilbourne, Rosewood and Harden was once the Newsome farm, the Kleinbeck tract, and the site of the Columbia Race Track, all purchased between 1889-1894 by the Columbia Land and Investment Company. This company and the Columbia Electric Company began in 1891 to progressively promote the development of a suburban town on the southeastern boundaries of Columbia. The original combined tract included the acreage from Harden to Sims and Wheat to Garners Ferry Road, now Millwood Avenue. When the street car line was extended into this tract, the two company presidents chose the name “Shandon” to honor the Rev. Peter J. Shand as well as the beautiful Scottish town famed in the poem “The Hills of Shandon.” The area was laid out in squares of four acres each, bounded by sidewalks and 100 foot wide streets running east/west and 75 foot streets running north/south. Pretty parks were planned and trees were planted along the roadways.

The east and west streets were a projection of already existing city streets, although the land’s confirmation causes Devine, Blossom, and Wheat Streets to meet Harden at a slight angle. Area growth began in 1894 with the street car line extension from Gervais Street to Heidt Street and the opening of Shandon Pavillon between Heidt and Devine. An addition to the street car track two years later formed a circle from the Pavillion through Shandon up Harden to Gervais, providing Columbia residents with a favorite Columbia summertime outing.

Lot sales really began booming in 1900 when the Land and Investment Company paid to have the tracks extended from the Pavillion up Devine Street to Holly, with those near the corner of Devine and Woodrow selling the fastest. Six street cars per hour traveled to Shandon in 1901, bringing more and more new residents. Incorporated as a town on March 8, 1904, the suburb spread rapidly into the area below Blossom Street from Harden Street to Ott Street. In the following nine years, both the Methodists and Baptists established churches, the Presbyterians a mission, and a school opened in the community that had grown to 128 homes.

The intersection of Devine and Woodrow became the town center in 1913, with the school and three handsome brick stores all congregated there. June 13, 1913 marked the annexation of Shandon into the city of Columbia, bringing the 1,300 residents city water, electricity and sewage services. South Shandon was added to the suburb in 1910, Shandon Terrace in 1919 and Shandon Annex by 1921, completing the present-day boundaries.

During the 1930’s and 1940’s, many new homes were built in Shandon to accommodate the growth of Columbia and the World War II reactivation of Fort Jackson. In the 1950’s the area became an “old community,” many of the residents being of retirement age. But a renaissance occurred during the 1960’s as young families bought older homes to remodel and renovate in this community-centered location close to urban amenities.

Today, Shandon is truly a vibrant, multi-generational community, with people of all ages contributing to the neighborhood. This turn of events has rejuvenated the schools, churches and businesses in the area. Five Points, possibly the first suburban shopping area in South Carolina, is thriving, serving the neighborhood with a variety of stores and restaurants. Devine Street continues to provide residents with excellent shopping and eating alternatives.