
701 Whaley
Restored 1903 Olympia Mill community center in Columbia with a 6,000-square-foot Grand Hall, a glass-floored 1918 pool room, and five rentable event spaces.
Venues · Columbia & Midlands
A 1924 First National Bank building in downtown Columbia, on the National Register since 1980, with two ballrooms, a marble-walled library, and the original twin vaults.





At a Glance
What It Costs
Published starting price
From $3,000
Ballroom from $3,000 midweek; full building $4,100–$8,150 depending on day
Among the 5 Columbia wedding venues in our directory that publish a starting price, the lowest is $1,200 and the median is $1,500. 1208 Washington Place starts above the median.
These are the rates 1208 Washington Place publishes, as of this listing's last update (September 6, 2026). Rates change by season and date; confirm current pricing with the vendor before booking.
About
Two steel vaults once stood behind the teller counter at First National Bank. They were moved to the back of the room in 1950, and couples now walk through them — the doors open at both ends. The building went up in 1924 as the National Loan & Exchange Bank addition, a two-story Neoclassical block with a stone facade and four Doric columns, and it has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980.
Weddings work across two ballrooms. The National Republic Ballroom occupies the old banking floor and books together with the vaults and The Library — the bank's former boardroom, which keeps its marble walls and floors, crown molding, vintage wainscot paneling, and an oversized gas fireplace. The Washington Street Ballroom, the Stocks and Bonds room in the bank's day, adds tall windows, and three terraces handle cocktail hours outdoors.
Rates are published rather than quoted. The National Republic Ballroom runs $3,000 Sunday through Thursday and $5,300 on Friday; Saturdays require the full building, which is $8,150 that day, $7,100 on Friday, and $4,100 midweek. The address is a block off the State House in the Vista, with hotels across the street and restaurants a short walk away.
Location
1208 Washington St, Columbia, SC 29201
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