(Re)Discover COMO: True/False, Heritage Trail, and the Gateway

(Re)Discover COMO is a monthly feature sponsored by the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau highlighting places, events, and historical connections that new residents and visitors can discover, and not-so-newcomers and long-time residents can … rediscover.  

African American  Heritage Trail  

Columbia’s African-American Heritage Trail is a two-mile walking trail in central Columbia with dozens of historical markers highlighting Columbia’s Black community. The trail is centered around the Sharp End, the Black business district that thrived until 1950s urban renewal projects decimated much of Columbia’s vibrant Black community, leaving only fading memories which the markers serve to recall. The trail consists of twenty-nine historic markers that honor local Black people and institutions from the city’s first 200 years.   

The trail project was spearheaded by the Sharp End Heritage Committee in collaboration with Regional Economic Development Inc. (REDI) and city of Columbia Parks and Recreation. Local businesses, organizations and individuals provided financial support.  

Maps of the trail are available at various locations, including the Walton Building at 300 S. Providence, which houses offices of the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.  

Columbia Gateway Plaza  

It’s Columbia’s premier selfie spot: The Gateway Plaza.  

Located at the corner of Providence and Broadway, The Gateway Plaza opened on November 4, 2021, after nearly a decade of planning. Following eight years of public input, design development, and project modifications, the Gateway Plaza at the intersection of Broadway and Providence is on city-owned land and is part of The Downtown District’s plan to bring public art downtown.  

The centerpiece of the plaza is a large sculpture spelling out “Columbia” featuring an eight-foot globe for the “O” and dimensional stainless-steel letters. Artwork on the globe includes words submitted by residents that describe our community and dates of significant events. The sculpture was fabricated by local artist Emmett Russell.  

Although solely a project of the Downtown Community Improvement District (Downtown CID), Gateway Plaza was designed to complement the city’s expansion and redevelopment of Flat Branch Park. The dedication of the plaza was an early hallmark of Columbia’s Bicentennial events, with installation of the sculpture completed in November 2021.  

The globe represents the letter “O” in Columbia and is the central feature of the Gateway Plaza installation. It is a commanding eight feet in diameter, installed on a tilted axis, and internally illuminated at night. The globe includes eleven critical dates in Columbia’s history as well as words and images.  

True/False Film Fest  

True/False is an annual festival in Columbia that strives to celebrate the best of international nonfiction filmmaking. T/F brings together filmmakers, artists, and musicians to create an immersive and communal experience focused on cinema constructed from reality. The 2025 edition is set for February 27 through March 2.  

Films, music, art installations, and more enmesh for the long weekend, transforming Columbia into a one-of-a-kind utopia with screenings, live music, and art installations. The transformative, rambunctious, ecstatic experience of T/F creates a cathartic journey that invites participants to do nothing less than to re-imagine reality. To learn more, buy a pass, or check out the film and music schedule, go to truefalse.org.  

True/False Film Fest and Ragtag Cinema are projects of the Ragtag Film Society, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization.  

T/F showcases downtown Columbia and its potential by welcoming in the wider international community.