Partners

• AT&T provides local & long distance phone services and a nation-wide cell phone provider, as well as satellite TV and DSL internet services to South Carolina residents.
• Central Midlands Council of Governments provides a variety of local and regional planning services and technical assistance to local governments within Fairfield, Newberry, Lexington and Richland counties.
• City Center Partnership recruits and promotes economic growth and development to revitalize Downtown Columbia into the place of choice for restaurants, retail and tourism in the Midlands.
• City of Cayce boasts rich historical heritage as the home of the Fort Granby site. Cayce is also the site of one of the earliest European settlements in the Midlands.
• City of Cayce Historical Museum chronicles the history of the first European settlement in South Carolina’s Midlands in the early 1700s. The museum interprets the agricultural, social, and cultural heritage of the Cayce, Old Saxe Gotha, Granby, and West Columbia areas.
• City of Columbia is the capital of South Carolina and home to the University of South Carolina. The three rivers running through Columbia (the Broad and Saluda Rivers meet to form the Congaree River) provide a peaceful setting for outdoor recreation for residents and visitors.
• City of Columbia Parks and Recreation strives to provide Columbia residents with more than fifteen vibrant parks that include indoor and outdoor recreational events.
• City of West Columbia is graced with tree-lined streets, quaint shops, long-time residents and young families. The City of West Columbia is conveniently located along the Congaree and Saluda Rivers in Lexington County.
• Columbia Development Corporation assists in economic development of Columbia through public-private partnerships and business development.
• Congaree National Park preserves 22,000 acres of some of the tallest hardwood trees in the Eastern United States. These lush trees, many of which are Bald Cypress, also form one of the highest natural canopies remaining in the world.
• Congaree Vista Guild represents the businesses within the revitalized downtown district of Columbia that offer world-class arts, entertainment, dining and shopping. The Vista’s western most border is the Congaree River.
• Dominion Energy is the main supplier of commercial, business and residential energy, electricity services and natural gas to South Carolinians.
• EdVenture is the south’s largest children’s museum. Located in Columbia’s Vista, Edventure is home to the world’s largest boy, Eddie!
• ETV RiverVenture is the story of South Carolina’s cultural and natural landscape as told by its rivers. RiverVenture will take you on a virtual “float-trip” across South Carolina, following the Saluda, the Congaree, the Santee and the Cooper rivers.
• Experience Columbia directs and manages the activities and mission of the Columbia Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, Columbia Regional Sports Council and Columbia Regional Visitors Center.
• Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce strives to create and promote an economic environment where businesses can flourish.
• Greater CWC Chamber strives to create and promote an economic environment where businesses can flourish in the Cayce and West Columbia area.
• Historic Columbia Foundation is a city leader in heritage tourism providing daily house museum tours, walking tours and guided bus tours of Columbia’s cultural and historical properties.
• Irmo/Chapin Recreation Commission strives to enhance the quality of life for all citizens of the district through the development of recreation programs that promote a lifestyle of wellness, physical activities and cultural experiences for all ages.
• Lexington County spans over 750 square miles and boasts a thriving economy, steadily increasing population and unsurpassed recreational activities including the Broad and Saluda Rivers and Lake Murray.
• Lexington County Museum recounts the early history of Lexington County including structures and furnishings from 1770 to the Civil War.
• Lexington County Recreation Commission works to improve the quality of life for all citizens in Lexington County through creative and meaningful life enriching experiences. This is done through the provisions of program services, facilities and education.  The Commission operates summer camps, leisure and wellness centers, and parks and recreation.
• Richland County is home to the capital city of Columbia, Fort Jackson Military Base, and a pristine array of lakes, rivers, forests and parks.
• Richland County Recreation Commission is dedicated to enhancing the lives and positive experiences of Richland County residents of every age and ability through diverse opportunities for lifelong wellness, personal growth, socialization, and the pursuit of happiness (play) in environments that are creative, safe, affordable and accessible.
• Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Garden serves as home to 3,000 mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. The Botanical Gardens boasts a collection of more than 4,200 species of native and exotic plants.
• South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum preserves and displays South Carolina’s extensive military culture with artifacts from more than 300 years of military campaigns.
• South Carolina Department of Archives and History preserves and promotes the documentary and cultural heritage of South Carolina. The South Carolina Archives and History department is the caretaker of the South Carolina Archives, a collection of more than 325 years of historical documents recording the rich and diverse history of the people and government of South Carolina
• South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is a state governmental agency charged with the preservation and protection of S.C.’s natural resources
• South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism is assigned to operate and manage South Carolina’s 47 state parks, to promote the state as a preferred vacation destination and to provide assistance to communities for parks, recreation and tourism development and promotion.
• South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology (SCIAA) was established in 1963 as a University of South Carolina research institute and a State cultural resource management agency. As the latter, it serves as the main State agency concerned with South Carolina’s Prehistoric and Historic Archaeology, and its discovery, study, revelation, and official safekeeping at a curatorial facility.
• South Carolina Military Museum is dedicated to preserving the heritage of the South Carolina National Guard and honoring the memories of men and women citizen soldiers who, for more than 300 years, have served South Carolina and the United States.
• South Carolina State Museum is housed in the historic 1893 Columbia Mill Textile Building along the riverfront. The South Carolina State Museum offers exhibits about cultural history, art, science and technology, and natural history that make South Carolina a unique and vibrant state.
• Southeast Archeological Center (SEAC) supports long-term protection and use of archeological resources and information for national parks and other agencies within the southeastern United States and Caribbean.
• Southern Campaigns of the American Revolution is an informal fellowship of people with an interest in the events, people, places, and ideas surrounding the American War of Independence.
• State Adjutant General consists of three main elements: the SC Army National Guard, the SC Air National Guard and State Operations. The State Adjutant General also operates the South Carolina Military Museum, which chronicles the military history and artifacts of South Carolina’s Citizen-Soldiers.
• University of South Carolina is the flagship university of South Carolina and home to the extensive development and research plans (Innovista) that will extend the campus to the riverfront.
  

Outdoor Recreation Partners

• American Rivers works across a broad range of programs to restore and protect rivers throughout the United States as well as to provide an ample clean water supply to all Americans.
• Columbia Regional Sports Council  provides coordination of sporting events, facilities and associations in the City of Columbia, as well as Richland and Lexington Counties.
• Congaree Riverkeeper works to protect and improve water quality, wildlife habitat, and recreation on the Congaree, Lower Saluda and Lower Broad Rivers through advocacy, education and enforcement of environmental laws.
• Harbison State Forest is located approximately nine miles from downtown Columbia. The park includes more than sixteen winding miles of roads and trails and is bounded along its northeastern edge by the dazzling waters of the Broad River.
• Keep the Midlands Beautiful is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to litter prevention and solid waste management through education, public awareness and citizen involvement.
• Palmetto Conservation Foundation conserves South Carolina’s natural and cultural resources, preserves historic landmarks and promotes outdoor recreation through trails and greenways, including the Palmetto Trail.
• The Waterfront Center is a non-profit educational organization, formed in 1981 in the belief that waterfronts — where the land meets the ocean, bay, lake, river or canal — are unique, finite resources. The vital characteristic that separates waterfronts from other areas in a community is the relationship to water.

The River Alliance is a 501-(c)3 non-profit organization. If you are interested in supporting the River Alliance’s efforts by making a monetary donation, please contribute online or contact us at (803) 765-2200.