Gravel roads in northeast Richland County

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by IM42A

It is very interesting topography. We are right on the crest of the Sandhills, what look to be sea oats grow along the road, and everything is downhill from us, elevation 420 feet. (Interesting altitude, I'm sure it could invite jokes about how "high" the elevation is , and just to clarify, I'm not a user.) If you get as far west as parts of Wilson Boulevard, you start seeing clay, and by the time you get out around Monticello Road, the Sandhills are no more. It's a very thin strand of territory.

very true.. from Wilson Blvd on over the Broad River to the west into NW Richland it seems to get more hilly.. I guess because you are heading towards the upstate?... further down the Broad/Congaree River into Lower Richland the land gets flatter and more flood prone... but it is also where most of Richland County's farming communities are located.. There is less farming in North Richland County.. though there were a few in NE Richland..Clemson Ext is also up there so I imagine they did some agricultural/environmental research there on the surrounding acreage?

.I recall growing up a small dairy farm on the south side of River Drive right before you hit the Broad River. People used to go down there to let their kids look at the cows....LOL...we were easily amused back then.. It was probably the largest "farm" in the city back then...Its no longer a farm but it is still undeveloped which is interesting given its proximity to the canal/waterfront.. I often wonder if they simply went out of business or if it became too expensive to operate there because of its relative small size, taxes, and possibly changes to environmental regulations regarding farms next to waterways especially the impact to urban areas "downstream". The city water facility is like a mile away ... did I mention.. DOWNSTREAM


https://www.google.com/maps/place/34...2!4d-81.053486

There used to be a few dirt roads in the Ridgewood section of Columbia which is just off of Monticello Road in the Eau Claire area. It resembled a rural community well into the 1990s when the County finally stepped up to pave most of them as the area was not in the city limits despite being very adjacent. Residents were complaining about crime and lack of services which prompted a variety of drainage improvement projects including paving and the addition of street lights. To this day there still has been minimal new development in this area despite in being within the urbanized area of Columbia proper....but all the roads are now paved...

https://www.google.com/maps/place/34...2!4d-81.053486

[IM42A]

Originally Posted by Woodlands

very true.. from Wilson Blvd on over the Broad River to the west into NW Richland it seems to get more hilly.. I guess because you are heading towards the upstate?... further down the Broad/Congaree River into Lower Richland the land gets flatter and more flood prone... but it is also where most of Richland County's farming communities are located.. There is less farming in North Richland County.. though there were a few in NE Richland..Clemson Ext is also up there so I imagine they did some agricultural/environmental research there on the surrounding acreage?

.I recall growing up a small dairy farm on the south side of River Drive right before you hit the Broad River. People used to go down there to let their kids look at the cows....LOL...we were easily amused back then.. It was probably the largest "farm" in the city back then...Its no longer a farm but it is still undeveloped which is interesting given its proximity to the canal/waterfront.. I often wonder if they simply went out of business or if it became too expensive to operate there because of its relative small size, taxes, and possibly changes to environmental regulations regarding farms next to waterways especially the impact to urban areas "downstream". The city water facility is like a mile away ... did I mention.. DOWNSTREAM


https://www.google.com/maps/place/34...2!4d-81.053486

There used to be a few dirt roads in the Ridgewood section of Columbia which is just off of Monticello Road in the Eau Claire area. It resembled a rural community well into the 1990s when the County finally stepped up to pave most of them as the area was not in the city limits despite being very adjacent. Residents were complaining about crime and lack of services which prompted a variety of drainage improvement projects including paving and the addition of street lights. To this day there still has been minimal new development in this area despite in being within the urbanized area of Columbia proper....but all the roads are now paved...

https://www.google.com/maps/place/34...2!4d-81.053486

Monticello Road north of I-20 is an interesting area. The further north you go, it has almost a mountainous feel, reminded me a bit of parts of the Asheville area. The area around Camp Ground Road before you get to Monticello has a similar feel. Richland County is an incredibly geographically diverse place.