thumb|right|upright|Palmetto Building completed in 1913 thumb|right|Troops returning from World War I march through Columbia, April 1919 thumb|President Woodrow Wilson's family home thumb|150px|Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States, lived in Columbia during his youth. thumb|Main Street looking towards State Capitol,1910s During the years 1911 and 1912, some $2.5 million worth of construction occurred in the city, as investors used revenues generated by the mills. New projects included construction of the Union Bank Building at Main and Gervais, the Palmetto National Bank, a shopping arcade, and large hotels at Main and Laurel (the Jefferson) and at Main and Wheat (the Gresham). In 1917, the city was selected by the US Army to be developed as the site of Camp Jackson, a U.S. military installation that was officially classified as a "Field Artillery Replacement Depot". The first recruits arrived at the camp on September 1, 1917. In the first several decades of the 20th century, white Democrats of the Solid South controlled an outsize amount of power in the House and Senate. The former Confederate states had effectively disenfranchised most blacks and many poor whites through passage of discriminatory laws and constitutions that made voter registration and voting more difficult. But they controlled all the seats in Congress related to the total state populations.
thumb|right|upright|palmetto building completed in 1913 thumb|right|troops returning from world war i march through columbia april 1919 thumb|president woodrow wilson's family home thumb|150px|woodrow wilson the 28th president of the united states lived in columbia during his youth thumb|main street looking towards state capitol1910s during the years 1911 and 1912 some $25 million worth of construction occurred in the city as investors used revenues generated by the mills new projects included construction of the union bank building at main and gervais the palmetto national bank a shopping arcade and large hotels at main and laurel (the jefferson) and at main and wheat (the gresham) in 1917 the city was selected by the us army to be developed as the site of camp jackson a us military installation that was officially classified as a "field artillery replacement depot" the first recruits arrived at the camp on september 1 1917 in the first several decades of the 20th century white democrats of the solid south controlled an outsize amount of power in the house and senate the former confederate states had effectively disenfranchised most blacks and many poor whites through passage of discriminatory laws and constitutions that made voter registration and voting more difficult but they controlled all the seats in congress related to the total state populations