“B” is for Barhamville Academy. Founded in 1828, Barhamville Academy was the common name for the South Carlina Female Collegiate Institute, an institute for the higher education of women that was located outside of Columbia. It was founded by Dr. Elias Marks, a physician and educator. The school was located on property northeast of Columbia that Marks called “Barhamville” to honor his late wife Jane Barham, a teacher who shared his commitment to the development of women’s intellectual abilities. The school attracted boarding and day students, with a total enrollment of more than 120 in 1855. Among its most notable graduates were Ann Pamela Cunningham, who led the efforts to preserve Mount Vernon, and Martha Bulloch, the mother of President Theodore Roosevelt. Barhamville Academy closed after the Civil War and its buildings burned down in 1869.
“B” is for Barhamville Academy
