Antique markets and southern hospitality near Columbia
Approximately 7 miles from South Carolina’s capital city is Oak Grove, a neighborhood where residents are friendly and welcoming. This is the type of place where locals wave hello to one another while shopping for antiques at the Barnyard Flea Market held on Saturday and Sunday mornings. During the summer months, nearby Lake Murray is a popular destination, where residents can watch as clouds of flapping wings obscure the sun when “Purple Martins take flight over the lake in August. It’s really something special,” says Jill Hydrick, a Realtor with EXIT Real Estate Consultants and a long-time area local. Oak Grove residents can also launch their boats from Jakes Landing, sunbathe on the shore or spend a few quiet hours fishing out on the water. Dividing the neighborhood in half from east to west is U.S. Route 1, a major thoroughfare lined with national retail chains, mom-and-pop shops and everything in between. It’s representative of Oak Grove as a whole, as it showcases a mix of new development and 1970s-era charm. When asked to describe Oak Grove and greater Lexington, Kate Sweeten one of the area's top real estate agents with RE/MAX at The Lake didn't hesitate--“It’s South Carolina and South Carolina is known for its southern hospitality. Smiling faces, beautiful places. That was written on our license plates.” It’s a tagline that certainly remains true in Oak Grove.
Oak Grove residents enjoy exploring vendors' stalls at the Barnyard Flea Market.
Some custom built Victorian-inspired homes can occasionally be found in Oak Grove
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1970s ranch homes and brand-new subdivisions
In Oak Grove, prospective buyers will find ‘70s-era brick ranch-styes on compact lots. Many feature covered carports and short driveways where homeowners can park their pickup trucks, or kids can shoot hoops from the comfort of their community's cul-de-sacs. Most streets are rustic and wooded, and price points hover between $150,000 and $250,000. According to Sweeten, prospective buyers will also find investment properties in need of some large-scale renovations for under the $150,000 mark. In other parts of the neighborhood, uniform craftsman and traditional-style homes in brand-new subdivisions like the Cottages at Roofs Pond sell for between $300,000 and $350,000 thanks to their modern finishes. Like many suburban Columbia communities, Oak Grove is a neighborhood on the rise.
Brick ranch homes are common in some of the older communities of Oak Grove.
Some homes in the Brookshire community in Oak Grove sit on cul-de-sacs.
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Centers for Advanced Study in Lexington School District Once
Oak Grove Students are incorporated into Lexington School District One where they can attend Oak Grove Elementary, which received an A-minus from the educational review site, Niche, along with White Knoll Middle and White Knoll High, which both earned B’s. There are six centers for advanced study in Lexington District 1, and qualified Oak Grove students can apply to participate in agribusiness research, media arts and law programs. White Knoll High School, in particular, is home to the district’s advanced medical studies program which attracts students from Oak Grove and surrounding Lexington-area neighborhoods.
Oak Grove Elementary is one of the highest rated elementary schools in Lexington County.
White Knoll High School teaches over 2000 students from the Oak Grove area.
White Knoll Middle School in Oak Grove has a 12:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
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Retail options along U.S. Highway 1
Oak Grove residents will find a range of retail and dining options in the Westside Plaza Shopping Center; pick up craft supplies at Hobby Lobby and find a Walmart Supercenter nearby. A Target is located off Sunset Boulevard. Drive west along Route 1 to order a hearty country breakfast at Lizard’s Thicket, a Columbia-area chain known for its Southern comfort food. Oak Grove is also known for its large-scale flea markets. Barnyard Flea is open on weekends, and visitors can snack on pork rinds, boiled peanuts and donuts while hunting for everything from collectible toy cars to antique wicker furniture. Or Shoppers can bargain hunt at US 1 Metro Flea, which is open on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Barnyard Flea Market vendors sell their antiques and goods to Oak Grove residents.
Stop by Lizard's Thicket in Oak Grove for a piece of cake or a fried pork chop.
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An outdoor amphitheater, baseball and over 400 animal species
To the west of the neighborhood along Route 1 is the Icehouse Amphitheater, a 900-seat outdoor venue that hosts live music and annual festivals like the Lexington Chili Cookoff in February. On Saturday mornings from May through September, the Icehouse is also home to an artisan and grower’s market. Rollerbladers can head to Three Fountains Skating Rink on Emanuel Church Road, and families cheer on The Lexington County Blowfish, the area’s summer collegiate baseball team, beginning in May. Drive up Interstate 26 to reach the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, which is home to more than 400 species from all over the world. Kids attend summer and winter break camps, and members get discounts on “backstage tours,” which offer up-close looks at the zoo’s most popular exhibits.
Lake Murray is 8 miles, or just about 15 minutes, from the neighborhood. Locals can rent pontoon boats with friends and family and explore the 50,000-acre lake during the summer months, practice water skiing and even scuba dive.
Softball and tennis facilities at community parks
Local softball teams head to bat at the Oak Grove Sports Complex, which is also home to a playground and picnic area. The Lexington County Tennis Complex has 21 lighted courts just across the street. The facility also hosts regular junior and adult tennis classes, and a championship-sized stadium can accommodate approximately 500 fans. South down Wattling Road towards Springdale is Community Park; West Columbia locals enjoy a small playground under the shade of decades-old Pine Trees.
Little league baseball games are a great way for Oak Grove residents to spend a school night.
The Lexington Tennis Complex holds local tournaments for Oak Grove residents to participate in.
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Proximity to the Columbia Metropolitan Airport
Less than 4 miles to the south of Route 1 and the center of Oak Grove is the Columbia Metropolitan Airport, which offers nonstop flights to 9 major U.S. cities. It’s not uncommon to hear the sound of planes taking off or landing in the distance, and the airport has also been a major employer in the Midlands region since it was first commercialized 80 years ago. Columbia’s public bus system, aka the COMET, stops along major thoroughfares like Platt Springs Road at the neighborhood’s southernmost border.
Residents can head to Lexington Medical Center along Sunset Boulevard for comprehensive care.
The Columbia Metropolitan Airport is easily accessible to Oak Grove residents.
COMET busses bring Oak Grove residents downtown to Columbia.
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Photography Contributed By
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Video By
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