1. On February 26, 1865, Union forces under Major General William T. Sherman entered the city of Columbia, South Carolina, and set fire to much of the city. The exact cause of the fire remains controversial, with some attributing it to Confederate forces and others to Sherman's troops.

2. In 1926, the historic Dock Street Theatre opened in Charleston, South Carolina, on February 26. The theatre, which was originally built in 1736 as the Planters Hotel and later served as a custom house and a mercantile exchange, was renovated and restored in the 1930s and became a popular venue for plays, musicals, and other performances.

3. On February 26, 1960, the South Carolina House of Representatives voted to sustain Governor Ernest Hollings' veto of a bill that would have banned the NAACP from operating in the state. The bill, which was supported by many white supremacists, was seen as an attempt to suppress civil rights activism in South Carolina.

4. In 1996, on February 26, a massive blizzard struck much of the eastern United States, including parts of South Carolina. The storm dumped up to two feet of snow in some areas, causing widespread power outages and travel disruptions.

5. On February 26, 2001, South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges signed into law a bill that authorized the creation of the South Carolina Education Lottery. The lottery, which began selling tickets in 2002, has since raised billions of dollars for education programs in the state.