Columbus, Georgia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Columbus, Georgia
Consolidated city-county
Downtown skyline on the banks of the Chattahoochee River Ledger-Enquirer Building The Liberty Theatre Central of Georgia Railroad Terminal First African Baptist Church Columbus Post Office and Courthouse Columbus Museum
Flag Seal Logo
Nicknames:  The Fountain City or The Lowell of the South
Motto(s):  "We Do Amazing"
Location within Georgia
Columbus, Georgia Location in Georgia (U.S. state) Show map of Georgia (U.S. state) Columbus, Georgia Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Muscogee
Founded	1828
Named for	Christopher Columbus
Area
• Consolidated city-county	221.01 sq mi (572.42 km2)
• Land	216.50 sq mi (560.73 km2)
• Water	4.51 sq mi (11.68 km2)
Elevation	243 ft (74 m)
Population  (2020)
• Consolidated city-county	206,922
• Rank	112th in the United States 2nd in Georgia
• Density	955.76/sq mi (369.02/km2)
• Urban	267,746 (US: 153rd)
• Urban density	1,874.2/sq mi (723.6/km2)
• Metro	328,883 (US: 157th)
Demonym(s)	Columbusite
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	31820, 31829, 31900–09, 31914, 31917, 31993–94, 31997–99
Area code(s)	706, 762
FIPS code	13-19007
GNIS feature ID	0331158
Airport	Columbus Airport (CSG)

Columbus is a large city in Georgia, located on its western border. It's known as a "consolidated city-county," which means the city and Muscogee County governments have joined together. Columbus sits right on the Chattahoochee River, across from Phenix City, Alabama.

Columbus is the second-largest city in Georgia, after Atlanta. In 2020, about 206,922 people lived here. The larger area around Columbus, including parts of Alabama, has over 560,000 people.

The city is home to Fort Moore, a big training base for the United States Army. Columbus also has many interesting places to visit, like the National Infantry Museum. Plus, it boasts the longest urban whitewater rafting course in the world on the Chattahoochee River!

History of Columbus, Georgia

How Columbus Began

Downtown Columbus in 1880

For many centuries, the area where Columbus is now was the traditional home of the Creek Indians. They were one of the main Native American groups in the Southeast.

Columbus was officially started in 1828 by the Georgia government. It was built at a special spot on the Chattahoochee River where boats could travel easily. The city was named after Christopher Columbus. Dr. Edwin L. DeGraffenried designed the city on a high area overlooking the river.

The river was very important for Columbus. It helped send cotton from nearby farms to big markets far away, like New Orleans and even Liverpool, England. In the 1850s, railroads came to Columbus, making it even more important for trade.

Factories that made cloth also started along the river, using the river's power. By 1860, Columbus was a major industrial city in the South. People even called it the "Lowell of the South," comparing it to a famous textile town in Massachusetts.

Columbus During the Civil War

Redd House, a historic building in Columbus

An old poster from 1863 in Columbus, warning about an attack

When the Civil War started in 1861, Columbus became a very important place for making supplies for the Confederate army. It was the second-biggest supplier, after Richmond. Factories in Columbus made uniforms, cannons, and weapons like swords and bayonets.

Near the end of the war, on April 16, 1865, Union soldiers attacked Columbus. They burned many of the factories. This battle happened even though the main Confederate army had already surrendered. A famous person, John Stith Pemberton, who later invented Coca-Cola, was hurt in this battle.

Rebuilding After the War

After the war, Columbus quickly began to rebuild. Factories like the Eagle and Phenix Mills started up again. The city grew fast. The Springer Opera House, a beautiful theater, was built during this time. It is now the official State Theater of Georgia.

By the time of the Spanish–American War, Columbus had modern features like a new water system and trolleys. A training camp for soldiers was also set up nearby, which grew into Fort Moore. It was named after Lieutenant General Hal Moore and his wife Julia Compton Moore.

Remembering the Past: Memorial Day

In 1866, a group of ladies in Columbus decided to create a special day to remember the soldiers who died in the Civil War. They wrote letters to other cities in the South, asking them to join. This was the start of a movement to honor fallen soldiers.

They chose April 26 as the day, because it was the anniversary of a major Confederate surrender. Later, in 1868, a Union general named John A. Logan started the Memorial Day holiday that we celebrate across the whole United States. His wife said he was inspired by what the Southern ladies had done.

Historians now believe that the idea for Memorial Day truly began in Columbus, Georgia.

Columbus in the 1900s

Downtown Columbus in the early 1950s

As Columbus grew, a new college was started, which later became Columbus State University. In 1971, the city and county governments officially joined together. This was one of the first times this happened in Georgia.

Columbus also became home to the main offices of big companies like Aflac, Synovus, and TSYS.

From the 1960s to the 1980s, many people moved out of downtown Columbus to the suburbs. But efforts began to save and restore historic buildings, like the Springer Opera House. This helped bring new life back to the city center.

New neighborhoods were built for soldiers returning from the Vietnam War and for those connected to Fort Benning. In the 1990s, Columbus saw a lot of improvements. The city built a softball complex for the 1996 Summer Olympics, the Chattahoochee RiverWalk, and museums like the National Civil War Naval Museum.

Columbus in the 2000s

In the 2000s, Columbus focused on making its downtown area even better. They improved places like the South Commons, which has sports stadiums. The National Infantry Museum was built near Fort Benning, bringing more visitors and jobs.

Columbus State University also expanded its campus into downtown. This brought more students and cultural activities to the area.

A big project called "Ready to Raft 2012" created the longest urban whitewater rafting course in the world on the Chattahoochee River. This project has brought many tourists and new jobs to Columbus.

The city expects more soldiers to train at Fort Benning in the future, which means Columbus will likely continue to grow!

Geography of Columbus

Downtown panorama of Columbus in 1886

Columbus is one of Georgia's "Fall Line Cities," along with Augusta and Macon. The Fall Line is where the hilly northern lands meet the flat southern plains. This gives Columbus a mix of rolling hills and flat areas. Rivers here drop quickly, which was perfect for building textile mills that used water power.

Major highways like Interstate 185 run through Columbus, connecting it to other cities. Columbus is about 100 miles (160 km) southwest of Atlanta.

The city covers about 221 square miles (572 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with some water from rivers and lakes. Columbus is right next to Phenix City, Alabama, which is its biggest nearby town.

Columbus Climate

Columbus has a warm, humid subtropical climate. Summers are hot, often reaching the mid-90s Fahrenheit (around 35°C). Winters are mild, with average low temperatures in the upper 30s Fahrenheit (around 3°C). Columbus is often seen as a "natural snowline" in the Southeast. Areas north of the city usually get snow every year, but areas to the south often don't.

Cityscape: Exploring Columbus's Areas

Columbus is known as "The Fountain City."

Columbus is divided into five main parts:

• Downtown: This is the city's main business area. It has many historic buildings and churches.
• East Columbus: This area is mostly homes and is located east of MidTown.

Fireworks in Downtown Columbus on July 4, 2009

• MidTown: This area has both homes and businesses, located right next to Downtown. It's where the company Aflac has its main office.
• North Columbus: This is a suburban area with many neighborhoods and shopping centers.
• South Columbus: Located south of MidTown and north of Fort Benning. It's home to the National Infantry Museum.

Economy and Jobs in Columbus

Columbus is home to the headquarters of several large companies. These include Aflac (an insurance company), TSYS (a payment processing company), Realtree (outdoor gear), and Synovus (a financial company).

Top Employers in Columbus

Many people work for these top employers in Columbus:

• Fort Moore: Over 45,000 employees
• Muscogee County School District: About 5,500 employees
• TSYS: Over 4,000 employees
• Aflac: Over 3,300 employees
• Columbus Consolidated Government: Over 2,800 employees
• Columbus Regional Healthcare System: Over 2,400 employees
• The Pezold Companies/McDonalds: About 2,000 employees
• Pratt & Whitney: Over 1,800 employees
• St. Francis Hospital, Inc.: Over 1,700 employees
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia: Over 1,600 employees

Arts and Culture in Columbus

Postcard: "Hello from Columbus, Georgia"

Columbus has many interesting places to visit and things to do.

Museums in Columbus

• The Columbus Museum: This museum, founded in 1953, has art and history exhibits. It's the largest art and history museum in Georgia.
• Historic Westville: This outdoor museum lets you explore 19th-century homes and see people demonstrating old crafts.
• The National Civil War Naval Museum at Port Columbus: This museum, opened in 1962, shows real Civil War ships, uniforms, and weapons.
• The Coca-Cola Space Science Center: Opened in 1996, this center teaches about space and astronomy. It has flight simulators and a planetarium.
• The National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center: Opened in 2009, this museum tells the story of the U.S. Army infantry. It also has an IMAX theater.
• The Bo Bartlett Center: This museum and gallery shows large paintings by local artist Bo Bartlett and other modern artists.
• The W.C. Bradley Museum: This art museum displays the art collection of the W.C. Bradley Company.

Postcard of 1011 Broadway

Shopping in Columbus

Columbus has a big indoor shopping mall called Peachtree Mall. It also has large outdoor shopping centers like Columbus Park Crossing and The Landings. In MidTown, you can find renovated shopping centers with local shops and restaurants.

Major Venues for Entertainment

Synovus Park, Columbus's oldest baseball park

Columbus has several important venues for sports and performances:

• A. J. McClung Memorial Stadium: A football stadium that used to host big college football games. It now hosts other college games.
• The Bradley Theater: A performance theater that opened in the 1940s.
• Columbus Civic Center: A large arena with 10,000 seats. It's used for concerts and sports, like the Columbus Lions indoor football team and the Columbus River Dragons hockey team.
• Synovus Park: A baseball stadium that opened in 1926, making it the oldest baseball park in the city. It hosts the Columbus Chatt-A-Hoots baseball team.
• RiverCenter for the Performing Arts: A modern theater with 2,000 seats, opened in 2002. It hosts local and national performances.
• Springer Opera House: A historic theater in downtown, opened in 1871. It's the official State Theatre of Georgia.

Historic Districts to Explore

Columbus Historic Riverfront Industrial District

Columbus has nine historic districts, which are special areas with old buildings and history. They are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Some of these include:

• Bibb City Historic District
• Columbus Historic District
• Columbus Historic Riverfront Industrial District
• Dinglewood Historic District
• Peacock Woods-Dimon Circle Historic District
• Weracoba-St. Elmo Historic District
• Wynn's Hill-Overlook-Oak Circle Historic District
• Wynnton Village Historic District
• Waverly Terrace Historic District

Columbus, Georgia: The Electric City.

Sports in Columbus

Columbus is home to several sports teams:

In 2006, the Columbus Northern Little League team won the 2006 Little League World Series championship!

Parks and Recreation in Columbus

Whitewater kayaking in the Chattahoochee River

Columbus has over 50 parks, four recreation centers, and four senior centers. It also has the Standing Boy Creek Park.

Walking and Biking Trails

• The Chattahoochee RiverWalk: A 15-mile (24 km) trail along the river, perfect for walking and biking.
• The Columbus Fall Line Trace: An 11-mile (18 km) trail that runs from downtown to the northeast part of the city.
• The Black Heritage Trail: A special trail that highlights important historical and cultural sites.

Whitewater Rafting and Zip-lining

The Chattahoochee River whitewater course opened in 2012. It was created by removing old dams, which brought the river back to its natural flow. This 2.5-mile (4 km) course is the longest urban whitewater rafting and kayaking course in the world! It's even been called the world's best man-made whitewater course.

You can also try the Blue Heron Adventure, a zip-line course that takes you across the Chattahoochee River from Georgia to Alabama and back!

Old and new courthouse buildings in Columbus

Education in Columbus

Schools for Kids

The Muscogee County School District manages schools from preschool to high school. It has 35 elementary schools, 12 middle schools, and nine high schools. Over 31,000 students attend these schools.

Children living on Fort Moore attend special schools run by the Department of Defense for grades K-8. For high school, they go to public high schools in the area.

Libraries in Columbus

Columbus Public Library

Columbus has four public libraries that are part of the Chattahoochee Valley Libraries system:

• Columbus Public Library
• Mildred L. Terry Public Library
• North Columbus Public Library
• South Columbus Public Library

Colleges and Universities

Columbus offers several options for higher education:

• Columbus State University
• Columbus Technical College
• Georgia Military College

There are also private colleges like Christian Life School of Theology and Miller-Motte Technical College.

Transportation in Columbus

Air Travel

Three Delta Connection planes at Columbus Airport

Columbus has its own airport, the Columbus Airport (CSG). It's the fourth-busiest airport in Georgia. You can catch daily flights to Atlanta from here.

Major Roads

Columbus is connected by several important highways:

• Interstate 185
• U.S. Route 27
• U.S. Route 80
• U.S. Route 280

Bus Services

The METRA Transit System provides public bus transportation within Columbus. You can also find Greyhound Lines for longer trips to other cities.

Train Service

Columbus used to have passenger train service, but it stopped in 1971. Today, only freight trains use the railway lines.

Sister Cities

Columbus has special connections with cities around the world, called "sister cities":

• Zugdidi, Georgia (country)
• Kiryū, Gunma, Japan
• Bistriţa, Romania
• Taichung, Taiwan

See also

In Spanish: Columbus (Georgia) para niños