Columbus, Kentucky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Columbus, Kentucky
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Water tower in Columbus
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Location of Columbus in Hickman County, Kentucky.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Hickman |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.32 sq mi (0.83 km2) |
| • Land | 0.32 sq mi (0.82 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 459 ft (140 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 140 |
| • Density | 440.25/sq mi (169.85/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
42032
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| Area code(s) | 270 & 364 |
| FIPS code | 21-16768 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0489887 |
Columbus is a small city in Hickman County, Kentucky, in the United States. It's located at the western end of the state, very close to the Mississippi River. In 2020, about 140 people lived there. This was a decrease from 229 people in 2000.
Columbus-Belmont State Park is right next to the city on its west side.
Contents
History of Columbus
Columbus is the oldest town in a part of Kentucky called the Jackson Purchase. It was first settled in 1804. Back then, it was known as "Iron Banks" because of the French name les rivages de fer.
The town's name was changed to Columbus in 1820. This was done to honor the famous Italian explorer, Christopher Columbus. In the same year, Columbus got its first post office and was officially recognized by the state. It used to be the main town for Hickman County before the county offices moved to Clinton. Columbus officially became a city in 1860.
Columbus During the Civil War
In 1861, when the American Civil War started, soldiers from the Southern states (Confederate forces) took control of Columbus. They built a fort called Fort de Russey to protect the area overlooking the Mississippi River. A Confederate general named Leonidas Polk even tried to stretch a giant anchor chain across the entire Mississippi River at Columbus. This was meant to stop Union boats from traveling downriver.
The Union army, led by General Ulysses S. Grant, fought the Confederates at Belmont, which was on the Missouri side of the river. This was General Grant's first direct battle in the war. Today, you can learn about these events at the Columbus-Belmont State Park, which is on a high cliff near Columbus.
Later History and Changes
In 1878, a famous American railroad worker named Casey Jones got his first job here. He was only 15 years old and worked as a telegrapher for the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. A telegrapher sends messages using Morse code.
In 1927, a very big flood called the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 covered the town. Many other areas along the Mississippi River were also flooded. After the flood, the people of Columbus moved the town to higher ground, away from the river. Some of the original houses were saved and moved to the new location.
Because Columbus is in a rural area and river travel isn't as common anymore, the number of people living there has slowly gone down over the years.
Geography
Columbus is located in the northwestern part of Hickman County. It sits on high ground about 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) east of the Mississippi River. The Columbus-Belmont State Park is to the west, on a bluff that rises almost 200 feet (61 meters) above the river.
Kentucky Route 58 goes southeast from Columbus for about 9 miles (14 km) to Clinton, which is the main town of the county. Kentucky Route 123 goes through the middle of Columbus. It leads south then east for 15 miles (24 km) to Clinton, and north-northeast for 10 miles (16 km) to Bardwell.
The city of Columbus covers a total area of about 0.32 square miles (0.83 square kilometers), and all of it is land.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1830 | 196 | — | |
| 1860 | 963 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,574 | 63.4% | |
| 1880 | 1,338 | −15.0% | |
| 1890 | 873 | −34.8% | |
| 1900 | 1,235 | 41.5% | |
| 1910 | 970 | −21.5% | |
| 1920 | 654 | −32.6% | |
| 1930 | 513 | −21.6% | |
| 1940 | 552 | 7.6% | |
| 1950 | 482 | −12.7% | |
| 1960 | 357 | −25.9% | |
| 1970 | 371 | 3.9% | |
| 1980 | 296 | −20.2% | |
| 1990 | 252 | −14.9% | |
| 2000 | 229 | −9.1% | |
| 2010 | 170 | −25.8% | |
| 2020 | 140 | −17.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 229 people living in Columbus. The population has changed over time, as shown in the table above.
Climate
The weather in Columbus has hot, humid summers. The winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is known as a humid subtropical climate.
Images for kids
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Downtown Columbus, around 1920
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A map of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad in 1903.
See also
In Spanish: Columbus (Kentucky) para niños
