MidTown (Columbus, Georgia) facts for kids

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Midtown is a neighborhood in Columbus, Georgia. It's important not to confuse it with Midtown, New York. This area covers about six square miles.

Midtown is home to many things. You'll find residential neighborhoods, eleven public schools, the Columbus Museum, and the Columbus Public Library. It also has the Muscogee County Public Education Center and the Columbus Aquatic Center. The international headquarters for Aflac is here too.

About 22,000 people live in Midtown, in around 8,500 homes. It is located 10 kilometers north of Fort Benning along I-185.

The boundaries of Midtown are Talbott and Warm Springs Roads to the north. I-185 is to the east. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard is to the south, and 10th Avenue is to the west. Midtown is also close to many bike paths. The Fall Line Trace bike trail runs along its northern edge. The 14-mile (23 km) Riverwalk is only one mile (1.6 km) away.

Midtown's History and Growth

Soon after Columbus, Georgia, was founded in 1828, wealthy people started building large homes outside the main city. These estates were for their families, even if they had businesses in the city.

After the American Civil War, the invention of the streetcar made it easier for more people to live in the suburbs. In 1887, John F. Flournoy and Louis F. Garrard bought the Columbus Railroad Company. They created the Belt Line trolley. This trolley helped people travel from downtown to areas like Wynton.

In the same year, Flournoy and Garrard started the Muscogee Real Estate Company. They began dividing land into smaller lots for homes. This led to a building boom in Midtown in the early 1900s.

Many things helped Midtown grow. More people moved to the city, and there was a growing middle class. A big fire in downtown Columbus also made people look for homes outside the city center. After World War I and the creation of Fort Benning, Midtown really grew. Most of Midtown was built during this time.

Other business owners in Columbus followed John Flournoy's lead. They turned rural land into new neighborhoods. In 1925, the Thirteenth Street Viaduct was finished, making it easier to get around by car. That same year, Columbus expanded its city limits to include the fast-growing Midtown area.

Neighborhoods and Historic Areas

Midtown has nineteen different neighborhood associations. It also has six historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These districts are connected and form one of the largest historic areas in the United States. They include:

• Dinglewood Historic District
• Peacock Woods-Dimon Circle Historic District
• Weracoba-St. Elmo Historic District
• Wildwood Circle-Hillcrest Historic District
• Wynnton Village Historic District
• Wynn's Hill-Overlook Historic District

Dinglewood Historic District

The Dinglewood Historic District is a small, residential area. It includes the Dinglewood house, built around 1859. There are also homes from the early 1900s, a private circular park, and a city park.

The district grew around Dinglewood, a large, two-story house. It was designed in 1858 for Colonel Joel Early Hurt. He spent a lot of money on his home, even adding his own water and gas systems. Next to Dinglewood House are two smaller homes built around 1858. These were reportedly for the builders of the main house.

Homes in this district show styles like Georgian, Bungalow, Ranch, Colonial Revival, and Spanish Colonial Revival.

Peacock Woods-Dimon Circle Historic District

Development of the Peacock Woods-Dimon Circle Historic District started in 1922. John Flournoy's Peacock Woods subdivision is the northern part. Samuel Kelly Dimon's Dimon Circle subdivision is the southern part.

Flournoy hired Earle S. Draper, a famous landscape architect. Draper designed Peacock Woods to be a beautiful neighborhood with curved streets and park-like areas. Dimon Circle was created from Dimon's family land in 1922. More lots were added in 1928. The center of the district, called Rock Park, was developed by Charles Frank Williams. The southwest part, Wynnton Heights, was divided by Hezikiah Land.

This district has many architectural styles. These include Colonial Revival, Craftsman, English Vernacular Revival, and Spanish Colonial Revival. There is even one California Ranch style home from 1954.

Weracoba-St. Elmo Historic District

This district's history began with the founding of Columbus. It includes St. Elmo, a famous mansion built around 1830. Another older house, Highland Hall, from the 1850s, is also here. Both houses are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They show how the area was once used for large suburban estates before the American Civil War.

Today, the Weracoba / St. Elmo Historic District is a lively area. It has homes, parks, schools, and businesses. It has a strong community feel. The area is known for its many Craftsman Bungalow, Tudor Revival, Classical, and Mission Revival style homes. Most of these homes were built between the 1920s and 1940s.

Wildwood Circle-Hillcrest Historic District

This district is an early 20th-century streetcar suburb that continued to grow until the mid-1950s. In the 1880s, a streetcar line was built along Wildwood Avenue. John Francis Flournoy, who owned the streetcar line, built his own Queen Anne estate here. He also developed the Wildwood Circle subdivision.

Sales of lots along the streetcar line were highest from 1918 to 1925. This district also includes the childhood home of Carson McCullers (1917–1967). She was a famous novelist and playwright. Architectural styles here include Colonial Revival, English Vernacular Revival, and Craftsman.

Village of Wynnton Historic District

This neighborhood shows how areas developed from older estates. It also grew because of the streetcar line that ran nearby. Wynnton Village has changed over 150 years. It started with large estates before the Civil War. Then, a village center grew in the mid-1800s.

Streetcar suburbs began in the 1890s. From 1919 through the 1940s, many homes were built. During World War II, it became a popular place for officers from Fort Benning to live. Architectural styles range from early Greek and Gothic Revival to popular 20th-century styles. These include Craftsman, Colonial Revival, and English Vernacular Revival.

Wynn's Hill-Overlook Historic District

This neighborhood also developed from several older estates. In 1834, Colonel William L. Wynn bought 100 acres (0.4 km²) of land. It was on a hill east of downtown Columbus. Wynnton Road was an important road that divided Wynn's land from John Woolfolk's land.

In the 1920s, much of the district was bought and developed by Lloyd G. Bowers. He hired Earle S. Draper, a famous landscape architect. Draper designed a beautiful neighborhood with curved streets and park-like settings. This style can also be seen in the Peacock Woods-Dimon Circle Historic District.

When the larger Wynnton area became part of the city in the mid-1920s, building boomed. Another peak in construction happened in the 1940s. Architectural styles here include Greek Revival, Neoclassical Revival, Colonial Revival, Craftsman, and English Vernacular Revival.

Parks and Recreation in Midtown

Midtown's unique character comes from its curved, tree-lined streets and small parks. These were part of its original design. Weracoba Park, also known as Lakebottom Park, is the oldest large park in the city. It started in 1890 as a private park with a lake, dance hall, and small zoo.

In 1924, the city bought the park. Part of it became the site of Columbus High School. The lake was drained, and the rest became Weracoba Park. It was named after the creek that runs through it. Today, Weracoba Park covers over 40 acres. It has ball fields, tennis courts, a basketball court, a playground, and tracks for walking and running. About 10,000 people use it every day.

The work of two famous landscape architects can be seen in Midtown. The gardens around the Columbus Museum were designed in the 1920s by the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted. Earle Draper designed the curved streets and small parks in Peacock Woods.

Midtown is also close to many cycling paths. The Fall Line Trace bike trail runs along Midtown's northern border. The 14-mile (23 km) Riverwalk is just one mile (1.6 km) to the west.

Cultural, Civic, and Educational Places

The Columbus Museum is located on the west end of Wynnton Road in Midtown. It is the second largest museum in Georgia. It focuses on American art and local history.

The Columbus Public Library is a large, 100,000-square-foot (9,300 m²) building designed by architect Robert Stern. The Muscogee County School District's Public Education Center opened in 2009. Both of these important buildings are on Midtown's eastern side, near I-185.

There are eleven public schools within Midtown. Wynnton Arts Academy, founded in 1837, is the oldest elementary school in Georgia that has been used continuously. It is also one of the oldest in the country.

Shopping and Dining in Midtown

Midtown has two of the city's early suburban shopping centers: The Village on 13th and St. Elmo. These have been updated and now have many shops. You can find various other shops, art galleries, and services throughout Midtown.

Larger chain stores and restaurants are located in the Cross Country area. This is on Macon Road near I-185.