Columbia is a city in
Maury County,
TennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The 2008 population was 34,402 according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. It is the
county seatA county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of
Maury County.
The town is notable for being the self-proclaimed "
MuleA mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Horses and donkeys are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes. Of the two F1 hybrids between these two species, a mule is easier to obtain than a hinny...
capital of the world" and honors this fact with
Mule DayMule Day, an annual celebration of all things related to mules, is held in Columbia, Tennessee, the self-proclaimed "Mule Capital" of the world...
, a large celebration held annually every April. Columbia is also the home of the national headquarters for the
Sons of Confederate VeteransSons of Confederate Veterans is an American national heritage organization with members in all fifty states and in almost a dozen countries in Europe, Australia and South America...
.
Geography
Columbia is located at 35°36′54"N 87°2′40"W (35.615022, -87.044464). It is nestled along the banks of the Duck River at the southern edge of the Nashville Basin with the higher elevated ridges of the Highland Rim located to the south and west of the city. The Duck River is the longest river located entirely within the state of Tennessee. Free flowing for most of its length, the Duck River is home to over 50 species of freshwater mussels and 151 species of fish, making it the most biologically diverse river in North America. It enters the city of Manchester and meets its confluence with a major tributary, the Little Duck River, at Old Stone Fort State Park, named after an ancient Native American structure between the two rivers believed to be nearly 2,000 years old. The Duck River is sacred to most of the founding Native American tribes east of the
Mississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
.
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 29.6 square miles (76.7 km²), of which 29.6 square miles (76.7 km²) is land and 0.03% is water. Incorporated in 1817, the city is at an elevation of 637 feet (194.2 m).
History
A year after the organization of Maury County in 1807, Columbia was laid out in 1808 and lots were sold. The original town, on the south bank of the Duck River, consisted of only four blocks. The town was incorporated in 1817. For years, it was the county seat of the richest county in agricultural wealth in the state. Today, it is a tourist destination, most of whom are drawn by the numerous historic sites in the area. Attractions include the
James K. Polk Ancestral HomeThe James K. Polk Ancestral Home, also known as James K. Polk House, is U.S. President James K. Polk's only surviving home other than the White House. It is located at 301 West 7th St., Columbia, Tennessee. The home was built by his father, Samuel Polk, in 1816...
, the Columbia Athenaeum, Mule Day, and nearby plantation homes.
Famous natives of Columbia include
James K. PolkJames Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
, Governor, Congressman, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and eleventh President of the United States; A.O.P. Nicholson, state senator, U.S. Senator, and Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court;
Sterling MarlinSterling Marlin is a retired NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He is the son of late NASCAR driver Coo Coo Marlin. He is married to Paula and has a daughter, Sutherlin, and a son, Steadman, who sometimes races in the Nationwide Series....
,
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver; Dr. Marion Dorsett, inventor of the serum to control hog cholera;
Fran McKeeFran McKee was the first female line officer to hold the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. She was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral on June 1, 1976 and earned her second star in November 1978...
, first female line officer to hold the rank of rear admiral in the U.S. Navy; Lyman T Johnson, civil rights movement;and Raphael Benjamin West former Nashville mayor, noted Civil Rights ally, and
John Harlan WillisJohn Harlan Willis was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.-Biography:...
,
United States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
sailor and a recipient of the
Medal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
—for his actions during the
Battle of Iwo JimaThe Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
in World War II.
Columbia is also home to Tennessee's first two-year college, Columbia State Community College, that was established in 1966. President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife Lady Bird Johnson arrived to dedicate the new campus on March 15, 1967.
Movies filmed in or near Columbia
- In 1986, a brief scene from the film At Close Range
At Close Range is a film based on the real life rural Pennsylvania crime family led by Bruce Johnston, Sr. which operated during the 1960s and 1970s. It was released on April 18, 1986, and stars Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Mary Stuart Masterson, Millie Perkins, Candy Clark and...
was filmed east of Columbia at a water filled rock quarry.
- In 1999, parts of the film The Green Mile
The Green Mile may refer to:* The Green Mile , a 1996 serial novel by Stephen King* The Green Mile , a 1999 film based on the Stephen King novel, starring Michael Clarke Duncan and Tom Hanks-See also:* Miles Green...
were filmed in Williamsport, near Columbia.
- In 2002, Stuey was filmed in Columbia and Nashville.
- The film Daltry Calhoun
Daltry Calhoun is a 2005 film, written and directed by Katrina Holden Bronson and starring Johnny Knoxville as the lead character Daltry Calhoun and Sophie Traub as his estranged daughter...
, starring Johnny KnoxvillePhilip John Clapp , better known by his stage name Johnny Knoxville, is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, stunt performer, best known for being the co-creator and principal star of the MTV reality series Jackass, with the catchphrase "I'm Johnny Knoxville, and welcome to Jackass."-Early...
, was filmed in Columbia and Spring Hill in 2004.
- In 2009, Hannah Montana: The Movie
Hannah Montana: The Movie is a 2009 Walt Disney Pictures musical comedy film based on the Disney Channel show Hannah Montana which was released on April 10, 2009, by Walt Disney Pictures, it was the second Disney Channel series to have a movie for Walt Disney Pictures. The film was directed by...
was filmed in downtown Columbia, at Maury County Airport, and a local dairy farm. Other local area film locations included Franklin High School in nearby Franklin and Nashville.
- In 2009, scenes for Bailey http://us.imdb.com/title/tt1470020/ (2010), a Mario Van Peebles
Mario "Chip" Cain Van Peebles is an American director and actor who has appeared in numerous Hollywood films. He is son of filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles.-Life and career:...
film, were shot in downtown Columbia on the square and in other locations.
Demographics
As of the
censusA census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 33,055 people, 13,059 households, and 8,801 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,116.8 people per square mile (431.2/km²). There were 14,322 housing units at an average density of 483.9 per square mile (186.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.63% White, 30.13% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.06% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.70% of the population.
There were 13,059 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,879, and the median income for a family was $42,822. Males had a median income of $34,898 versus $22,093 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $18,004. About 10.9% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.7% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.
Notable residents
- James Edwin Ruthven Carpenter, Jr.
James Edwin Ruthven Carpenter, Jr. was the leading architect of luxury residential high-rise buildings in New York City in the early 1900s. He studied at the University of Tennessee and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, from which he graduated in 1884...
, architect
- Lynnette Cole
Lynnette Cole-O'Nan , won the title Miss Tennessee USA in 2000. She went on to become the first woman from that state to win the Miss USA pageant, which was held in Branson, Missouri on February 4, 2000....
, Miss USAThe Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
in 2000
- Phil Everly, of the Everly Brothers, country
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
-influenced rock and rollRock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
performer
- Lyman T. Johnson
Lyman Tefft Johnson was an American educator and influential leader of racial desegregation in Kentucky. He is best known as the plaintiff whose successful legal challenge opened the University of Kentucky to African-American students in 1949.-Early life and education:Born in Columbia, Tennessee...
, civil rights activist
- Joe Knight
Jonah William "Quiet Joe" Knight was a professional baseball player. He played two seasons in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Quakers and Cincinnati Reds , primarily as a left fielder....
, professional basketball player, State Champion Long Jumper at Columbia Central High School
- Sterling Marlin
Sterling Marlin is a retired NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver. He is the son of late NASCAR driver Coo Coo Marlin. He is married to Paula and has a daughter, Sutherlin, and a son, Steadman, who sometimes races in the Nationwide Series....
, Back to Back Daytona 500 Winner in 1994 and 1995
- Dan Uggla
Daniel Cooley Uggla is an American professional baseball second baseman with the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball....
, Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player and All-Star for the Atlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
City council elections
| Year |
Elected |
Votes |
% |
Seat |
| 2011 |
Carl McCullen |
269 |
67% |
Ward 1 |
| 2011 |
Debbie Matthews |
UO |
- |
Ward 2 |
| 2011 |
Christa Martin |
242 |
88% |
Ward 3 |
| 2011 |
Mike Greene |
UO |
- |
Ward 4 |
| 2011 |
Mark King |
304 |
57% |
Ward 5 |
External links