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Columbus, Georgia
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Columbus is a city in Muscogee County, Georgia, United States. It is the primary city of the Columbus, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area, an MSA which encompasses all of Columbus, Georgia, Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, and Muscogee counties, Georgia, and Russell County, Alabama, and which, along with the Auburn-Opelika, Alabama MSA and the Tuskegee, Alabama Micropolitan Statistical Area, comprise the greater Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, Georgia-Alabama Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the entire city-county population was 186,291 and 276,000 in the Georgia-Alabama metro area.
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Columbus is a city in Muscogee County, Georgia, United States. It is the primary city of the Columbus, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area, an MSA which encompasses all of Columbus, Georgia, Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, and Muscogee counties, Georgia, and Russell County, Alabama, and which, along with the Auburn-Opelika, Alabama MSA and the Tuskegee, Alabama Micropolitan Statistical Area, comprise the greater Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, Georgia-Alabama Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the entire city-county population was 186,291 and 276,000 in the Georgia-Alabama metro area. The city is the county seat of Muscogee County, with which it is a consolidated city-county.
Because of the consolidation and the 2001 annexation of Bibb City, Columbus is now listed with the same population and other demographic data as the entire county. Fort Benning takes up most of the rest of the county.
History
Founded in 1828 by an act of the Georgia Legislature, Columbus was situated at the beginning of the navigable portion of the Chattahoochee River and on the last stretch of the Federal Road before entering Alabama. The city was named for Christopher Columbus, its founders likely influenced by the writings of Washington Irving. The plan for the city was drawn up by Dr. Edwin L. DeGraffenried who placed the town on a bluff overlooking the river. Across the river, where Phenix City, Alabama is now located, Creek Indians lived until their removal in 1836.
The river served as Columbus' connection to the world, particularly connecting the plantations in the region with the international cotton market via New Orleans and ultimately Liverpool, England. The city's commercial importance increased in the 1850s with the arrival of the railroad. In addition, textile mills began springing up along the river, bringing industry to an area reliant upon agriculture. By 1860, the city was one of the more important industrial centers of the South, earning it the nickname "the Lowell of the South," in deference to the industrial town in Massachusetts.
When the outbreak of war came in 1861, the industries of Columbus expanded their production and Columbus became one of the most important centers of industry in the Confederacy. In addition to textiles, the city had an ironworks as well as a shipyard for the Confederate Navy. The city finally saw its only fighting on Easter Sunday, April 16, 1865, when a Union detachment under General James H. Wilson attacked the city and burned many of the industrial buildings. The inventor of Coca-Cola, Dr. John Stith Pemberton, was wounded in this battle. The owner of America's last slave ship, Col. Charles Augustus Lafayette Lamar, was killed here. Ironically, the battle occurred after Confederate General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, effectively ending the Civil War. A historic marker has been erected in Columbus marking the battle by Wilson's troops as the "Last Land Battle in the War Between the States."
Reconstruction began almost immediately and prosperity followed. The industrialization of the town led to rapid growth; the city had outgrown its original plan. Columbus was graced with the Springer Opera House on 10th Street, which has hosted over a century of great performers and still delights audiences today.
By the time of the Spanish American War, the city began to see much modernization including the addition of trolleys extending to outlying neighborhoods such as Rose Hill and Lakebottom and a new water works. Mayor Lucius Chappell also brought a training camp for soldiers to the area. This training camp named Camp Benning would grow into present day Fort Benning, named for General Henry L. Benning, a native of the city.
With the expansion of the city, the need for a university saw the establishment of Columbus College, a two-year institution which would later grow into Columbus State University, now a comprehensive center of higher learning. The city would consolidate city and county governments in 1971 and become the first of its kind in Georgia (and one of only 16 in the U.S. at the time). As the city has turned from its initial industry of textiles, it has provided a home for other prominent industries including the headquarters for Aflac, Synovus, TSYS and Carmike Cinemas.
During the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, urban blight, flight, and prostitution were serious problems in much of downtown Columbus and adjacent neighborhoods. Early efforts to halt the gradual deterioration of downtown began with the saving and lavish restoration of the Springer Opera House in 1965. With the revitalization of the Springer and its subsequent designation as the State Theatre of Georgia, a historic preservation movement was sparked and various historic districts were established in and around downtown. Large tracts of blighted areas were cleaned up and a modern Government Center was constructed in the city center. A significant period of urban renewal and revitalization followed in the mid to late 1990s. With these improvements, residents and businesses began moving back to these formerly blighted areas. Examples of these municipal projects including the construction of a softball complex which hosted the 1996 Olympic softball competition, construction of Riverwalk park along the Chattahoochee River, construction of the National Civil War Naval Museum at Port Columbus, construction of the Coca-Cola Challenger Space Science Center, the expansion of the Columbus Museum, and road improvements to include a new downtown bridge crossing the Chattahoochee River to Phenix City. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, commercial activity expanded north of downtown along the I-185 corridor. During the next several years, the expansion will continue starting with the growth at Fort Benning. Over the next several years more than 15,000 new troops will move to the Chattahoochee Valley.
Geography and climate
Columbus is located at (32.489608, -84.940422).
According to the US Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 221.0 square miles (572.4 kmē), of which, 216.3 square miles (560.1 kmē) of it is land and 4.7 square miles (12.3 kmē) of it (2.14%) is water.
| Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures | | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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| Rec High °F | 83 | 83 | 89 | 93 | 97 | 104 | 104 | 104 | 100 | 96 | 86 | 82 |
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| Norm High °F | 56.9 | 61.6 | 69.4 | 76.5 | 83.2 | 89.5 | 91.7 | 91 | 86 | 77 | 67.6 | 59.2 |
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| Norm Low °F | 36.6 | 39 | 45.7 | 51.8 | 61.3 | 68.8 | 72.3 | 71.5 | 66.4 | 54.5 | 45.7 | 39 |
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| Rec Low °F | -2 | 10 | 16 | 28 | 39 | 44 | 59 | 57 | 38 | 24 | 10 | 4 |
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| Precip (in) | 4.78 | 4.48 | 5.75 | 3.84 | 3.62 | 3.51 | 5.04 | 3.78 | 3.07 | 2.33 | 3.97 | 4.4 |
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| Source: USTravelWeather.com |
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 186,291 people, 69,819 households, and 47,686 families residing in the city. The population density was 861.4 people per square mile (332.6/kmē). There were 76,182 housing units at an average density of 352.3/sq mi (136.0/kmē). The racial makeup of the city was 50.42% White, 43.74% African American, 4.49% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 1.54% Asian, 0.38% Native American, 0.14% Pacific Islander, and 1.90% from other races. 1.87% of Columbus's population had mixed heritage.
There were 69,819 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were married couples living together, 19.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 11.9% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,798, and the median income for a family was $41,244. Males had a median income of $30,238 versus $24,336 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,262. About 12.8% of families and 15.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.0% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.
Crime
For 2006, (see areaConnect.com) Columbus had an overall crime rate of 7,850.6 per 100,000 residents; this exceeds the national average of 4,479.3 crimes per 100,000 people by 75%. By way of comparison, New York City's overall crime rate was 2,517.1 per 100,000 residents.
The rate for violent crimes was 620.8 per 100,000, compared to the national average of 553.5 per 100,000; murders and robberies exceeded the national average, while rapes and aggravated assaults were below the national average. Property-crime rates, such as burglaries, larceny and motor vehicle thefts, significantly exceeded the national average (7,229.8 in Columbus, compared to the national average of 3,906.1). In recent years, drug crimes have also risen.
Transportation
Metropolitan area
The Columbus metropolitan area includes four counties in Georgia, and one in Alabama. Census 2005 estimate showed 284,299 in the Columbus metro.
Entertainment
Columbus is home to many exciting cultural, artistic, and athletic venues. The Springer Opera House (the official State Theatre of Georgia), the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, National Civil War Naval Museum at Port Columbus, the Columbus Museum, the Coca-Cola Challenger Space Science Center and the Columbus Civic Center.
Sports
Sister cities
Zugdidi, Georgia
Kiryu, Japan
Bistrita, Romania
Notable Columbus natives and residents
The following people are closely associated with the city of Columbus, or one of its surrounding communities, and have garnered a level of national or international recognition. For a more comprehensive list of notable Columbus natives and residents, see People from Columbus, Georgia.
- Reggie Abercrombie, Major League Baseball player
- Bo Bartlett, painter
- Henry L. Benning, Confederate general and namesake of Fort Benning
- Brentson Buckner, former NFL defensive tackle
- Eugene Bullard, first African-American fighter pilot
- William Calley, U.S. Army officer convicted of ordering the My Lai Massacre
- Robert Cray, Blues guitarist and vocalist
- Austin Creed, wrestler
- Madeleine Davis, International Singer, Boney M
- Glenn Davis, former Major League Baseball player
- Donna D'Errico, actress and model
- Phil Gramm, former United States senator
- Justin Guarini, musician, actor, and American Idol runner-up
- Jake Hess, Southern Gospel musician
- Roderick Hood, NFL cornerback
- Tim Hudson, Major League Baseball pitcher
- Marty Jannetty, professional wrestler
- Nunnally Johnson, screenwriter, film producer and author
| Mirabeau B. Lamar, third President of the Republic of Texas.Carson McCullers, novelist, author of The Heart Is a Lonely HunterCurley Money, Rockabilly artist and songwriterBebo Norman, Contemporary Christian singer and songwriterNate Odomes, former NFL defensive backGeorge Foster Peabody, namesake of the Peabody AwardJohn Stith Pemberton, creator of Coca-ColaJames Rachels, philosopherMa Rainey, Blues musician known as "The Mother of the Blues"Otis Sistrunk, former NFL defensive tackleMack Strong, former NFL fullbackAlma Thomas, color field painterFrank Thomas, Major League Baseball playerKeni Thomas, country music singerDanny Whitten, musicianBlind Tom Wiggins, pianist and savantTim Wilson, comedian and country music singerRobert W. Woodruff, long-time president of The Coca-Cola Company |
Miscellaneous
- Columbus is the third largest city in Georgia and the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state. Columbus was the second largest city in Georgia in 1996, when Augusta and Richmond County consolidated, making it the second largest city in Georgia.
- From 1916 through 1958, Columbus was the site for every college football game, except one, between the University of Georgia and Auburn University. Georgia won 21 times, Auburn won 16 times, and there were 2 ties.
- Tom's Foods was based in Columbus before the company closed in October, 2005. Its facilities are now used by Lance, Inc
- Columbus lies next to Fort Benning, home to one of the largest basic training facilities in America for infantry.
- Every November, SOA Watch organizes a protest, which is held in Columbus just outside the main entrance to Fort Benning, against the former School of the Americas. Celebrities who have appeared at the protest have included Martin Sheen and Susan Sarandon. Since 2002, a counter-protest called God Bless Fort Benning Day has been organized by local residents.
- Was the home of RC Cola until the 1980s.
- Coca-Cola was developed here by Dr. John Pemberton, who resided in Columbus during the 1860s.
- The City Council nicknamed Columbus the Fountain City in 1966, at the suggestion of Othell Hand. Hand, who was then pastor of First Baptist Church, had been impressed by the fountains he and his family saw on a trip to Europe. The fountains along Broadway in Uptown Columbus were refurbished in a Streetscape project.
- Columbus' Golden Park was the site of the first ever Olympic women's fast-pitch softball competition during the 1996 Olympic Games.
- The all-star team from Columbus Northern Little League captured the 2006 Little League World Series Championship on August 28, 2006, with a 2-1 victory over Kawaguchi City, Japan at Howard J. Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
- In 1987, the Columbus City Council passed an anti-lewdness ordinance in reaction to a controversial Beastie Boys concert. This led to the city receiving the dubious distinction of being insulted by rapper Ice-T in his 1991 single "Freedom of Speech". Ice-T had planned to do a show in Columbus, but was threatened with jail time if the show contained profanity. He cancelled the show and condemned the Columbus city fathers for being narrow-minded and interfering with his right to free expression.
- The National Infantry Museum is now located with in city limits, and after its completion, will be the largest military museum in the country.
- In 2007, a documentary film entitled "The Last Ditch" debuted on public television. It detailed the Civil War battle for Columbus, a struggle many historians consider to be the final "official" battle of the war. The film was nominated for five Southeast Regional EMMY awards, winning two.
- The Columbus Stockade, immortalized in the song "Columbus Stockade Blues" is still standing and is still used to house non-violent prisoners.
- The Columbus Ledger newspaper founder, Mirabeau B. Lamar, became the 3rd President of the Republic of Texas.
- Columbus's longest current professional sports franchise are the Columbus Cottonmouths hockey team which began play in 1996. They have brought 2 Championships to the city, winning the Central Hockey League Levins Cup in 1998, and were the Inaugural Southern Professional Hockey League President's Cup Champions in 2005.
- The city uses a "tax freeze" property tax system in which the property tax valuation and tax rate for a homeowner's primary residence is frozen in the year in which the property is purchased. The tax freeze remains in effect until the homeowner either sells the home to a new owner, or obtains a building permit and upgrades the property, triggering a new valuation. The tax freeze is opposed by some local residents who view it as a form of unequal taxation. Under this system two neighbors with equally valued property can have very different tax bills, especially when one neighbor has lived in his home for a much longer period of time than the other. However, a majority of Columbus voters have consistently decided against changing the system and the law was upheld as constitutional by the Supreme Court of the State of Georgia in 2003.\
- Columbus, Georgia has two malls, Peachtree Mall and Columbus Park Crossing.
- Columbus Square Mall was a former mall in the city. It was also one of the first indoor malls in the state of Georgia.
- In its June-July 2008 issue, Best Life magazine ranked Columbus #4 among US metropolitan areas as one of the best cities in the country to raise a family.
Media
Newspapers
- The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, the only daily newspaper in Columbus
- The Columbus Times, a weekly publication featuring African-American perspectives of current events
- Playgrounds Magazine, a monthly entertainment and arts magazine.
- The Saber, Columbus State University campus newspaper
Television
Radio
AM
FM
See also
- List of mayors of Columbus, Georgia
- List of schools in Muscogee County, Georgia
External links
- (entry in the New Georgia Encyclopedia)
- , from its selection as a "trading town" in 1827, to its partial destruction by Wilson's raid, in 1865, by John H. Martin. Publisher: Columbus, Ga., T. Gilbert, 1874-75. (searchable facsimile at the University of Georgia Libraries; DjVu & format)
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