Columbia

Columbia, Tennessee
Columbia, Tennessee Town Square
Seal
Nickname(s): Mule Town
Motto: Old South Charm, New South Progress
Location of Columbia, Tennessee
Coordinates: 35°36′54″N 87°2′40″W / 35.615°N 87.04444°W / 35.615; -87.04444
Country	United States
State	Tennessee
County	Maury
Area
- Total	29.6 sq mi (76.7 km2)
- Land	29.6 sq mi (76.7 km2)
- Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	643 ft (196 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	33,055
- Density	1,116.8/sq mi (431.2/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	38401-38402
Area code(s)	931
FIPS code	47-16540[1]
GNIS feature ID	1269483[2]

Columbia is a city in Maury County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 33,983 at the 2007 census. It is the county seat of Maury County^[3].

The town is notable for being the self-proclaimed "Mule capital of the world" and honors this fact with Mule Day, a large celebration held annually every April. Columbia is also the home of the national headquarters for the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Geography

Columbia is located at 35°36′54″N 87°2′40″W / 35.615°N 87.04444°W / 35.615; -87.04444 (35.615022, -87.044464)^[4]. 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.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.6 square miles (76.7 km²), of which, 29.6 square miles (76.7 km²) of it is land and 0.03% is water.

History

The James K. Polk Ancestral Home in Columbia is the only one of President Polk's homes that is still standing

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 an important tourist destination, most of whom are drawn by the numerous historic sites in the area. Attractions include the James K. Polk Home, the Columbia Athenaeum, Mule Day, and nearby plantations.

Famous natives of Columbia include James K. Polk, 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 Marlin, NASCAR driver; Dr. Marion Dorsett, inventor of the serum to control hog cholera; and Fran McKee, first female line admiral in the U.S. Navy, and Raphael Benjamin West former Nashville major, noted Civil Rights ally.

Columbia Race Riot of 1946

In 1946, a race riot dubbed 'The Columbia Race Riot' occurred in the county seat, Columbia, TN.

A fight between James Stephenson, an black Navy veteran, and a white shopkeeper apparently ignited the event, and later that same day there was shooting, fighting, and rioting between whites and blacks in a part of Columbia known as "Mink Slide", a name for the black business district. Several people were eventually charged with rioting and attempted murder; the main attorney who arrived in Columbia to defend Stephenson in the case was Thurgood Marshall, who would later become the first black United States Supreme Court justice.^[5]

Columbia State Community College

Columbia State Community College was the first community college in Tennessee. It was dedicated by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson.

Movies Filmed in Columbia

• Parts Of The Film Green Mile, Filmed In The Country Side Of Columbia TN
• The film Daltry Calhoun, starring Johnny Knoxville, was filmed in Columbia and elsewhere in Maury County in 2004.
• In 2008, Hannah Montana: The Movie was filmed in downtown Columbia.^[6]
• The Film, Stuey, Filmed In Columbia And Nashville Tennessee In 2002.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 33,055 people, 13,059 households, and 8,801 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,116.8 people per square mile (431.2/km²). There were 14,322 housing units at an average density of 483.9/sq mi (186.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 74.63% White, 21.13% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.06% from other races, 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 couples 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 income 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

• Lynnette Cole, Miss USA 2000
• Phil Everly, of the Everly Brothers, noted country-influenced rock and roll performer
• Joe Knight, Professional Basketball Player. Played in Turkey and Austria. State Champion Long Jumper at Columbia Central High School
• Coo Coo Marlin, NASCAR driver
• Steadman Marlin, NASCAR driver
• Sterling Marlin, NASCAR driver and Daytona 500 winner
• Dan Uggla, Major League Baseball player and All-Star for the Florida Marlins
• Caleb, Jared, Matthew and Nathan Followill – members of rock band Kings of Leon
• Members of the Experimental Rock band Vinyl Thief

References

External links

• City website
• Columbia Daily Herald

• Columbia, Tennessee is at coordinates 35°36′54″N 87°02′40″W / 35.615022°N 87.044464°W / 35.615022; -87.044464 (Columbia, Tennessee)Coordinates: 35°36′54″N 87°02′40″W / 35.615022°N 87.044464°W / 35.615022; -87.044464 (Columbia, Tennessee)

v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Maury County, Tennessee County seat: Columbia Cities Columbia | Mt. Pleasant | Spring Hill‡ Unincorporated communities Culleoka | Fly | Hampshire | Hopewell | Santa Fe | Williamsport Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties