Columbus

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City of Columbus
—  City  —
From top: Downtown Columbus skyline, the Chattahoochee RiverWalk, the Columbus Consolidated Government Center, the Springer Opera House, the Columbus Civic Center, the The Holy Family Catholic Church, and Downtown in the 1950s.
City seal and logo
Nickname(s): The Lowell of the South, The Fountain City
Motto: What Progress Has Preserved
Location in Muscogee County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 32°29′32″N 84°56′25″W / 32.49222°N 84.94028°W / 32.49222; -84.94028Coordinates: 32°29′32″N 84°56′25″W / 32.49222°N 84.94028°W / 32.49222; -84.94028
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Muscogee
Founded	1828
Named for	Christopher Columbus
Government
- Mayor	Jim Wetherington
Area
- City	220.8 sq mi (572 km2)
- Land	216.1 sq mi (559.7 km2)
- Water	4.7 sq mi (12.3 km2)
Population (2000)
- City	186,291
- Density	861.4/sq mi (332.6/km2)
- Metro	287,653
- Metro Density	1,215.9/sq mi (489.4/km2)
- Demonym	Columbusite
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	31820, 31829, 31900, 31901, 31902, 31903, 31904, 31905, 31906, 31907, 31908, 31909, 31914, 31917, 31993, 31994, 31997, 31998, 31999
Area code(s)	706, 762
FIPS code	13-19007[1]
GNIS feature ID	0331158[2]
Airport	Columbus Metropolitan Airport- CSG
Website	City of Columbus

Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States,^[3] with which it is consolidated. Its population was 186,291 people at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2008, had an estimated population of 287,653. It joins with the Auburn, Alabama metropolitan area to form the Columbus, Georgia-Auburn, Alabama Combined Statistical Area, which, in 2008, had an estimated population of 442,953. It is the third largest city and fourth largest metro area in the state, and also the 120th largest city in the U.S.

Columbus lies approximately 100 miles (160 km) south of Atlanta. Fort Benning, a major employer, is located south of the city in Chattahoochee County. The city is also home to several museums and tourism sites, such as the National Infantry Museum. The area is served by the Columbus Metropolitan Airport. The current mayor is Jim Wetherington, who was elected in 2006. The city was ranked number 4 on the 100 Best U.S. Cities to live by Best Life Magazine.^[4]

History

Downtown in 1880 (image by Theodore R. Davis)

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."

The Muscogee County Courthouse in 1941, which was destroyed in 1970.

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 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.

Downtown Columbus in the early 1950s

Geography

Columbus Consolidated Government Center

A rare occurrence of snow in East Columbus (photo taken 3/1/09)

Columbus is one of Georgia's three Fall Line Cities, along with Augusta and Macon. The Fall Line is where the hilly lands of the Piedmont plateau meet the flat terrain of the coastal plain. As such, Columbus has a varied landscape of rolling hills on the north side and flat plains on the south. The fall line causes rivers in the area to decline rapidly towards sea level, making it an ideal location for textile mills in the past. The Chattahoochee River is the major river that runs through Columbus.

The city is located at 32°29′23″N 84°56′26″W / 32.489608°N 84.940422°W / 32.489608; -84.940422 (32.489608, -84.940422).^[5]

According to the US Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 221.0 square miles (572.4 km²), of which, 216.3 square miles (560.1 km²) of it is land and 4.7 square miles (12.3 km²) of it (2.14%) is water.

Climate

Columbus has a humid subtropical climate. Daytime summer temperatures often reaches a high in the mid 90s, and low temperatures in the winter average in the upper 30s. Columbus is often considered a dividing line or "natural snowline" of the southeastern United States with areas north of the city receiving snowfall annually, with areas to the south typically not receiving snowfall every year or at all.

Cityscape

Downtown panorama (1840)

Columbus is divided into five geographic areas, and they are as follows:^[7]

• Downtown is the city's central business district, and home to many historic districts, homes, and churches such as the Columbus Historic Riverfront Industrial District, the Mott House, and the Holy Family Catholic Church. It is considered by some to be the area bounded on the north by Talbotton Road; on the South by 30th Avenue; on the West by Front Avenue the Chattahoochee River; and on the East by Brown Avenue.

• East Columbus is the largest of the five Columbus areas. It is home to Bull Creek Golf Course, the largest of seven golf courses in the city.^[8] The area is roughly bounded by Macon Road to the North, Buena Vista Road to the South, Schatulga Road and Fort Benning to the East, and I-185 to the West.

Fireworks in Downtown on July 4, 2009.

• Midtown is a residential and commercial area. It is considered by some to be the Hotel District of Columbus. It is the city's area mostly populated by tourists. It is home to Peachtree Mall, an indoor shopping mall opened in 1975, as well as The Landings, an outdoor strip mall that opened in 2005. Midtown is home to the majority of bars and nightclubs in the Columbus area, as well as many Gentlemen's Clubs. It is bounded roughly by I-185 to the East, J. R. Allen Parkway to the North, River Road to the West and Wynnton Road to the South.

• North Columbus is an expansive, diverse, and fast-growing suburban area of the city that is home to established neighborhoods and many newly built subdivisions. It is home to Green Island Hills, which is often compared to Buckhead in Atlanta due to major home values (most in the $700,000 range). It is also home to Columbus Park Crossing, an outdoor strip mall with anchor stores such as SEARS and Marshalls. It is bounded roughly by Moore Road to the North, Manchester Expressway to the South, Moon Road to the East, and J. R. Allen Parkway to the West.

• South Columbus is situated just below Downtown, Midtown, and East Columbus, and just above the United States Army post Fort Benning. It is home to the National Infantry Museum, a museum that honors the history of infantry forces in the U.S. Army. In 2007, the area had an estimated population of 14,342.^[9] The area mainly consists of Columbus' military living area.

Surrounding cities and towns

Downtown Columbus skyline at sunset

The Columbus Metro Area includes four counties in Georgia, and two in Alabama. A 2008 Census estimate showed 287,653 in the metro area, with 442,953 in the combined statistical area.

Demographics

A satellite image of Columbus

As of the census^[1] 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/km²). There were 76,182 housing units at an average density of 352.3/sq mi (136.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 50.42% White, 43.74% African American, 1.54% Asian, 0.38% Native American, 0.14% Pacific Islander, and 1.90% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.49% of the population.

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.

Law and government

Elected Officials

City Council

^[10]

• Jerry Barnes (District 1)
• Glenn Davis (District 2)
• Julius Hunter, Jr. (District 3)
• Evelyn Turner-Pugh (District 4)
• Mike Baker (District 5)
• R. Gary Allen (District 6)
• Evelyn Woodson (District 7)
• C. E. McDaniel (District 8)
• Wayne Anthony (District 9)
• Berry Henderson (District 10)

Sheriff

• John Darr (2008)^[11]

Tax Commissioner

• Lula Huff^[12]

Clerk of Court

• Linda Pierce^[13]

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.

Attractions and Culture

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Museums

Golden Park

• Founded in 1953, the Columbus Museum is one of the largest museums in the Southeast and is unique for its dual concentration on American art and regional history, displayed in both its permanent collection as well as temporary exhibitions.
• Columbus is home to the National Civil War Naval Museum, a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m2) facility that opened in 1962 and features two original American Civil War military vessels, uniforms, equipment and weapons used by the Union and Confederate navies. It is the only museum in the nation that tells the story of the two navies during the Civil War.^[14]
• The Coca-Cola Space Science Center opened in 1996 for the purpose of public education in science, physics, and astronomy. It includes seven flight simulators and a planetarium.^[15]
• The National Infantry Museum opened in June 2009 and honors the history of infantry forces in the United States Army.

Shopping

• Peachtree Mall, the city's only indoor shopping mall, situated between Midtown and North Columbus, has major department stores including Dillard's, Macy's, and J.C. Penny. The total retail floor area is 821,000 square feet (76,300 m2).
• North Columbus is home to Columbus Park Crossing, an outdoor strip mall that opened in 2004.
• Midtown is home to The Landings, a strip mall that opened in early 2005.^[16]

Major Venues

The Bradley Theater

Below is the list of major venues in the city of Columbus:

• A. J. McClung Memorial Stadium, a football stadium home to the Georgia Slashers, a football team in the United National Gridiron League. It was the site of the football games between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Auburn Tigers (the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry) from 1916 to 1958.
• The Bradley Theater, a performance theatre that opened in mid-1940 by Paramount Pictures.^[17]
• Columbus Civic Center, a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena that opened in 1996 and is home to the Columbus Lions (football) in the AIFA, and the Columbus Cottonmouths (hockey) in the SPHL. It is also used for concert events.
• Golden Park, a 5,000 seat baseball stadium, the former home to the Columbus Catfish and current home to the Columbus Wood Bats. It was also the site of the softball events of the 1996 Summer Olympics that were held in the city of Columbus.
• RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, a 2,200-seat modern performance theatre that first opened in 2002, and is mainly used for productions by Columbus State University.
• Springer Opera House, a historic live performance theater located in Downtown that opened in early 1871. In 1992, it earned the nickname as the Official State Theatre of Georgia by former President Jimmy Carter.^[18]

Themed attractions

• Hollywood Connection is an indoor entertainment facility which offers ten movie theaters operated by Carmike Cinemas, nine amusement rides, a miniature golf course, and over 100 video and entertainment games.^[19]
• The Columbus Museum offers an entertainment area with many fun and educational activities for people age 5-13.
• Monkey Joe's is an indoor fun park, with many inflatable slides for kids ages 1-12 to play on.
• At Zoo City, they offer one low price for unlimited events so that the entire family can play all day. The events they offer include indoor go karts, black light mini golf, paintball tag, indoor amusement rides, a dance floor, and a toddler soft play area. They have Columbus's largest arcade, a food court and Columbus Police Department on hand to ensure that the fun continues all day long.
• Chuck E Cheese
• Jumpin Jax (Similar to Monkey Joe's)

Golf

Columbus is home to seven golf courses. They are as follows:

• Bull Creek (East Columbus)
• Country Club of Columbus (Midtown)
• Follow Me (South Columbus, though a portion extends to Fort Benning South)
• Godwin Creek (Bibb City)
• Green Island Country Club (Green Island Hills)
• Maple Ridge Golf Club (North Columbus)
• Oxbow Creek Golf Course (South Columbus)

Parks

Flat Rock Park

The largest parks in Columbus include:

• Flat Rock Park
• Wildwood Park at Lakebottom
• Cooper Creek Park

In all, Columbus is home to a total of 48 parks.^[20]

Historic Districts

Columbus Historic Riverfront Industrial District

Columbus is home to 7 historic districts, all listed in the NRHP. They are as follows:

• Columbus Historic District
• Columbus Historic Riverfront Industrial District
• Dinglewood Historic District
• Peacock Woods-Dimon Circle Historic District
• Weracoba-St. Elmo Historic District
• Wynn's Hill-Overlook-Oak Circle Historic District
• Wynnton Village Historic District

Media

Newspapers

• The Ledger-Enquirer, the only daily newspaper in Columbus
• The Columbus Times, a weekly publication featuring African-American perspectives of current events
• The Bayonet, a weekly publication of news and events in Fort Benning and south Columbus.
• Playgrounds Magazine, a monthly entertainment and arts magazine
• The Saber, the Columbus State University campus newspaper
• Tid Bits, a weekly publication featuring news throughout the southeast
• To Do, a weekly publication featuring current events

Television

^[21]

• WRBL 3, Media General, Inc (CBS)
  • 3.2 WRBL-DT (RTN)
• W06BH 6, (Religious)
• WTVM 9, Raycom Media (ABC)
  • 9.2 WTVM-DT (AccuWeather)
• WWCG 11, White Springs Media (WSTV)
• WYBU 16, Christian Television Network (CTN)
• WACS 25, Georgia Public Telecommunications Commission (PBS, GPB)
• WJSP 28, Georgia Public Telecommunications Commission (PBS, GPB)
• WLTZ 38, SagamoreHill Broadcasting (NBC)
  • 38.2 WLTZ-DT (The CW)
• WGIQ 43, Alabama Public Television (PBS, APT)
• WXTX 54, Southeastern Media Holdings (Fox, myNetworkTV)
  • 54.2 WXTX-DT (This TV)
• WLGA 66, Pappas Telecasting Companies (Independent)

Radio

AM stations

• WDAK AM 540 (News, Talk)
• WBIL AM 580 (Gospel)
• WZMG AM 910 (Urban adult contemporary)
• WAUD AM 1230 (Sports, Music,
• WSHE AM 1270 (Southern Gospel)
• WOKS AM 1340 (Rhythmic oldies)
• WRCG AM 1420 (News, Talk, Sports, News, Talk)
• WHAL AM 1460 (Sports)
• WEAM AM 1580 (Sports)

FM stations

• WJSP FM 88.1 (Public radio)
• WYFK FM 89.5 (Religious)
• WFRC FM 90.5 (Christian)
• WEGL FM 91.1 (Variety)
• WTJB FM 91.7 (Classical)
• WKZJ FM 92.7 (Urban adult contemporary)
• WVFJ FM 93.3 (Contemporary Christian)
• WQSI FM 93.9 (Classic country)
• WRLD FM 95.3 (Classic hits)
• WIOL FM 95.7 (Adult contemporary)
• WBUE FM 96.1 (Contemporary Christian)
• WMXA FM 96.7 (Adult contemporary)
• WURY FM 97.1 (Religious)
• WKKR FM 97.7 (Country)
• WBFA FM 98.3 (Urban contemporary)
• WKCN FM 99.3 (Country)
• WGSY FM 100.1 (Adult contemporary)
• WEAM FM 100.7 (Gospel)
• WAGH FM 101.3 (Urban adult contemporary)
• WVRK FM 102.9 (Album-oriented rock)
• WBOJ FM 103.7 (Contemporary Christian)
• WFXE FM 104.9 (Urban contemporary)
• WSTH FM 106.1 (Country)
• WCGQ FM 107.3 (Contemporary hits)

Online media

• http://www.columbusgeorgiaonline.com/ is a website with useful information for people interested in moving to the Columbus area.
• http://www.ourtownjournal.com/ is a citizen journalism outlet created to extend the power of the press to the people of the Chattahoochee Valley while supporting the local business community.
• http://www.intowncolumbus.com/ is a social networking site for users in the Columbus Metro Area.

Education

Higher education

^[22]

Public

Columbus State University Downtown campus

• Columbus State University
• Columbus Technical College
• Troy University^[23] - main campus in nearby Troy, Alabama
• University of Phoenix^[24]

Private

• Beacon University (Seminary)
• Rivertown School of Beauty
• Southeastern Beauty School
• Meadows Junior College

Primary and secondary education

Public schools

Columbus is home to 65 public schools^[25], all operated by the Muscogee County School District.

Private and religion-based schools

Brookstone Private School, located in Green Island Hills.

• Brookstone School (K-12)
• Calvary Christian School (Christian, K-12)
• Grace Christian School (Christian, K-12)
• Hallie Turner Private School (9-12)
• Our Lady of Lourdes School (Catholic, K-8)
• Pacelli High School (Catholic, 9-12)
• St. Anne School (Catholic, K-12)
• St. Luke School (Methodist, K-8)
• Westminster Christian School (Christian, K-8)
• Wynnbrook Christian School (Baptist, K-12)

Hospitals

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Doctors Hospital

• Columbus Regional Hospital (formerly "The Medical Center")
• St Francis Hospital
• Doctors Hospital
• West Central Georgia Regional Hospital
• Hughston Orthopedic Hospital
• Columbus Specialty Hospital

Transportation

Air

Columbus Metropolitan Airport

(IATA: CSG, ICAO: KCSG, FAA LID: CSG)

• The Columbus Metropolitan Airport is the metro area's primary airport and the fourth busiest airport in Georgia. It is located just off of I-185 exit 8. It is served by Atlantic Southeast Airlines and Mesaba Airlines who offers many daily flights to Atlanta.

Private airports

Several private general aviation airports operate in the metro area:

• Harris County Airport (IATA: PIM, ICAO: KPIM, FAA LID: PIM), Pine Mountain
• Jones Light Aviation Smiths Station
• Marion County Airport Buena Vista

Military airports

• Lawson Army Airfield (IATA: LSF, ICAO: KLSF, FAA LID: LSF), Fort Benning

Freeways

Interstate Highways

I-185 exit 1B in South Columbus

• Interstate 185 spurs from I-85 in Troup County near LaGrange and runs through Columbus, and to Fort Benning South where it ends and connects to U.S. 27.

U.S. Routes

• U.S. Route 27 travels southbound through Cataula and enters Columbus, where it travels approximately 7 miles, and enters Downtown. It is one of the primary way of getting around Downtown, where it is called Veterans Parkway. It travels through South Columbus, where it is called Victory Drive, and eventually leaves the city via Fort Benning.
• U.S. Route 80 travels eastbound through Phenix City, and enters Columbus via J. R. Allen Parkway, where it travels through North Columbus, then out of the city, toward Macon.
• U.S. Route 280 enters Downtown eastbound, and travels through South Columbus where it connects with U.S. 27 (Victory Drive) and exits the city.
• U.S. Route 431 enters and travels through Downtown eastbound, where it connects to U.S. 27 and U.S. 80 (Victory Drive) and exits the city.

Georgia State Routes

• S.R. 1 connects with U.S. 27 in Carrollton and follows the same route as it.
• S.R. 22 spurs from U.S. 27 in Downtown and travels eastbound (Macon Road), through Midtown and East Columbus, then exiting the city.
• S.R. 219 (River Road) spurs from U.S. 27 near Midtown and travels northbound through North Columbus, toward LaGrange, and exits the city.
• S.R. 520 connects to U.S. 27 near Fort Benning and travels the same route as it.

Public transit

A METRA bus in Midtown

A Greyhound bus in Downtown.

METRA operates a bus system within Columbus, which connects riders to places within the City of Columbus. METRA was incorporated in 1924 to furnish bus service in the Columbus Metro area. METRA can transport a person anywhere in the city for a fee of only $1.30.

Greyhound Lines provides intercity bus service with a station Downtown.^[26]

Religion

Christianity

Saint Benedict The Moor Catholic Church in Midtown.

The fourth-largest Christian denominations by number of churches in Columbus is as follows:^[27]

• Protestant
  • Baptist
    • Southern Baptist Convention
  • Methodism
    • United Methodist Church
• Catholicism
• Non-denominational

Judaism

Columbus is home to one Synagogue (Temple Israel).

Islam

Columbus is home to three Mosques (Masjid Al Jannah, Masjid An-Nur and Masjid Abdullah Bin Masud.)

Sports

Club	Sport	League	Venue	Logo
Columbus Cottonmouths	Ice hockey	Southern Professional Hockey League	Columbus Civic Center
Columbus Lions	Indoor football	Southern Indoor Football League	Columbus Civic Center
Columbus Life	Basketball	American Basketball Association	Frank J. Lumpkin Jr. Center, Columbus State University
CSU Cougars	Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country/Track, Golf, Tennis	Peach Belt Conference	Columbus State University
Columbus Wood Bats	Baseball	Great South League	Golden Park
Georgia Slashers	Football	United National Gridiron League	A. J. McClung Memorial Stadium

Sister cities

Columbus has three sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

Notable Columbusites

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.

Miscellaneous

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (April 2009)

• Jordan Vocational High School won the state title as Class AAA Basketball Champs in 2007. The members of the team were as follow: 10-Winford Ivey III, 11-Terrance Hill, 24-Steve Peterson, 25-Derek Brown Jr, 15-Joshua Woods, 34-Pierre Ware, 12-Xavier Jordan, 20-Tim Jordan, 22-Keith Saunders, 21-James Abraham, 30-Joe Crouch, 31-LaQuinton Crouch, 13-Xavier Lane. Head Coach: Gerald Turner.
• G.W. Carver high school won the state title as Class AAA football champs in 2007.
• G.W. Carver is the oldest high school that has yet to be rebuilt. It has, however, gone under construction by adding a new Media Center, IMST (Integrated Math, Science, & Technology) hall, Administration building, and courtyard. Plans are currently made to reuild the entire school in the same location in the summer of 2010* Jordan Vocational High School is the oldest and first vocational high school in the United States is Located in Columbus.
• 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 Snacks Co. 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.
• In 2003, The Fighting Temptations [5]was partially filmed in Columbus, utilizing it's residents as extras as well as the River Center for Performing Arts.
• 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.
• 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 which featured cage dancing Go-Go dancers and a giant hydraulic penis.[6][7] Performers arrested in violation of the ordinance were Bobby Brown, LL Cool J, Too $hort and Gene Simmons[8][9]. This led to the city receiving the dubious distinction of being insulted by rapper Ice-T in his 1989 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.
• In 2007, a documentary film entitled "The Last Ditch" [10] 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.^[29]
• The Columbus Stockade, immortalized in the song "Columbus Stockade Blues" is still standing and is still used to house non-violent prisoners.
• The Ledger-Enquirer newspaper founder, Mirabeau B. Lamar, became the 3rd President of the Republic of Texas.^[28]
• 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.^[30]\
• Columbus Square Mall was a former mall in the city. It was also one of the first indoor malls in the state of Georgia.

See also

• Downtown Columbus
• Midtown Columbus
• List of neighborhoods in Columbus, Georgia
• List of mayors of Columbus, Georgia
• List of schools in Muscogee County, Georgia
• Metro Columbus

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
4. ^ 100-Best Places to Live Retrieved 2009-08-06
5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
6. ^ Average weather for Columbus Weather Channel Retrieved 2009-04-27
7. ^ All neighborhood info and names taken from Google Maps.
8. ^ Columbus golf info, Retrieved September 2009
9. ^ South Columbus on City Data, Retrieved September 2009
10. ^ [1]
11. ^ [2]
12. ^ [3]
13. ^ [4]
14. ^ Official site for Naval Museum
15. ^ http://www.ccssc.org/ Description
16. ^ The Landings info page Retrieved on 2009-08-29
17. ^ Bradley Theatre info page, retrieved August 2009
18. ^ Georgia Secretary of State - State Theatre, sos.state.ga.us; retrieved February 2007 (from Springer Opera House).
19. ^ Hollywood Connection info page, retrieved Sept. 2009
20. ^ Parks Listing
21. ^ List of Columbus, Ga TV stations
22. ^ List of Colleges in Columbus area
23. ^ Troy University at Columbus
24. ^ http://www.phoenix.edu/campus_locations/GA/columbus_georgia_campus_locations/columbus-ga.html
25. ^ List of schools in Columbus, Retrieved Sept. 2009
26. ^ Columbus Greyhound station info, Retrieved Sept. 2009
27. ^ Churches in Columbus Reterived August 29, 2009
28. ^ ^{a b} President Mirabeau B. Lamar, tsl.state.tx.us; retrieved March 2008
29. ^ 2008 Southeast Regional Emmy Awards, natassoutheast.tv; retrieved July 1, 2008
30. ^ "Court Rules For Property Tax Freeze", sablaw.com; retrieved July 2007

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Columbus, Georgia

• Official Homepage
• Columbus Georgia Consolidated Government
• Columbus Georgia's Social Network, Blog, Forum, Web Portal, and More.
• Listen to Columbus Police and Fire department radio communications
• Columbus (entry in the New Georgia Encyclopedia)
• Columbus travel information from Wikitravel
• The Official Site for Visitor Information for Columbus, GA
• Columbus Enquirer Archive Digital Library of Georgia
• Columbus, Geo., 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 & layered PDF format)
• Web site for the documentary film on the Civil War battle for Columbus

	Opelika, Alabama	Atlanta	Griffin
	Phenix City, Alabama		Macon
		Columbus
	Union Springs, Alabama	Albany	Americus

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