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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 (July 1, 2008)[1]
- City	186,984
- 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[2]
GNIS feature ID	0331158[3]
Airport	Columbus Metropolitan Airport- CSG
Website	City of Columbus

Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States,^[4] with which it is consolidated. In 2008, its estimated population was 186,984.^[1] 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 100 miles (160 km) south of Atlanta. Fort Benning, a major employer, is located south of the city in Chattahoochee County. The city is home to museums and other tourism sites. The area is served by the Columbus Metropolitan Airport. The 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.^[5]

Contents 1 History 1.1 Civil War and Reconstruction 1.2 20th Century 2 Geography 2.1 Climate 2.2 Cityscape 3 Surrounding cities and towns 4 Demographics 5 Law and government 5.1 Elected Officials 5.1.1 City Council 5.1.2 Sheriff 5.1.3 Tax Commissioner 5.1.4 Clerk of Court 5.2 Crime 6 Attractions and Culture 6.1 Museums 6.2 Shopping 6.3 Major Venues 6.4 Themed attractions 6.5 Golf 6.6 Libraries 6.7 Parks 7 Historic Districts 8 Media and communications 8.1 Newspapers 8.2 Radio 8.2.1 AM stations 8.2.2 FM stations 8.3 Television 8.4 Movie theaters 8.5 Online media 9 Education 9.1 Higher education 9.1.1 Public 9.1.2 Private 9.2 Primary and secondary education 9.2.1 Public schools 9.2.2 Private and religion-based schools 10 Hospitals 11 Transportation 11.1 Air 11.1.1 Public airports 11.1.2 Private airports 11.1.3 Military airports 11.2 Freeways 11.2.1 Interstate Highways 11.2.2 U.S. Routes 11.2.3 Georgia State Routes 11.3 Public transit 12 Religion 12.1 Christianity 12.2 Judaism 12.3 Islam 12.4 Jehovah's Witnesses 13 Sports 14 Sister cities 15 Notable Columbusites 16 Miscellaneous 17 See also 18 References 19 External links

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.

Civil War and Reconstruction

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 and a sword factory as well as a shipyard for the Confederate Navy. Unaware of Lee's surrender to Grant and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Union and Confederates clashed in the Battle of Columbus, Georgia 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 also killed here. 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. Factories such as the Eagle and Phenix Mills were revived and the industrialization of the town led to rapid growth; the city outgrew its original plan. The Springer Opera House was built on 10th Street attracting such notables as Oscar Wilde. The Springer is now the official State Theater of Georgia.

By the time of the Spanish American War, the city saw 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.

20th Century

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 the Chattahoochee RiverWalk 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 troops moved to the Chattahoochee Valley.

Geography

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 good 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).^[6]

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.

Climate data for Columbus, Georgia

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Record high °F (°C)	83 (28)	83 (28)	89 (32)	93 (34)	97 (36)	104 (40)	104 (40)	104 (40)	100 (38)	94 (34)	86 (30)	82 (28)
Average high °F (°C)	57 (13.9)	62 (16.7)	69 (20.6)	77 (25)	89 (31.7)	90 (32.2)	92 (33.3)	91 (32.8)	86 (30)	77 (25)	68 (20)	59 (15)
Average low °F (°C)	37 (2.8)	39 (3.9)	46 (7.8)	52 (11.1)	61 (16.1)	69 (20.6)	72 (22.2)	71 (21.7)	66 (18.9)	55 (12.8)	46 (7.8)	39 (3.9)
Record low °F (°C)	-2 (-19)	10 (-12)	16 (-9)	28 (-2)	39 (4)	44 (7)	59 (15)	57 (14)	38 (3)	24 (-4)	10 (-12)	4 (-16)
Precipitation inches (mm)	4.78 (121.4)	4.48 (113.8)	5.75 (146)	3.84 (97.5)	3.62 (91.9)	3.51 (89.2)	5.04 (128)	3.78 (96)	3.07 (78)	2.33 (59.2)	3.97 (100.8)	4.40 (111.8)
Source: Weather Channel [7] 2009-04-27

Cityscape

Columbus is divided into five geographic areas, and they are as follows:^[8]

• 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.^[9] 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.

• 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 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 a diverse suburban area of the city that is home to established neighborhoods and newly built subdivisions. It is home to Green Island Hills, which is sometimes compared to Buckhead in Atlanta in terms of the area maintaining a high level of home value and the affluence of its residence (in comparison to the rest of the city).^{[citation needed]} It is home to Columbus Park Crossing, an outdoor strip mall. 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.^[10] The area mainly consists of Columbus' military living area.

Surrounding cities and towns

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.

Auburn Beauregard Bee Hive Beulah Buena Vista Cataula Cusseta

Fort Benning South Fort Mitchell Franklin Glenville Gold Hill Hamilton Holy Trinity

Hopewell Hurtsboro Juniper Ladonia Loachapoka Midland Marvyn Mountain Hill

Mulberry Grove Notasulga Opelika Phenix City Pine Mountain Pine Mountain Valley Rehobeth

Ridgeway Roxana Salem Seale Shiloh Shorter Smiths Station

The Bottle Tuskegee Upatoi Waverly Waverly Hall West Point Whitesville

Demographics

As of the census^[2] 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

^[11]

• 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)^[12]

Tax Commissioner

• Lula Huff^[13]

Clerk of Court

• Linda Pierce^[14]

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

Museums

• 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.^[15]
• 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.^[16]
• The National Infantry Museumand Soldier Center opened in June 2009 and honors the service and sacrifice of Infantry forces in the United States Army. The museum includes both active and static displays related to the history of the Infantry from the founding of the nation to the present; museum store; restaurant; and a variety of related offices and facilities. It includes a World War II company street, reconstructed with actual WWII barracks, chapel, mess hall, and orderly room buildings, and an adjacent parade ground where Infantry trainee graduation ceremonies are held.

Shopping

Columbus is served by one indoor shopping mall, Peachtree Mall, located between Midtown and North Columbus and anchored by department stores including Dillard's, Macy's, and J.C. Penney. The total retail floor area is 821,000 square feet (76,300 m2). Strip malls include Columbus Park Crossing, in North Columbus, which opened in 2004, and The Landings, in Midtown, which opened in early 2005.^[17]

Major Venues

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

• A. J. McClung Memorial Stadium, a football stadium. 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.^[18]
• Columbus Civic Center, a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena that opened in 1996 and is home to the Columbus Lions (football) in the SIFL, 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.^[19]

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.^[20]
• 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 price for unlimited events such as indoor go karts, black light mini golf, paintball tag, indoor amusement rides, a dance floor, and a toddler soft play area, as well as an arcade and a food court.
• The Chattahoochee RiverWalk is a 15 mile long bike trail that offers users tremendous vistas and historic sites.

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)

Libraries

Columbus is home to 4 libraries. They are as follows:

• Columbus Public Library (Midtown)
• North Columbus Branch Library (North Columbus)
• Mildred L Terry Branch Library (Downtown)
• South Columbus Library (South Columbus)

Parks

The largest parks in Columbus include:

• Flat Rock Park
• Lakebottom Park
• Cooper Creek Park

In all, Columbus is home to a total of 48 parks (this includes Standing Boy Creek State Park).^[21]

Historic Districts

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 and communications

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.

Radio

AM stations

• WDAK 540 (News, Talk)
• WBIL 580 (Gospel)
• WZMG 910 (Urban adult contemporary)
• WAUD 1230 (Sports, Music,
• WSHE 1270 (Southern Gospel)
• WOKS 1340 (Rhythmic oldies)
• WRCG 1420 (News, Talk, Sports)
• WHAL 1460 (Sports)
• WTLM 1520 (Oldies)
• WEAM 1580 (Sports)

FM stations

• WJSP 88.1 (Public radio)
• WBOJ 88.5 (Contemporary Christian)
• WELL 88.7 (Contemporary Christian)
• WYFK 89.5 (Religious)
• WFRC 90.5 (Christian)
• WEGL 91.1 (Variety)
• WTJB 91.7 (Classical)
• WKZJ 92.7 (Urban adult contemporary)
• WVFJ 93.3 (Contemporary Christian)
• WQSI 93.9 (Classic country)
• WRLD 95.3 (Classic hits)
• WIOL 95.7 (Sports)
• WTGZ 95.9 (Modern rock)
• WBUE 96.1 (Contemporary Christian)
• WMXA 96.7 (Adult contemporary)
• WURY 97.1 (Religious)
• WKKR 97.7 (Country)
• WBFA 98.3 (Urban contemporary)
• WKCN 99.3 (Country)
• WQNR 99.9 (Variety hits)
• WGSY 100.1 (Adult contemporary)
• WEAM 100.7 (Gospel)
• WAGH 101.3 (Urban adult contemporary)
• WVRK 102.9 (Album-oriented rock)
• WLTC 103.7 (Light rock)
• WAUF 104.5 (Contemporary Christian)
• WFXE 104.9 (Urban contemporary)
• WSTH 106.1 (Country)
• WRCG 106.9 (News, Talk, Sports)
• WCGQ 107.3 (Contemporary hits)

Television

• 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)

Movie theaters

There are 5 movie theaters located in the Columbus area. They are as follows:

• Carmike 15
• Ritz 10
• Wynnsong 10
• Peachtree 8
• National Infantry Museum IMAX 3D

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.

Education

Higher education

^[22]

Public

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

Private

• Beacon University (Seminary)
• Rivertown School of Beauty
• Southeastern Beauty School
• University of Phoenix^[24]

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 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)
• St. Anne Pacelli Catholic 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

Martin Army Community Hospital

Transportation

Air

Public airports

• The Columbus Metropolitan Airport (IATA: CSG, ICAO: KCSG, FAA LID: CSG) 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 Airport, Smiths Station
• Marion County Airport, Buena Vista

Military airports

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

Freeways

Interstate Highways

• Interstate 185

U.S. Routes

• U.S. Route 27
• U.S. Route 80
• U.S. Route 280
• U.S. Route 431

Georgia State Routes

• S.R. 1
• S.R. 22
• S.R. 219
• S.R. 520

Public transit

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

The four largest Christian denominations by number of churches in Columbus are 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.)

Jehovah's Witnesses

Columbus is also home to three Kingdom Halls for the Jehovah's Witnesses.

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

Sister cities

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

Zugdidi, Georgia Kiryū, Japan Bistriţa, Romania

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.

Reggie Abercrombie, Major League Baseball player Robert M. Barr, Famed Band Director 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 Edwin Jackson, Major League Baseball player Marty Jannetty, professional wrestler Nunnally Johnson, screenwriter, film producer and author

Mirabeau B. Lamar, third President of the Republic of Texas.[28] Carson McCullers, novelist, author of The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter Sam Mitchell, former NBA player and coach Curley Money, Rockabilly artist and songwriter Bebo Norman, Contemporary Christian singer and songwriter Nate Odomes, former NFL defensive back George Foster Peabody, namesake of the Peabody Award John Stith Pemberton, creator of Coca-Cola James Rachels, philosopher Ma Rainey, Blues musician known as "The Mother of the Blues" Colby Rasmus, Major League Baseball player Otis Sistrunk, former NFL defensive tackle Mack Strong, former NFL fullback Alma Thomas, color field painter Frank Thomas, Major League Baseball player Keni Thomas, country music singer Danny Whitten, musician Blind Tom Wiggins, pianist and savant Tim Wilson, comedian and country music singer Robert W. Woodruff, long-time president of The Coca-Cola Company

Miscellaneous

• 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 The Fighting Temptationswas 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.[5][6] Performers arrested in violation of the ordinance were Bobby Brown, LL Cool J, Too $hort and Gene Simmons[7][8]. 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" [9] 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} Columbus QuickFacts, U.S. Census Bureau (July 1, 2008)
2. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
3. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
4. ^ "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. 
5. ^ 100-Best Places to Live Retrieved 2009-08-06
6. ^ "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. 
7. ^ Average weather for Columbus Weather Channel Retrieved 2009-04-27
8. ^ All neighborhood info and names taken from Google Maps.
9. ^ Columbus golf info, Retrieved September 2009
10. ^ South Columbus on City Data, Retrieved September 2009
11. ^ [1]
12. ^ [2]
13. ^ [3]
14. ^ [4]
15. ^ Official site for Naval Museum
16. ^ http://www.ccssc.org/ Description
17. ^ The Landings info page Retrieved on 2009-08-29
18. ^ Bradley Theatre info page, retrieved August 2009
19. ^ Georgia Secretary of State - State Theatre, sos.state.ga.us; retrieved February 2007 (from Springer Opera House).
20. ^ Hollywood Connection info page, retrieved Sept. 2009
21. ^ Parks Listing
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

• 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

Columbus, Georgia Subject areas Hospitals · Mayor · Media · Greater Area · Neighborhoods · Parks · Public School System Attractions Bradley Theater · Chattahoochee RiverWalk · Coca-Cola Space Science Center · Columbus Civic Center · Golden Park · National Civil War Naval Museum · National Infantry Museum · RiverCenter for the Performing Arts · Springer Opera House Shopping Columbus Park Crossing · Peachtree Mall · The Landings Colleges & universities Beacon University · Columbus State University · Columbus Technical College · Rivertown School of Beauty · Southeastern Beauty School · Troy University · University of Phoenix Well-known suburbs (with a pop. over 1K) Buena Vista, Georgia · Cusseta, Georgia · Fort Benning South, Georgia · Ladonia, Alabama · Phenix City, Alabama · Pine Mountain, Georgia · West Point, Georgia

Greater Columbus, Georgia Central Cities/Largest Cities Columbus · Auburn Location of the Columbus, Georgia-Auburn, Alabama CSA and its counties:      Columbus, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area      Auburn, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area      Tuskegee, Alabama Micropolitan Statistical Area Cities in Georgia Bibb City · Buena Vista · Cataula · Columbus City · Cusseta · Custer Terrace · Fort Benning South · Fortson · Hamilton · Hopewell · Juniper · Midland · Mountain Hill · Mulberry Grove · Pine Mountain · Rehobeth · Ridgeway · Shiloh · Upatoi · Waverly Hall · West Point · Whitesville Cities in Alabama Beauregard · Bee Hive · Beulah · Creek Stand · Fort Mitchell · Franklin · Glenville · Gold Hill · Holy Trinity · Hurtsboro · Ladonia · Loachapoka · Marvyn · Notasulga · Opelika · Phenix City · Roxana · Salem · Seale · Shorter · Smiths Station · The Bottle · Tuskegee · Waverly Counties in Georgia Chattahoochee · Harris · Marion · Muscogee Counties in Alabama Lee · Macon · Russell

Municipalities and communities of Muscogee County, Georgia County seat: Columbus Cities Columbus Unincorporated communities Bibb City | Columbus City | Custer Terrace | Fortson | Midland | Upatoi MB Fort Benning

Neighborhoods in Columbus, Georgia Downtown Avondale · Baker Village · Bibb City · City Village · Dinglewood · East Highlands · Uptown · Willett East Columbus Crystal Valley · Englewood · Flat Rock · Glen Arden · Midland · Schatulga · Woodlawn Estates Midtown Alta Vista · Brookhaven · Clubview Heights · Edgewood · Gentian · Lincoln Hills · Linden · Parkchester · Rose Hill Heights North Columbus Allendale · Caroline Park · Glenns · Green Island Hills · Highland Pines · Nankipooh · Lyn Hills South Columbus Benning Park · Carter Acres · Oakland Park · Pine Hill · Riverland Terrace · Vista Terrance

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Mayors of cities with populations of 100,000 in Georgia     Kasim Reed (Atlanta) Deke Copenhaver (Augusta) Jim Wetherington (Columbus) Otis Johnson (Savannah) Heidi Davison (Athens)

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