Columbia, Pennsylvania
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Columbia, Pennsylvania | |
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ZIP Code | 17512 |
Area code(s) | 717 and 223 |
Website | www |
Columbia, formerly
The settlement was founded in 1726 by Colonial English Quakers from Chester County, led by entrepreneur and evangelist John Wright. Establishment of the eponymous Wright's Ferry, the first commercial Susquehanna crossing in the region, inflamed territorial conflict with neighboring Maryland but brought growth and prosperity to the small town, which was just a few votes shy of becoming the new United States' capital.
Though besieged for a short while by
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Downtown_Columbia_Pennsylvania.jpg/258px-Downtown_Columbia_Pennsylvania.jpg)
Early history
The area around present-day Columbia was originally populated by
First Western settlements
In 1724,
When Wright returned in 1726 with companions Robert Barber and Samuel Blunston, they began developing the area, Wright building a house about a hundred yards from the edge of the Susquehanna River in the area of today's South Second and Union streets. Susanna Wright later built Wright's Ferry Mansion, what is now the oldest existing house in Columbia, dating to 1738. She lived in this house with her brother James and his wife Rhoda, and possibly the first of their many children. The home is open for tours as a house museum and is located at Second and Cherry streets.
Robert Barber constructed a sawmill in 1727 and later built a home near the river on the Washington Boro Pike, along what is now Route 441. The home still stands, across from the Columbia wastewater treatment plant, and is the second oldest in the borough (after Wright's Ferry Mansion).
Samuel Blunston constructed a mansion called Bellmont atop the hill next to North Second Street, near Chestnut Street, at the location of the present-day Rotary Park playground. Upon his death, Blunston willed the mansion to Susanna Wright, who had become a close friend. She lived there, occasionally visiting brother James, ministering to the Native Americans, and raising
In 1729, after Wright had petitioned William Penn's son to create a new county, the provincial government took land from Chester County to establish Lancaster County, the fourth county in Pennsylvania. County residents – Indians and colonists alike – regularly traveled to Wright's home to file papers and claims, seek government assistance and redress of issues, and register land deeds. The area was particularly attractive to Pennsylvania Dutch settlers. During this time, the town was called "Wright's Ferry".
Wright's Ferry
In 1730, John Wright was granted a patent to operate a ferry across the Susquehanna River, subsequently established (with Barber and Blunston) as Wright's Ferry. He also built a ferry house and a two-story log tavern on the eastern shore, north of Locust Street, on Front Street.
The ferry itself originally consisted of two dugout canoes fastened together with carriage and wagon wheels and drawn by cattle. Crossings could be a dangerous enterprise. When several oxen were moved at once, the canoeist guided a lead animal with a rope so that the others would follow; if, however, the lead animal became confused and started swimming in circles, the other animals followed until they tired and eventually drowned.
Typical fares in the 1700s were:
- Coach with four passengers, drawn by five horses – nine shillings;
- Four-horse wagon – three shillings and nine pence;
- Man and horse – six pence[citation needed]
Fares were reduced in 1787 due to competition from Anderson's Ferry, located further upstream near Marietta. Wright's Ferry was located immediately south of the present-day Veterans Memorial Bridge along Route 462. In later years, Wright rented the ferry to others before finally selling it.
Traffic heading west from Lancaster, Philadelphia, and other nearby towns regularly traveled through Columbia, using the ferry to cross the Susquehanna. As traffic flow increased, the ferry grew, to the point of including canoes, rafts, flatboats, and eventually steamboats; it became capable of handling Conestoga wagons and other large vehicles. Due to the volume of traffic, however, wagons, freight, supplies and people often became backed up, creating a waiting period of several days to cross the river. With 150 to 200 vehicles lined up on the Columbia side, ferrymen used chalk to number the wagons.
Cresap's War
Wright's Ferry was the first convenient crossing of the Susquehanna River in the region. At the time, however, southern Pennsylvania above the
Becoming Columbia
Samuel Wright, son of James and Rhoda Wright, was born on May 12, 1754. He eventually became the town proprietor and created a public grounds company to administer the land. Through his trusteeship, the town's first water distribution system (later the Columbia Water Company) was established, as well as the Washington Institute (the town's first school of higher learning) and Locust Street Park, located at what is now Locust Street and Route 462.
In the spring of 1788, Samuel Wright had the area
19th century
Expansion, construction, and transportation
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Columbia_Market_House.jpg/220px-Columbia_Market_House.jpg)
English
came to outnumber the first Quaker settlers within a generation.Columbia became an incorporated borough in 1814, formed out of Hempfield Township. The same year, the world's longest covered bridge was built across the Susquehanna to Wrightsville, facilitating traffic flow across the river and reducing the need for the ferry. The bridge was 5,690 feet (1,730 m) long and 30 feet (9.1 m) wide, and had 54 stone piers. After handling traffic across the Susquehanna for 18 years, it was destroyed by high water, ice, and severe weather in the winter of 1832. A replacement covered bridge, the Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge, was built within two years.
Public works
In February 1826, the Pennsylvania state legislature approved the package of legislation known as the Main Line of Public Works with the goal of connecting the width and breadth of Pennsylvania by the best and most reliable transportation known, water transport. The project started with the harder parts up the Juniata River and over the mountains being funded first. $300,000 in the funding was for the construction of a navigation that would be called the Pennsylvania Canal along the Susquehanna's eastern shore to bypass rapids and shallows and make the river navigable anywhere along its route. Also, as conceived, another 82-mile (132 km) canal would be dug from the terminus in Columbia to connect towns to the east with a terminus on the Delaware River at Philadelphia.
Across the
The navigations began in 1832 after several delays, and the work proceeded quickly. The Pennsylvania Canal began operating in 1833, beginning in Columbia and then stretching 40 miles (64 km) north to the junction of the Juniata River with the Susquehanna River. The intent was that goods and travelers could use the canal system to go west from Columbia to Pittsburgh, Lake Erie, Ohio, and [present-day] West Virginia along the Juniata Division, or by taking the main Susquehanna north to reach north-central Pennsylvania and Upstate New York.
The plan encountered difficulties. Engineering studies found no reasonably feasible way to provide enough water to keep an 82-mile canal to Philadelphia wet, much less support lock operations. When that was reported, the Pennsylvania Canal Commission came up with a new plan, one using the right of way authorized to build one of these newfangled railways that were making news. Their solution was the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad, one of the first common carrier commercial railways to operate in the United States. Double-tracked, it utilized two inclined plane cable railways at steep rises near either end, and except for bypasses of that older technology unneeded with more powerful locomotives, the P&CR trackage is still in use today, as it passed to the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1857, along with most of the Pennsylvania Canal.
Canal boats could often be seen at the Bruner coal wharf, operated by H.F. Bruner & Sons at North Front and Bridge streets. The canal was originally planned to extend south from Columbia on the east side of the river, but local property owners objected. Instead, a two-tiered
During this time, Columbia also became a stop on the Underground Railroad. Slaves seeking freedom were transported across the Susquehanna, fed and given supplies on their way north to other states and Canada. To slave hunters from the South, the slaves seemed to simply disappear, leading one hunter to declare that there "must be an underground railroad here."[6]
Any idealistic view of
In 1834, another bridge was built by James Moore and John Evans at a cost of $157,300 (~$5.13 million in 2023). This bridge also enjoyed the distinction of being the world's longest covered bridge. The same year, construction began on the first railway line linking Columbia and Philadelphia, which subsequently became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Named the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad, it officially opened in October 1834.
By 1852, regular rail transportation from Columbia to Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Harrisburg made the town the commercial center for the area halfway between the county seats of Lancaster and York.
Civil War
In early 1863, as the
On June 28, 1863, during the
With the Union Army of the Potomac hastening northward into Maryland and Pennsylvania, Robert E. Lee ordered his widely scattered forces to withdraw to Heidlersburg and Cashtown (not far from Gettysburg) to rendezvous with other contingents of the Confederate Army. The burning of the Columbia–Wrightsville Bridge thwarted one of Lee's goals for the invasion of Pennsylvania, and General Gordon later claimed the skirmish at Wrightsville reinforced the erroneous Confederate belief that the only defensive forces on hand were inefficient local militia, an attitude that carried over to the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Postwar growth
After the wartime bridge burning, a
In 1875, a new three-story grand town hall opened, featuring a second-floor auditorium that seated over 900 and was used as an opera house. The second floor's ceiling was higher than those of the first and third floors; each level contained 60 windows. The building also included office shops, council chambers, storerooms and market stalls. A 140-foot-high (43 m) bell tower, holding the town clock, crowned the building. The clock was visible from all over the borough, and its bell was audible throughout the surrounding countryside. The building was destroyed by fire in February 1947, but was rebuilt as a one-story municipal building that exists today.
Trolley service for the borough and surrounding area was established in 1893, allowing Columbians to take advantage of economic opportunities in Lancaster and other nearby towns. Between 1830 and 1900, the borough's population increased from 2,046 to 12,316.
Flourishing industry
By the mid-19th century, Columbia had become a busy transportation hub with its ferry, bridge, canal, railroad and wharves. It was a major shipping transfer point for
From about 1854 to 1900, an industrial complex existed in and around Columbia, Marietta and Wrightsville that included 11 anthracite iron furnaces and related structures, as well as canal and railroad facilities servicing them. By 1887, that number had grown to 13 blast furnaces, all operating within a 3-mile (5 km) radius of Columbia. The furnaces, which produced pig iron, exemplified the technology of the day through their use of anthracite coal and hot blast for smelting iron ore, a process that dominated the iron industry before the widespread use of coke as a fuel. Since northeastern Pennsylvania was a rich source of anthracite coal, anthracite-fired furnaces using locally available iron ores were built throughout eastern Pennsylvania, helping to make the state a leader in iron production in the latter half of the 19th century. Lancaster County also became a leader in pig iron production during this time, with the river towns' complex of furnaces contributing significantly to its output.
20th century
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/PostcardColumbiaPABirdsEyeView1901to1907.jpg/350px-PostcardColumbiaPABirdsEyeView1901to1907.jpg)
Changes in the new century
By 1900, the town's population had grown to over 12,000, with a 50% increase from 1880 to 1900. Some of the items produced by its industries were silk goods, lace, pipe, laundry machinery, stoves, iron toys, flour, lumber, and wagons. By this time Wright's Ferry had ceased its operations, having been supplanted by rail and bridge traffic.
In 1930, yet another bridge, the Veterans Memorial Bridge, was opened to improve traffic flow across the Susquehanna. It first opened as a toll bridge; to avoid the toll, in the coldest winter months some daring motorists would cross on the firmly frozen river. Later that same decade, many of the city's brick sidewalks were converted to concrete; the bronze plaques of the concrete installers are still visible today.
Economic decline
The start of the 20th century brought economic challenge to Columbia as local industries declined. The lumber industry eventually disappeared as surrounding woodlands became depleted. As Chestnut Hill iron ores became scarce as well, the iron furnaces shut down. Eventually, the steel rolling mills also ceased operation. In 1906, the Pennsylvania Railroad opened a new facility in Enola, across the river from Harrisburg, which decreased the significance of Columbia's railroad. By 1920, the population had dropped over 10% to 10,836.
The Great Depression accelerated Columbia's economic slide. The Pennsylvania Railroad's service to the north and the south was eliminated. World War II increased employment, but did not bring long-term prosperity to the borough.
By 1960, population had returned to its 1900 level. In 1965 a detailed study of Columbia's basic strengths and weaknesses was released, but its suggestions went mostly unheeded. The Wright's Ferry Bridge, which opened in 1972, only served to divert traffic around Columbia. The growth and prosperity experienced in some Lancaster County towns bypassed Columbia for the remainder of the 20th century. Although the United States Census Bureau reported that as of the last year of the 20th century, the population of Columbia had been only 10,311 people, by 2010 this figure had grown to 10,400.
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1820 | 1,891 | — | |
1830 | 2,046 | 8.2% | |
1840 | 2,719 | 32.9% | |
1850 | 4,140 | 52.3% | |
1860 | 5,007 | 20.9% | |
1870 | 6,461 | 29.0% | |
1880 | 8,312 | 28.6% | |
1890 | 10,599 | 27.5% | |
1900 | 12,316 | 16.2% | |
1910 | 11,454 | −7.0% | |
1920 | 10,836 | −5.4% | |
1930 | 11,349 | 4.7% | |
1940 | 11,547 | 1.7% | |
1950 | 11,993 | 3.9% | |
1960 | 12,075 | 0.7% | |
1970 | 11,237 | −6.9% | |
1980 | 10,466 | −6.9% | |
1990 | 10,701 | 2.2% | |
2000 | 10,311 | −3.6% | |
2010 | 10,400 | 0.9% | |
2020 | 10,222 | −1.7% | |
2021 (est.) | 10,157 | [3] | −0.6% |
Sources:[11][12][13][14][15][2] |
As of the census
There were 4,287 households, out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 19.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $32,385, and the median income for a family was $26,309. Males had a median income of $27,528 versus $22,748 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $14,626. About 11.5% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.
Geography
Columbia is located in western Lancaster County on the left (east) bank of the Susquehanna River. U.S. Route 30, a four-lane freeway, passes through the northern side of the borough, leading east 11 miles (18 km) to the Lancaster area and west 13 miles (21 km) to York. Harrisburg, the state capital, is 30 miles (48 km) to the northwest, up the Susquehanna. Pennsylvania Route 462 passes through the center of Columbia, leading east to Lancaster and west to York following the old route of US 30.
According to the
It has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa), and average monthly temperatures range from 30.9 °F (−0.6 °C) in January to 75.8 °F (24.3 °C) in July.[17] The hardiness zone is 6b or 7a, depending upon elevation.[18]
Museums and historic sites
For over half a century, Columbia has been home to the headquarters of the
Other notable sites
- Columbia Historic District
- Columbia Historic Preservation Society[1]
- Columbia Market House
- First National Bank Museum
- Wright's Ferry Mansion
- Bachman and Forry Tobacco Warehouse
- Columbia Wagon Works
- Old Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge
- Manor Street Elementary School
Schools
Schools in Columbia are part of the Columbia Borough School District.
Elementary
- Park Elementary
- Taylor Elementary
- Columbia High School
Secondary
- Columbia Junior/Senior High
- Our Lady of the Angels
Historical
- Cherry Street School
- Holy Trinity School
- Manor Street School
- Poplar Street School
- St. Peter's School
- Taylor School
- Washington Institute
Notable people
- Harriet Baker, evangelist
- Ralph Heller Beittel, composer
- Amelia Reynolds Long, author
- Edward C. Shannon, lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania
- Stephen Atkins Swails, soldier and politician
- Thomas Welsh, Civil War general
- Suzanne Westenhoefer, comedian
- Dean Young, poet
References
- Columbia, the Gem, Bill Kloidt Sr. 1994, Mifflin Press, Inc.
- East of Gettysburg, A Gray Shadow Crosses York County, PA, James McClure. 2003, York Daily Record/ISBN 0-9710416-4-4.
- Fire on the River, The Defense of the World's Longest Covered Bridge and How It Changed the Battle of Gettysburg, George Sheldon. 2006, Quaker Hills Press, Inc. ISBN 978-0-9779315-0-7.
- The Susquehanna, Carl Carmer. 1955, Rinehart & Company, Inc. Library of Congress catalog Card No.: 53-8227.
- Town Historical Markers and Plaques provided by Columbia Borough and Rivertownes PA USA.
Notes
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2021". Census.gov. US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
- LCCN 61-14871.
- ^ Sheldon, 2006, p. 38.
- ^ Sheldon, 2006, p.53.
- ^ Worner, W.F. (2007). The Columbia Race Riots, p. 177 https://archive.org/stream/columbiaraceriot00wornrich/columbiaraceriot00wornrich_djvu.txt
- ^ Roediger, D. (2007). The Wages of Whiteness: Race and the Making of the American Working Class. London: Verso Books. p. 58
- ^ ibid
- ^ Worner (2007), p. 181
- ^ "Number of Inhabitants: Pennsylvania" (PDF). 18th Census of the United States. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
- ^ "Pennsylvania: Population and Housing Unit Counts" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on November 20, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
- ^ "PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University".
- ^ "Interactive Map | USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map". Archived from the original on July 4, 2019. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/38px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png)
- Official website
- ColumbiaPaOnline.com
- Columbia Historic Preservation Society
- Rivertownes PA USA: Columbia, Marietta, Wrightsville
- "Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge, PA", Richard Edling
- "Underground Railway" at PHMC website
- Columbia Spy, community blog
- "Columbia Talk" blog