Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus, Mississippi | ||
---|---|---|
FIPS code 28-15380 | | |
GNIS feature ID | 0668721 | |
Website | Official website |
Columbus is a city in and the
The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census and 23,640 in 2010.
History
The first record of the site of Columbus in Western history is found in the annals of the explorer
After the Battle of New Orleans, Andrew Jackson recognized the urgent need for roads to connect New Orleans to the rest of the country. In 1817 Jackson ordered a road be built to provide a direct route from Nashville to New Orleans. His surveyor, Captain Hugh Young, chose a place on the Tombigbee River where high ground approached the river on both sides as the location for a ferry to be used for crossing the river when high water prevented fording the river. A military bridge was constructed where the present-day Tombigbee Bridge was later developed in Columbus, Mississippi. Jackson's Military Road opened the way for development in the area.[6]
Founding
Columbus was founded in 1819, and, as it was believed to be in Alabama, it was first officially recognized by an Alabama Legislative act as the Town of Columbus on December 6, 1819.[7] Before its incorporation, the town site was referred to informally as Possum Town, a name which was given by the local Native Americans, who were primarily Choctaw and Chickasaw. The name Possum Town remains the town's nickname among locals. The town was settled where Jackson's Military Road crossed the Tombigbee River 4 miles south of John Pitchlynn's residence at Plymouth Bluff. In 1820 the post office that had been at Pitchlynn's relocated in Columbus. Pitchlynn's which had been settled in 1810 became the town of Plymouth in 1836 and is now the location of an environmental center for Mississippi University for Women.[8] Silas McBee suggested the name Columbus; in return, a small local creek was named after him.[9]
The city's founders soon established a school known as Franklin Academy. It continues to operate and is known as Mississippi's first public school. The territorial boundary of Mississippi and Alabama had to be corrected as, a year earlier, Franklin Academy was indicated as being in Alabama. In fact, during its early post-Mississippi-founding history, the city of Columbus was still referred to as Columbus, Alabama.[citation needed]
Civil War and aftermath
During the American Civil War, Columbus was a hospital town. Its arsenal manufactured gunpowder, handguns and a few cannons. Because of this, the Union ordered the invasion of Columbus, but was stopped by Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest. This is substantiated in the book The Battle of West Point: Confederate Triumph at Ellis Bridge by John McBride. Many of the casualties from the Battle of Shiloh were brought to Columbus. Thousands were eventually buried in the town's Friendship Cemetery.[citation needed]
One of the hospitals was located at Annunciation Catholic Church, built in 1863 and still operating in the 21st century. The decision of a group of ladies to decorate the Union and Confederate graves with flowers together on April 25, 1866, is an early example of what became known as Memorial Day. A poet, Francis Miles Finch, read about it in the New York newspapers and commemorated the occasion with the poem "The Blue and the Grey".[10] Bellware and Gardiner noted this observance of the holiday in The Genesis of the Memorial Day Holiday in America (2014). They recognized the events in Columbus as the earliest manifestation of an annual spring holiday to decorate the grave of Southern soldiers. While the call was to celebrate on April 26, several newspapers reported that the day was the 25th, in error.[11]
As a result of Forrest preventing the Union Army from reaching Columbus, its antebellum homes were spared from being burned or destroyed, making its collection second only to Natchez as the most extensive in Mississippi.[12][page needed] These antebellum homes may be toured during the annual Pilgrimage, in which the Columbus residences open their homes to tourists from around the country.[citation needed]
When Union troops approached Jackson, the state capital was briefly moved to Columbus before moving to a more permanent home in Macon.[13]
During the war, Columbus attorney
WPA mural
The mural Out of the Soil was completed in 1939 for the Columbus post office by WPA Section of Painting and Sculpture artist Bealah Betterworth.[15] Murals were produced from 1934 to 1943 in the United States through "the Section" of the U.S. Treasury Department.[citation needed]
20th century
Columbus has hosted Columbus Air Force Base (CAFB) since World War II. CAFB was founded as a flight training school. After a stint in the 1950s and 1960s as a Strategic Air Command (SAC) base (earning Columbus a spot in Soviet Union target lists), CAFB returned to its original role. Today, it is one of only four basic Air Force flight training bases in the United States, and prized as the only one where regular flight conditions may be experienced. Despite this, CAFB has repeatedly hung in the balance during Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) hearings.[citation needed]
Columbus boasted a number of industries during the mid-20th century, including the world's largest
Recent history
On June 12, 1990, a fireworks factory in Columbus exploded, detonating a blast felt as far as 30 miles away from Columbus. Two workers were killed in the blast.[16][17]
On February 16, 2001, straightline winds measured at 74 miles per hour destroyed many homes and trees but resulted in no fatalities. The city was declared a federal disaster area the next day by President George W. Bush. On November 10, 2002, a tornado hit Columbus and caused more damage to the city,[18][19] including the Mississippi University for Women.[20][21]
In 2010, Columbus won a Great American Main Street Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.[22]
In February 2019, Columbus took a direct hit from an EF-3 tornado that caused devastating damage to homes and businesses and killed one woman after a structure fell on her.[23]
Geography
The city is located approximately 10 mi (16 km) west of the Mississippi-Alabama state line along
Climate
Climate data for Columbus, Mississippi (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1903–present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 84 (29) |
89 (32) |
93 (34) |
95 (35) |
100 (38) |
108 (42) |
109 (43) |
109 (43) |
110 (43) |
104 (40) |
90 (32) |
83 (28) |
110 (43) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 55.8 (13.2) |
61.2 (16.2) |
69.7 (20.9) |
77.6 (25.3) |
84.9 (29.4) |
90.9 (32.7) |
93.8 (34.3) |
93.4 (34.1) |
88.4 (31.3) |
78.3 (25.7) |
66.5 (19.2) |
58.1 (14.5) |
76.5 (24.7) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 45.8 (7.7) |
50.2 (10.1) |
58.0 (14.4) |
65.5 (18.6) |
73.2 (22.9) |
80.2 (26.8) |
83.2 (28.4) |
82.6 (28.1) |
77.0 (25.0) |
66.2 (19.0) |
54.6 (12.6) |
48.1 (8.9) |
65.4 (18.6) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 35.8 (2.1) |
39.2 (4.0) |
46.3 (7.9) |
53.3 (11.8) |
61.5 (16.4) |
69.4 (20.8) |
72.7 (22.6) |
71.9 (22.2) |
65.6 (18.7) |
54.0 (12.2) |
42.7 (5.9) |
38.1 (3.4) |
54.2 (12.3) |
Record low °F (°C) | −7 (−22) |
−3 (−19) |
13 (−11) |
27 (−3) |
35 (2) |
42 (6) |
53 (12) |
50 (10) |
36 (2) |
24 (−4) |
9 (−13) |
−4 (−20) |
−7 (−22) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 5.45 (138) |
5.69 (145) |
5.32 (135) |
5.81 (148) |
4.02 (102) |
4.40 (112) |
4.68 (119) |
4.50 (114) |
3.20 (81) |
3.63 (92) |
4.35 (110) |
5.59 (142) |
56.64 (1,439) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.2 (0.51) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (1.0) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9.8 | 9.3 | 9.9 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 8.9 | 9.5 | 8.0 | 5.7 | 6.2 | 7.7 | 9.2 | 100.1 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
Source: |
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1850 | 2,611 | — | |
1860 | 3,308 | 26.7% | |
1870 | 4,812 | 45.5% | |
1880 | 3,955 | −17.8% | |
1890 | 4,559 | 15.3% | |
1900 | 6,484 | 42.2% | |
1910 | 8,988 | 38.6% | |
1920 | 10,501 | 16.8% | |
1930 | 10,743 | 2.3% | |
1940 | 13,645 | 27.0% | |
1950 | 17,172 | 25.8% | |
1960 | 24,771 | 44.3% | |
1970 | 25,795 | 4.1% | |
1980 | 27,503 | 6.6% | |
1990 | 23,799 | −13.5% | |
2000 | 25,944 | 9.0% | |
2010 | 23,640 | −8.9% | |
2020 | 24,084 | 1.9% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[27] |
2020 census
Race | Num. | Perc. |
---|---|---|
White
|
7,460 | 30.97% |
Black or African American
|
15,345 | 63.71% |
Native American
|
37 | 0.15% |
Asian
|
250 | 1.04% |
Pacific Islander
|
4 | 0.02% |
Other/Mixed
|
350 | 2.2% |
Latino
|
458 | 1.9% |
As of the
2010 census
As of the
2000 census
Columbus' population has grown steadily since the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1900, 6,484 people lived in Columbus; in 1910, 8,988; in 1920, 10,501; and in 1940, 13,645. As of the
There were 10,062 households, out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.0% were married couples living together, 21.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,393, and the median income for a family was $37,068. Males had a median income of $30,773 versus $20,182 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,848.
Economy
Major Employers:
- Columbus Air Force Base.
- Baptist Memorial Hospital - Golden Triangle.
- Mississippi University for Women.
- Columbus Municipal School District.
- Lowndes County School District.
- International Paper Columbus Mill and Columbus Modified Fiber.
- Steel Dynamics, Inc.(steel manufacturer).
- Paccar (diesel engines).
- American Eurocopter(military aircraft).
- Baldor(electric motors).
- Nouryon (sodium chlorate production).
- Aurora Flight Sciences (unmanned defense systems).
- Stark Aerospace (unmanned defense systems).
- Columbus / Nammo-Talley (defense systems).
- Valmet (paper machine rolls and roll covers).
Arts and culture
Columbus is the birthplace of playwright Tennessee Williams, whose grandfather was the priest of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Williams was born in the rectory on Main Street, which is now the Tennessee Williams Home Museum and Welcome Center.[30][31]
Education
Columbus is home to a state university, the Mississippi University for Women. The MUW campus is also home to the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, a state-funded public boarding school for academically gifted high school juniors and seniors.[citation needed]
The city's public high school (under the
Desegregated in 1970, Lee High School received a state award for the high school with the best race relations.[citation needed] Prior to desegregation, the school formed a race relations committee consisting of black and white students who could discuss issues and determine how to handle certain situations. For instance, the students decided to have both white and black homecoming courts so as to prevent sides being taken along racial lines. However, black students were allowed to vote for the white homecoming court and vice versa. The school went undefeated in football in 1970, which helped unite the student body. Students were ranked based on achievement score tests and divided into three groups, in order to allow each group to learn at their own pace.[citation needed] This practice was in place prior to integration. It was continued after integration for a period, but such tracking was later ruled to be unconstitutional by a Federal court, because it was based on biased testing. It did not take into account differences in preparation in earlier grades.[citation needed]
The Lowndes County School District operates three high schools—Caledonia, New Hope, and West Lowndes—fed by similarly named elementary and middle schools.[citation needed]
Columbus has several private schools, including:
- Columbus Christian Academy, formerly Immanuel Christian School (K-3 through 12)
- K-12)
- Annunciation Catholic School (Catholic, K-8)
- Victory Christian Academy (Christian, K-12)
- Palmer Home for Children (orphanage)
Media
Columbus' city newspapers are the daily (except Saturdays)
Columbus is also served by television stations from the Columbus / Tupelo / West Point DMA. These include
Radio Stations include:
- 103.1 Sports Talk/ESPN Radio
- 94.1 Top 40
- 99.9 Rock
- 92.1 Hip-Hop & R&B
- 100.9 Talk Radio (Supertalk Mississippi)
- 93.3 Easy Listening/Top 40
- 104.5 Christian radio/KLOVE
Infrastructure
Transportation
Columbus lies on U.S. Highways
The city is located on the east bank of the
Notable people
- Mike Adams (columnist)
- Henry Armstrong, world boxing champion[32]
- Roy Ayres, pedal steel guitar player[33]
- Red Barber, sports commentator[34]
- congressman from Mississippi[35]
- Homer "Billy" Brewer, professional football player[36]
- Terry W. Brown, president pro tempore of the Mississippi Senate[37]
- Tyson Brummett, professional baseball player[38]
- Corey Cott, actor and singer
- James E. Darnell, biologist[39]
- Jacob M. Dickinson, U.S. Secretary of War from 1909 to 1911[40]
- Doughboy, record producer[41]
- Elbert Drungo, professional football player[42]
- Ean Evans, bass player for Lynyrd Skynyrd; moved to Columbus[43]
- Leslie Frazier, professional football player and coach[44]
- Charles Fredericks, actor[45]
- Luther Hackman, professional baseball player[46]
- Arthur Cyprian Harper, 26th mayor of Los Angeles[47]
- Robert Ivy, chief executive officer of the American Institute of Architects[48]
- Sam Jethroe, first black baseball player on the Boston Braves roster
- Edward J. C. Kewen, member of California State Legislature and first attorney general of California[49]
- Stephen D. Lee, Confederate general, first president of Mississippi State University[50]
- Jasmine Murray, singer, Miss Mississippi 2014[51][52]
- Bobby Richards, professional football player[53]
- Andre Rush, celebrity chef and veteran[54]
- Jacob H. Sharp, lawyer, newspaperman, politician, and Confederate general; moved to Columbus[55]
- Jeff Smith, member of Mississippi House of Representatives[56]
- Ruby Jane Smith, bluegrass fiddler
- Cordella Stevenson, African-American woman who was raped and lynched by a mob of white men in Columbus in 1915[57]
- William N. Still Jr., maritime historian
- Jim Thomas, professional football player
- Sedric Toney, professional basketball player[58]
- Guy M. Townsend, U.S. Air Force brigadier general, test pilot, and combat veteran[59]
- Robert L. Turner, member of Wisconsin State Assembly[60]
- James R. Williams, lawyer, politician and jurist[61]
- Tennessee Williams, playwright[62]
- Andrew Wood, musician[63]
See also
References
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- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau Archived April 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
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- ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
- ^ Ward, Rufus (November 4, 2013). "Ask Rufus: Andrew Jackson's Military Road". Commercial Dispatch. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ Toulmin, Harry. 1825. Cahawba, Alabama: Ginn and Curtis.
- ^ Sherman, Harry L (2007). A Very Remarkable Bluff. Mississippi University for Women. pp. 34–45.
- ^ Rowland, Dunbar, ed. Mississippi, Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons arranged in Cyclopedic Form in three volumes. Vol. 2. Atlanta: Southern Historical Publishing Association, 1907, pp. 134-137.
- ^ Fallows, Deborah. "A Real Story of Memorial Day" Archived 2017-06-13 at the Wayback Machine, The Atlantic, May 2014
- ISBN 978-0-692-29225-9.
- ^ John McBride, The Battle of West Point: Confederate Triumph at Ellis Bridge, The History Press, 2013
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- ^ Burnett, Garthia Elena (January 15, 2011). "Post office mural raises questions of racial sensitivity". The Dispatch. Columbus, Mississippi. Archived from the original on May 7, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
- ^ "Two Killed as Explosions Destroy Fireworks Factory". Los Angeles Times. June 13, 1990. Archived from the original on November 10, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
- ^ "Explosions At Mississippi Fireworks Plant Kill Two". Apnewsarchive.com. June 12, 1990. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- ^ [1] Archived November 9, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
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- ^ "Biography". Henryarmstrong.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2009.
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- ^ "Terry W. Brown". Mississippi Senate. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013.
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- ^ "Ean Evans, Lynyrd Skynyrd Bassist, Dead At 48". HuffingtonPost.com. May 7, 2009. Archived from the original on December 9, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
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- ^ "Charles Fredericks". Internet Broadway Database. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013.
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- ^ "Arthur C. Harper, Former Los Angeles Mayor, Dies". Los Angeles Times. December 26, 1948. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014.
- ^ "About". www.aia.org. Archived from the original on January 13, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
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- ^ "The Stephen D. Lee Home and Museum (c.1847)". Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013.
- ^ Watkins, Billy (February 24, 2009). "A Star in the Making?". Clarion Ledger.
- ^ Bradley-Phillips, Terricha. "Miss Riverland Jasmine Murray crowned Miss Mississippi 2014". Hattiesburg American. Hattiesburg American. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
- ^ "Bobby Richards". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013.
- ^ "Muscle-bound chef has served 4 presidential administrations". AP NEWS. November 11, 2018. Archived from the original on April 4, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
- ^ "About Columbus". Cam Club. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013.
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External links
- Official website
- Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911. .