Columbia, Mississippi
City
Marion County courthouse in Columbia
Marion County courthouse in Columbia
Location of Columbia, Mississippi
Location of Columbia, Mississippi
Columbia, Mississippi is located in the United States
Columbia, Mississippi
Columbia, Mississippi
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 31°15′24″N 89°49′44″W / 31.25667°N 89.82889°W / 31.25667; -89.82889
CountryUnited States
StateMississippi
CountyMarion
Government
 • MayorJustin McKenzie[1]
Area
[2]
 • Total6.76 sq mi (17.50 km2)
 • Land6.75 sq mi (17.49 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation
148 ft (45 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total5,864
 • Density868.23/sq mi (335.20/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
39429
Area code601
FIPS code28-15340
GNIS feature ID0668715
WebsiteOfficial website

Columbia is a U.S. city in and the county seat of Marion County, Mississippi,[3] which was formed six years before Mississippi was admitted to statehood. Columbia was named for Columbia, South Carolina, from which many of the early settlers had migrated. The population was 6,582 as of the 2010 census, and 5,864 in 2020.

History

Columbia is the county seat of Marion County, Mississippi. Marion County was created out of Amite County in 1811, encompassing the southwest quarter of the current state of Mississippi. Before statehood in 1816, there were three territorial census/poll tax records taken of what was deemed Marion County at the time. These records reveal that during 1813, several Lott men arrived and settled on the Pearl River in what is now Columbia. In 1813, William Lott was the largest slave holder near present-day Columbia, owning 28 slaves. There were five men, who settled south of present-day Columbia on 2,789 acres of land with 65 slaves. North of present-day Columbia, on what was the earliest attempt at a town, was Timothy Terrell on 3,151 acres with 32 slaves.

The land on which the current City of Columbia resides was first purchased for cash on April 18, 1820, by William Lott and John Lott. This land is Township 3 East, Range 18 West, Section 5 (640 acres), which is the center of the City of Columbia today. Other early patent holders of Columbia include James Phillips, Jr., and John Cooper (1825), in Section 4 next to John and William Lott.[4][5]

Columbia was officially incorporated on June 25, 1819, becoming the fourth municipality in the state of Mississippi. It served as the temporary capital of Mississippi from November 1821, when the 5th session of the Mississippi Legislature first met there, until 1822. In that year, a special session of the legislature met in Columbia, inaugurating Governor Walter Leake, and selecting LeFleur's Bluff (now Jackson) as the permanent capital.

Columbia, "The City of Charm on the River Pearl", has always been in danger of flooding, due to its bordering the Pearl River. The county courthouse, with its records dating back to pre-statehood, has managed to survive war, floods, tornadoes and hurricanes. In its first 100 years, Columbia relied on the Pearl River for transportation of goods. The river was much deeper and wider than it is now. Steamboat captains, such as John Black, lived in Columbia.[6]

During the Civil War, United States troops under the command of General Davidson camped outside Columbia, taking provisions from the citizens of the Confederate States of America. The courthouse was spared. The Southern Claims Commission Files detail these events.[7]

In 1935, Mississippi's first rodeo was held in Columbia. In 2016, the Mississippi Rodeo Hall of Fame was founded and headquartered in Columbia.

During the Civil Rights Movement, Columbia, and Marion County were the site of the most peaceful demonstrations, due to the diligent insistence of non-violence by Sheriff John Homer Willoughby. The town is known for its citizens ability to work together.[8]

In 2005, Columbia suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Katrina. Once again, the courthouse survived. There was very limited looting, and citizens worked together with local churches, civic officials, and law enforcement to provide for citizens during the extensive power loss. Individuals immediately began helping their neighbors clear roads and escape being trapped in debris.

The day after Hurricane Katrina struck, several inmates took advantage of the storm damage and escaped from the Marion County Jail (some of whom were charged with Murder). Marion County Deputies along with the help of the Mississippi National Guard and Kentucky State Police, captured all but one escapee who was later apprehended in Texas just before he could get to the Mexican Border.

Former Mississippi governor and Columbia native Hugh L. White introduced white squirrels to the area, and they are still common in Columbia City Park. His home still stands today, a stately reminder of architecture of the past.

In 2014, a tornado measuring EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale struck Columbia, causing widespread damage.[9] Mutual aid took place between Columbia, Mississippi and Columbia, South Carolina following this natural disaster and the 1000 year flood in South Carolina,[10]

Geography

Columbia is located on the east bank of the Pearl River and is 81 miles south of Jackson, Mississippi and 103 miles north of New Orleans, Louisiana. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.4 square miles (17 km2), all land.

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Columbia has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Columbia was 113 °F (45.0 °C) on June 7, 1915, while the coldest temperature recorded was 4 °F (−15.6 °C) on January 11, 1982 and January 21, 1985.[11]

Climate data for Columbia, 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) 85
(29)		 86
(30)		 90
(32)		 98
(37)		 102
(39)		 113
(45)		 107
(42)		 107
(42)		 108
(42)		 99
(37)		 91
(33)		 85
(29)		 113
(45)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 76.2
(24.6)		 79.7
(26.5)		 84.0
(28.9)		 86.8
(30.4)		 92.3
(33.5)		 96.2
(35.7)		 97.3
(36.3)		 97.8
(36.6)		 95.5
(35.3)		 90.2
(32.3)		 82.7
(28.2)		 78.1
(25.6)		 99.1
(37.3)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 59.9
(15.5)		 64.1
(17.8)		 71.3
(21.8)		 77.5
(25.3)		 84.6
(29.2)		 90.0
(32.2)		 91.6
(33.1)		 91.8
(33.2)		 88.1
(31.2)		 79.7
(26.5)		 69.1
(20.6)		 61.9
(16.6)		 77.5
(25.3)
Daily mean °F (°C) 48.8
(9.3)		 52.8
(11.6)		 59.6
(15.3)		 66.1
(18.9)		 73.9
(23.3)		 80.1
(26.7)		 82.0
(27.8)		 81.9
(27.7)		 77.7
(25.4)		 67.7
(19.8)		 56.9
(13.8)		 51.0
(10.6)		 66.5
(19.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 37.6
(3.1)		 41.5
(5.3)		 47.9
(8.8)		 54.6
(12.6)		 63.2
(17.3)		 70.2
(21.2)		 72.4
(22.4)		 72.0
(22.2)		 67.2
(19.6)		 55.6
(13.1)		 44.7
(7.1)		 40.0
(4.4)		 55.6
(13.1)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 21.9
(−5.6)		 26.3
(−3.2)		 30.6
(−0.8)		 38.6
(3.7)		 48.9
(9.4)		 61.7
(16.5)		 67.0
(19.4)		 65.5
(18.6)		 54.4
(12.4)		 38.8
(3.8)		 29.6
(−1.3)		 26.1
(−3.3)		 20.1
(−6.6)
Record low °F (°C) 4
(−16)		 11
(−12)		 16
(−9)		 23
(−5)		 37
(3)		 46
(8)		 53
(12)		 54
(12)		 36
(2)		 22
(−6)		 17
(−8)		 5
(−15)		 4
(−16)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 6.52
(166)		 5.21
(132)		 5.72
(145)		 5.22
(133)		 4.35
(110)		 5.77
(147)		 6.05
(154)		 6.04
(153)		 3.60
(91)		 3.75
(95)		 3.86
(98)		 5.79
(147)		 61.88
(1,571)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 11.2 10.1 9.8 8.0 8.7 11.1 12.5 10.9 7.9 6.9 8.1 10.1 115.3
Source 1: NOAA[12]
Source 2: National Weather Service[11]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
187066—
1900507—
19102,029300.2%
19202,82639.3%
19304,83371.0%
19406,06425.5%
19506,1241.0%
19607,11716.2%
19707,5876.6%
19807,7331.9%
19906,815−11.9%
20006,603−3.1%
20106,582−0.3%
20205,864−10.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
Columbia racial composition as of 2020[14]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 3,042 51.88%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 2,483 42.34%
Native American 15 0.26%
Asian 26 0.44%
Other/Mixed 154 2.63%
Hispanic or Latino 144 2.46%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,864 people, 2,080 households, and 1,155 families residing in the city.

Government and infrastructure

The Mississippi Department of Human Services's Division of Youth Services operated the Columbia Training School in unincorporated Marion County, near Columbia.[15][16]

The mayor of Columbia is Justin McKenzie.[1]

Education

Columbia High School

The city of Columbia is served by the Columbia School District, with Columbia High School as the public high school. Prior to January 1970, black students were educated in a separate system with sub-par facilities, including John J. Jefferson High school, which became the middle school in January 1970 when the schools were integrated. White politicians called for a public boycott of the school system.[17] At that time, around 100 white students left the public school system to attend the newly founded whites-only Columbia Academy, which was created in September 1969 as a segregation academy to avoid racial integration.[18] A few students also left to attend Improve Academy, another segregation academy founded by the Improve Baptist Church.[19] There are also two other public schools that are in Columbia, East Marion High School and West Marion High School. Both of these schools are under the same district called Marion County Schools. East Marion High school is located just outside of town on the East side of the Pearl River, while West Marion is located on the West side of the Pearl River in Foxworth. East Marion is one largely connected building that houses grades K-12, but West Marion has a primary school as well as a high school.

Notable people

References

  1. 1 2 "Government Officials". City of Columbia. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  2. ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011.
  4. ↑ Mississippi State and Territorial Census
  5. ↑ Bureau of Land Management
  6. ↑ 1880 US Fed Census, Columbia, Marion Co, MS
  7. ↑ "Marion County Mississippi History Index". Msmarion.com. October 30, 2008. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  8. ↑ Columbian-Progress newspaper, 1960-1964,
  9. ↑ Breslin, Sean (December 24, 2014). "Tornadoes Kill 5 in Mississippi; 50 Injured During Deep South Severe Weather". The Weather Channel.
  10. ↑ "Resolution R-2016-053 To Honor the City of Columbia, Mississippi With Official Sisterhood for its Assistance during the October 2015 Flood" (PDF). City of Columbia SC. August 16, 2016.
  11. 1 2 "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Jackson". National Weather Service. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  12. ↑ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Columbia, MS". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Columbia city, Mississippi Archived 2011-06-08 at the Wayback Machine." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on July 21, 2010.
  16. ↑ "Public Appearance Calendar Governor Ronnie Musgrove For the Week of December 31, 2001 Archived October 16, 2010, at the Wayback Machine." Mississippi Department of Archives and History. Retrieved on July 21, 2010. "Columbia Training School 1730 Highway 44 Columbia, MS."
  17. ↑ "School boycott expected in Marion County, Mississippi. Columbia Academy". Hattiesburg American. January 3, 1970. p. 1.
  18. ↑ Batten, James K (January 7, 1970). "Integration comes quietly along the Pearl". Miami Herald. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Clipped from Hattiesburg American". Hattiesburg American. January 3, 1970. p. 6.
  20. ↑ "Anthony Alford Stats". MLB.com. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Ted Alford". profootballarchives.com. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  22. ↑ "MG James W. Ball". armyrotc.msstate.edu. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Texas Rose Bascom - Mormonism, the Mormon Church, Beliefs, & Religion - MormonWiki".
  24. ↑ "Cherokee-Choctaw Cowgirl, Texas Rose Bascom, First Female in MS Rodeo Hall of Fame".
  25. ↑ "Buddy Blair Stats". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  26. ↑ Magee, Patrick (January 7, 2019). "Coast football legend elected to the College Football Hall of Fame". Sun Herald. Archived from the original on February 3, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  27. ↑ "L. Bush Obituary". legacy.com. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Gilbert Carmichael Obituary". Meridian Star. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  29. ↑ O'Bleness, Ryan (May 3, 2018). "2018 NFL Draft Q&A: For Whom The Cowbell Tolls on Logan Cooke". Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  30. ↑ "Former prosecutor Dantin dead at 82". WLBT. January 11, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  31. ↑ "Eagle Day". msfame.com. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  32. ↑ "Smith Drug Co. celebrated 1st anniversary by highlighting 'Let's Play Ball' exhibit". WDAM. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  33. ↑ Rowland, Dunbar (1904). The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi. Department of Archives and History. p. 549.
  34. ↑ "Looking Back: Irvin one of best cornerbacks in Canadian Football League". The Columbian-Progress. July 13, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  35. ↑ "Kenny Johnson Stats". Pro-Football-Reference. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  36. ↑ Vogell, Heather (December 8, 2000). "CAREY PRESTON, 85, MEMBER OF TROUBLED '70S SCHOOL BOARD". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  37. ↑ Wolfe, Buster (December 3, 2011). "Last Slave to Receive Marker". Columbian Progress. pp. 1, 3. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved March 30, 2019. Forty years after his funeral, Sylvester Magee of Columbia - who is considered the last American slave - will be getting a headstone on his grave because the Marion Historical Society and Stacy Nolan of Southern Monument in Foxworth.
  38. ↑ "Ken Morgan's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  39. ↑ Newsome, Langston (July 17, 2021). "2022 four-star DL Jaheim Oatis firm in commitment to Alabama football, plans to enroll early". Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  40. ↑ "Johnny Sims Football Statistics". Stats Crew. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  41. ↑ Rowland, Dunbar (1917). The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi. Department of Archives and History. p. 893.
  42. ↑ "Jackie Smith". Northwestern State University Athletics. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  43. ↑ "Ruby Terry". justgospel.weebly.com. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
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