Columbus-Muscogee County, Georgia

Columbus-Muscogee County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Columbus
Year Organized: 1826
Square Miles: 216

Court House:

P.O. Box 1340
County Courthouse
Columbus, GA 31902-1340

Etymology - Origin of County Name

The county is named for the Muscogee Indians, whose family included the Creek and Seminoles.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History

Muscogee County was acquired from Creek Indian territory in 1826 and was the 69th county established. The county is named for the Muscogee Indians, whose family included the Creek and Seminoles.

Columbus-Muscogee County was Georgia's first consolidated city-county government. Bibb City is a small enclave within Columbus that was created as a mill village.

The last land battle of the Civil War was fought at Columbus, one week after General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox.

Points of Interest

Fort Benning Military Reservation encompasses the southeastern part of the county. The base is one of the area's largest employers.

Noteworthy historical sites in the county include: the Springer Opera House, built in 1871, which is now the State Theater of Georgia; the Columbus Museum; the Confederate Naval Museum; and the Columbus Historical District which includes the Columbus Ironworks, built in 1853.

The newest point of interest in Columbus is the South Commons Complex, a collection of sports facilities in one location. The centerpiece of the complex is the Columbus Civic Center. Opened in 1996, this 10,000 seat venue is a true multi-purpose facility. It is home to the Columbus Cottonmouths hockey team.

Notable Citizens

Robert Winship Woodruff, a noted industrialist and philanthropist from Muscogee County, became the president of the Coca-Cola Company at the age of 33. Dr. John Pemberton, the inventor of the Coke formula, also lived in Columbus.

Higher Education

Columbus State University, Columbus Technical College and Troy State University at Ft. Benning

Neighboring Counties:

Harris County (north)
Talbot County (northeast)
Chattahoochee County (south)
Russell County, Alabama (southwest)
Lee County, Alabama (west)

Cities and Towns:

- Columbus (County Seat)

city

Incorporated Area

County Resources:

County http://www.columbusga.org/

Chamber of Commerce http://columbusgachamber.com

Additional County Info http://www.georgiaplanning.com/CountyPortal/countyportal.asp?FIPS=13215

County Resource Guide

Counties: US Map

The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of our country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."

Penn Foster High School

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