Columbus, Georgia – A river runs through it. Chattahoochee River winds past this vibrant city offering the charm and ambience of the Old South along with all the conveniences of the new. The city lies about 90 miles southwest of Georgia's capital (Atlanta) and is ideally located where five major highways intersect (Interstate I-185 and US Routes 27, 80, 280, and 431), making it very accessible to intrastate and interstate movers. Those moving to Columbus will discover a community of more than 250,000 people and is the corporate headquarters of many of the United States' leading companies.
Economy:
Early entrepreneurs took advantage of the water power of the Chattahoochee River and turned the city into the South's earliest and largest mill town. Fort Benning (previously known as Camp Benning) has become a prominent figure in Columbus since 1918 and still remains as its major source of employment. In the 1960s, the city began shedding image of a military and mill town. Its economy expanded and diversified. As the city has turned from its initial industry of textiles, it has established a home for other prominent industries like TSYS, AFLAC Insurance and Carmike Cinemas. TSYS is the largest processor of merchant acquirers and bank credit card issuers. AFLAC is a leading supplemental health and life insurance company. Carmike Cinemas is a movie theatre corporation that currently operates 311 theatres in 37 states, which makes it the fourth largest theatre company in the United States.
History:
Columbus was once the location of a Creek Indian Village. Originally named in honor of Christopher Columbus, its location on the very end of the navigational portion of the Chattahoochee River made it one of the most significant industrial centers of the South in the mid-19th century. The city's commercial importance increased with the completion of the railroad. In addition, textile mills began springing up along the river. By 1860 the city earned the nickname "the Lowell of the South," comparing it to the industrial town in Massachusetts.
By the time of the Spanish American War, the city began to undergo modernization including the addition of trolleys extending to faraway neighborhoods such as Rose Hill and Lakebottom. 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. Known at the time as Camp Benning, the camp would later evolve into the present day Fort Benning. During the later part of the 20th century, the city experienced a significant period of urban renewal and revitalization. Since then, ongoing expansion of commercial activity in the area has brought more and more residents interested in moving to Columbus.
Tourism:
Columbus is situated at the heart of most of Georgia's major attractions is less than an hour's drive from Georgia's most popular destinations. Locally, Columbus offers a variety of fine attractions such as the State Theatre of Georgia, the historic Springer Opera House, the Port Columbus Civil War Naval Center and the National Infantry Museum. The city also has thriving downtown entertainment district with shops, restaurants and galleries.
As Georgia's third-largest city, Columbus has over 3,200 quality hotel/motel rooms and numerous meeting facilities. The city plays host to hundreds of tour groups as well as state, regional and national meetings each year with its 500,000 square feet of meeting space.