Editing Columbia, Alabama

{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Columbia, Alabama
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|image_skyline            = Columbia, Alabama.JPG
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Columbia, Alabama in 2012
|image_seal               = 
|image_map                = File:Houston County Alabama Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Columbia Highlighted 0116744.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Columbia in Houston County, Alabama.
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Alabama|County]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_name1        = [[Alabama]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Houston County, Alabama|Houston]]
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|established_date         = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 10.35
|area_total_sq_mi         = 4.00
|area_land_km2            = 10.18
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.93
|area_water_km2           = 0.17
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.07
|elevation_ft             = 223
|elevation_m              = 68
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 690
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_km2   = 67.77
|population_density_sq_mi = 175.53
|timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone (North America)|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|coordinates              = {{coord|31|17|32|N|85|6|43|W|region:US-AL|display=inline,title}}
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 36319
|area_code                = [[Area code 334|334]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 01-16744
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0116457
|footnotes                = 
|website                  = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_01.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
}}

'''Columbia''' is a rural town in [[Houston County, Alabama|Houston County]], [[Alabama]], United States. It is part of the [[Dothan, Alabama]] [[Dothan metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. At the 2010 census the population was 740, down from 804 in 2000.

==History==

Founded in 1820, Columbia served as a major trading center for communities throughout the [[Wiregrass Region]] of Alabama between 1822 and 1833, which coincided as its time as Henry County [[county seat|seat]]. [[Henry County, Alabama|Henry County]] which then comprised portions of present-day [[Covington County, Alabama|Covington]], [[Dale County, Alabama|Dale]], [[Barbour County, Alabama|Barbour]], [[Coffee County, Alabama|Coffee]], [[Crenshaw County, Alabama|Crenshaw]], [[Bullock County, Alabama|Bullock]], [[Geneva County, Alabama|Geneva]], and [[Houston County, Alabama|Houston]] counties. It lost the county seat status to [[Abbeville, Alabama|Abbeville]] in 1833.

Bordering the [[Georgia (U.S. State)|State of Georgia]] and the [[Chattahoochee River]], Columbia was a major port-of-call for steamboats and was known to many as "Old Columbia". The town was incorporated on April 29, 1880<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3607 | title=Columbia }}</ref> and was the center of education, culture, commerce, and trade. Columbia was the largest town in the area during the 19th century and remains one of the area's oldest continuously operating municipalities.

Columbia received its first cotton textile mill in 1891 and its first electric plant in 1892. A branch of the [[Henry County, Alabama|Henry County]] Courthouse was located here from 1889 until Columbia became part of [[Houston County, Alabama|Houston County]] in 1903. Columbia got electric street lights in 1900 and its first electric utility company in 1914.

At the turn of the 20th century, Columbia was bypassed by the Alabama Midland Railway in favor of [[Dothan, Alabama|Dothan]]. As the railroads continued to take freight trade away from the riverboats. Columbia's position as a principal trade center began to decline; however, Columbia sustained itself as a thriving farming community through the mid-20th century.<ref>"Columbia". (1978). Historic Chattahoochee Commission. Historic marker in Columbia, Alabama.</ref>

===Old Columbia Jail===
Erected sometime in the early 1860s, the Old Columbia Jail is today one of the last wooden jails still standing in Alabama. Originally, there were two cells, each measuring 10x15 feet. Interior walls are studded every two inches with iron spikes to prevent prisoners from being able to escape. The Columbia Women's Club and the Columbia Bicentennial Committee have completely renovated the building for use as a museum to preserve some of the articles of historical interest to Columbia citizens.<ref>"Old Columbia Jail". (1978). Historic Chattahoochee Commission. Historic marker in Columbia, Alabama.</ref>

===Purcell-Killingsworth House===
The Purcell-Killingsworth House, also known as "Traveler's Rest" was completed in 1890 by William Henry Purcell (1845–1910), a prominent Columbia business man and politician. Purcell had many business interests including a steamboat landing on the [[Chattahoochee River]]. This was the boyhood home of [[Clare Purcell|Bishop Clare Purcell]] (1884–1964) who, in 1955, was elected President of the [[United Methodist Council of Bishops]], the highest place of recognition ever achieved by a native-born Alabama Methodist minister. In 1946, the Purcell Family sold the two acre homestead to Mr. & Mrs. Henry Killingsworth who have meticulously restored this imposing [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] mansion. It was placed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Alabama#Houston County|National Register of Historic Places]] on December 16, 1982.<ref>"Purcell-Killingsworth House". (1989). Historic Chattahoochee Commission. Historic marker in Columbia, Alabama.</ref>

==Geography==
Columbia is located in the northeastern corner of Houston County at {{coord|31.292283|-85.112123|type:city_region:US|format=dms|display=inline}}.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

The town is located on the [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]-Alabama state line along Alabama State Routes [[Alabama State Route 52|52]] and [[Alabama State Route 95|95]]. AL-52 is the main east–west
route through the town, leading east {{convert|1|mi|km|abbr=on}} to the Georgia state line, and west {{convert|10|mi|km|abbr=on}} to [[Webb, Alabama|Webb]]. AL-95 begins in the town and leads north {{convert|23|mi|km|abbr=on}} to [[Abbeville, Alabama|Abbeville]]. [[Alabama State Route 134]] also begins in the town, leading west {{convert|17|mi|km|abbr=on}} to [[Headland, Alabama|Headland]].

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|4.0|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|3.9|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.1|sqmi|km2}} (1.75%) is water.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 290
|1890= 960
|1900= 1132
|1910= 1122
|1920= 860
|1930= 926
|1940= 829
|1950= 849
|1960= 783
|1970= 891
|1980= 881
|1990= 922
|2000= 804
|2010= 740
|2020= 690
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 6, 2013}}</ref><br>2013 Estimate<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2013/SUB-EST2013-3.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013|access-date=June 3, 2014}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Columbia racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US0116744&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 17, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|529
|76.67%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|117
|16.96%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|1
|0.14%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|40
|5.8%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|3
|0.43%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 690 people, 343 households, and 192 families residing in the town.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 804 people, 344 households, and 226 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|204.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 462 housing units at an average density of {{convert|117.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 74.38% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 24.50% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.62% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.12% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.37% from two or more races. 0.50% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 344 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $27,500, and the median income for a family was $36,339. Males had a median income of $29,821 versus $18,393 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $15,248. About 12.3% of families and 18.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 24.0% of those under age 18 and 18.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Notable people==
*[[Dave Edwards (linebacker)|Dave Edwards]], former [[Auburn University]] and [[Dallas Cowboys]] player
*[[Monte Irvin]], born in Columbia, member of the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]]<ref name="The Baseball Encyclopedia">{{cite book |editor= Reichler, Joseph L. |title= The Baseball Encyclopedia |orig-year= 1969 |edition= 4th |year= 1979 |publisher= Macmillan Publishing |location= New York |isbn= 0-02-578970-8 |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/baseballencyclop00reic }}</ref>
*[[B'Ho Kirkland]], born in Columbia, played for the [[Alabama Crimson Tide]] and went on to play for the [[Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)]].
*[[Clare Purcell]], born in Columbia, [[United States|American]] [[Bishop]] of the [[Methodist Episcopal Church, South]] and [[The Methodist Church (USA)|the Methodist Church]], elected in 1938.

==Gallery==

<gallery>
File:Columbia, Alabama Post Office 36319.JPG|Columbia Post Office ([[ZIP code]]: 36319)
File:Rossie Purcell Public Library Columbia, Alabama.JPG|Rossie Purcell Public Library
File:Columbia First Baptist Church Columbia, Alabama.JPG|Columbia First Baptist Church
File:Old Columbia, Alabama Jail.JPG|The Old Columbia Jail
File:Purcell-Killingsworth House.JPG|The Purcell-Killingsworth House
File:FRONT AND SIDE VIEW, N.E. - S. M. Dunwoody House, Abbeville Highway, Columbia, Houston County, AL HABS ALA,35-COLUM,3-1.tif|S. M. Dunwoody House. Taken as part of the [[Historic American Buildings Survey]] (HABS)
File:FRONT AND SIDE VIEW, N.W. - Tom Bowden House, Greenwood Street, Columbia, Houston County, AL HABS ALA,35-COLUM,4-1.tif|Tom Bowden House. Taken as part of the HABS
File:REAR AND SIDE VIEW, N.W. - J. B. Taylor House, Washington Street, Columbia, Houston County, AL HABS ALA,35-COLUM,2-2.tif|J. B. Taylor House. Taken as part of the HABS
File:REAR AND SIDE VIEW, S.W. - Teague-Regell House, South and Washington Streets, Columbia, Houston County, AL HABS ALA,35-COLUM,1-2.tif|Teague-Regell House. Taken as part of the HABS
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Houston County, Alabama}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Houston County, Alabama]]
[[Category:Towns in Alabama]]
[[Category:Dothan metropolitan area, Alabama]]
[[Category:Alabama populated places on the Chattahoochee River]]