Columbia, Tennessee
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"The city of Columbia (population est. 38,224) is located approximately 45 miles south of Nashville in the heart of Maury County. Whether you are interested in historical homes, sports, antiques, shopping, or mules, it offers something for everyone. The first week of April is devoted entirely to the four-legged animal that played such an instrumental role in the settlement of the Columbia community. The annual Mule Day Parade attracts more than 200,000 spectators from throughout the United States and abroad.
"Columbia is also the ancestral home of the eleventh president of the United States, James K. Polk. The Polk home is located just two blocks from the center of town. The city's Public Square is on the National Register, as are three historic neighborhood districts.
(More information about Columbia, Tennessee, can be found at http://www.columbiatn.com.)
History of Columbia
"The site of Columbia, the county seat of Maury County, was land granted to Nicholas Long, a North Carolina revolutionary colonel, and later sold to John White. One hundred fifty acres were purchased from White on the south bank of the Duck River for $500. There was talk of naming the town Commerce, but the name Columbia was finally chosen, honoring Christopher Columbus.
"Maury County's early industry centered around the agricultural products of the area, and there were a number of mills and tanneries. Columbia has been a leading mule market for more than a century. It had one of the state's first newspapers and was part of the railroad system as early as 1859."
(Text used by permission of the City of Columbia.)