Columbia, Illinois
Columbia is a city of 11,127 people in Monroe County, Illinois, founded in 1859.
Why visit Columbia
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 12 parks and trails, 10 places to eat and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Jefferson Barracks Bridge, Gundlach-Grosse House, Jefferson Barracks Military Post and Cliff Cave Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 22°F.
Weather in Columbia
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Columbia
Columbia is a city mainly in Monroe County with a small portion in St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Illinois, about 12 miles (19 km) south of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 10,999 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Columbia, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Jefferson Barracks Bridge
Bridge · 3.9 mi
Mississippi River bridge connecting Monroe County, IL and Southern St. Louis County in MO.
Museums and landmarks8
Gundlach-Grosse House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
Jefferson Barracks Military Post
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.4 mi
Historic military post on the Mississippi River
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.8 mi
Cemetery in St. Louis County, Missouri, USA
Lunsford-Pulcher Archeological Site
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Archeological site in Monroe and St. Clair counties in Illinois
Shoemaker School
Monument and historic site · 2.1 mi
A historic single-room schoolhouse, one of sixty built in Monroe County, and one of only three remaining.
Parks, trails and playgrounds12
Cliff Cave Park
Park · 4.3 mi
Public park in St. Louis County, Missouri, U.S
Restaurants and cafes10
Washy's Pub
Bar and pub · Burger, American, Breakfast, Brunch, Pub · 1.5 mi
210 South Main Street, Columbia
Su-Th 08:00-23:00, Fr-Sa 08:00-01:00
DQ Grill & Chill
Fast food · Ice Cream, Burger · 2.0 mi
1001 South Main Street, Columbia
Mo-Su 10:00-22:00
Taco Bell
Fast food · Tex-Mex · 0.8 mi
200 Columbia Center, Columbia
Mo-Th 07:00-02:00; Fr 07:00-03:00; Sa 10:00-03:00; Su 07:00-02:00
History
Columbia was first incorporated in 1859 as a small farming settlement, but had been occupied by various Native American cultures for 12,000 years. The earliest group encountered by European settlers were members of what became the Illinois Confederation, though they had moved to the area from the Great Lakes region only a few centuries before.
In 1873, the St. Louis and Cairo Railroad (Then the Cairo and St. Louis Railroad) Opened a track and station at Columbia. The line and service was sold in 1886 to the Mobile and Ohio Railroad.
From the History section of Columbia, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship3
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries19
Healthcare2
Map of Columbia
58 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 22°F | 2.7 in | 4.9 in |
| Feb | 46°F | 26°F | 2.3 in | 3.7 in |
| Mar | 56°F | 35°F | 3.5 in | 1.2 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 45°F | 4.6 in | 0.3 in |
| May | 76°F | 56°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 65°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 69°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 67°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 59°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 46°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 35°F | 3.3 in | 0.8 in |
| Dec | 45°F | 27°F | 2.8 in | 2.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Cahokia (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Monroe County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2023-08-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2008-06-24: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Saint Louis Downtown - Parks Airport (CPS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Dupo 4 mi north, about 6 min by car
- Oakville 6 mi west, about 9 min by car
- Mehlville 6 mi northwest, about 10 min by car
- Lemay 6 mi northwest, about 10 min by car
- Millstadt 7 mi east, about 11 min by car
- Concord 8 mi northwest, about 13 min by car
- St. George 8 mi northwest, about 12 min by car
- Arnold 9 mi west, about 14 min by car
- Cahokia Heights 9 mi north, about 14 min by car
- Affton 9 mi northwest, about 14 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Downtown Columbia, IL, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- August Kliemann - Waterloo, ILL - Sidewalk in Columbia, Illinois, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Wayne Feeds - Columbia, Illinois, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- The Distillery, Columbia, Illinois, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Large Garage - Columbia, Illinois, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Columbia, IL Police, Fire Dept. and Ambulance, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Out Back - Columbia, Illinois, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- G's - Columbia, Illinois, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Aunt Maggie's on Main - Columbia, Illinois, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Columbia Sno Cone, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Church in Columbia, IL, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Modified House Columbia, Illinois, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Telephone - Columbia, Illinois, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Cast Iron Storefront - Columbia, Illinois, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Robert Lawton, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Jefferson Barracks, John Stanton, CC0
- Cliff Cave. Picnic party in front of entrance, distant view. 13 June 1891, Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
- Jefferson Barracks Bridge 1993 flood cropped, Service Depicted: Other Service Camera Operator: SSGT PAUL GRIFFIN, Public domain
- Gundlach-Grosse House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Carriage Stone - E. Grosse 1873, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- 1892-Violinist-Paul.E.Harney, Paul E. Harney Jr., Public domain
- C1900-WhiteChickensOnPorcelein-Paul.E.Harney, Paul E. Harney Jr., CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1896-Toothache-Paul.E.Harney, Paul E. Harney Jr., Public domain
- Carriage Stone and Hitching Post at the Gundlach-Grosse House, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Ernst A. Weinel, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Former Home of STL Metro's first Elevator, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Lunsford-Pulcher Site from Oklahoma Hill Road, Nyttend, Public domain
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