Columbia, Kentucky
Columbia is a city of 4,808 people in Adair County, Kentucky, founded in 1802.
Why visit Columbia
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 16 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Adair County Courthouse and Columbia Commercial Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Columbia
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Columbia
Columbia is a home rule-class city just above Russell Creek in Adair County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 4,845 at the 2020 census. Columbia is the seat of its county.
From the Wikipedia article Columbia, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks5
Adair County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
United States historic place
Columbia Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Columbia, Kentucky
Daniel Trabue House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
House in Columbia, Kentucky
Dr. Nathan Gaither House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
House in Kentucky, United States of America
John Field House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
House in Kentucky, United States of America
Restaurants and cafes16
Kay's Cafe
Cafe · Dessert, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Burger, Chicken · 0.7 mi
808 Jamestown Street, Columbia
Mo-Th 07:00-14:00; Fr 07:00-17:00
Tray's Garden
Restaurant · Chinese · 0.7 mi
960 Jamestown Street, Columbia
Mo-Fr 10:30-20:00
Dairy Queen
Fast food · Ice Cream, Burger · 0.9 mi
1011 Jamestown Street, Columbia
Mo-Th 06:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-24:00; Su 07:00-23:00
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 0.8 mi
624 Tutt Street, Columbia
Mo-Th 06:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-24:00; Su 07:00-23:00
4 more on the map.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship7
Good Shepherd Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.9 mi
1217 Greensburg Street, Columbia
Columbia Baptist Church
Church · Southern Baptist
201 Greensburg Street, Columbia
History
The area was settled c. 1802 by Daniel Trabue. The post office was opened on April 1, 1806, by John Field, who also ran the local store.
Camp Boyle, located north of the town square, was an important camp and muster site for the Union Army during the Civil War (1861–1865). The 13th Kentucky Cavalry Regiment (Union) was organized in Columbia.
From the History section of Columbia, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Healthcare3
TJ Primary Care Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.7 mi
810 Jamestown Street, Columbia
Map of Columbia
47 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 26°F | 3.9 in |
| Feb | 49°F | 28°F | 4.2 in |
| Mar | 59°F | 34°F | 4.8 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 43°F | 4.8 in |
| May | 78°F | 54°F | 5.0 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 63°F | 4.7 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 67°F | 4.9 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 64°F | 3.2 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 57°F | 4.0 in |
| Oct | 71°F | 44°F | 3.7 in |
| Nov | 59°F | 34°F | 3.7 in |
| Dec | 48°F | 29°F | 4.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Greensburg Hcn (15 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
Adair County has had 18 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-05-29: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-05-23: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2025-04-03: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-16: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Glasgow Municipal Airport (GLW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 36 miles away.
- Russell Springs 13 mi east, about 21 min by car
- Greensburg 15 mi northwest, about 24 min by car
- Jamestown 16 mi southeast, about 25 min by car
- Campbellsville 17 mi north, about 27 min by car
- Edmonton 19 mi southwest, about 31 min by car
- Burkesville 22 mi south, about 35 min by car
- Liberty 25 mi northeast, about 41 min by car
- Albany 30 mi south, about 48 min by car
- Monticello 31 mi southeast, about 50 min by car
- Lebanon 32 mi north, about 52 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
- Columbia kentucky night 2008, Pen Waggener, CC BY 2.0
- Adair County Jail in Columbia, Nyttend, Public domain
- Columbia courthouse square, southern quadrant, Nyttend, Public domain
- Columbia municipal building on Campbellsville Street, Nyttend, Public domain
- Adair County Judicial Center, Columbia, Nyttend, Public domain
- Columbia Church of the Nazarene, Nyttend, Public domain
- Adair County Kentucky courthouse, W.marsh, CC BY-SA 3.0
- DANIEL TRABUE HOUSE, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Nathan Gaither House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Historic Adair County Kentucky Courthouse, Linda Waggener, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Historic Adair County Kentucky Courthouse II, Linda Waggener, CC BY-SA 4.0
- John Field House, Nyttend, Public domain
- ISS031-E-141168 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS031-E-141166 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS034-E-32322 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS031-E-141165 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS031-E-141167 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- 2025-02-25 161936 7DMkII 0019 I w248, BuckSkinRider, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2025-02-25 162016 7DMkII 0021 I w248, BuckSkinRider, CC BY-SA 4.0
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- 2025-02-25 161612 7DMkII 0007 I w248, BuckSkinRider, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2025-02-25 161504 7DMkII 0001 I w248, BuckSkinRider, CC BY-SA 4.0
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