Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus is a city of 23,348 people in Lowndes County, Mississippi, founded in 1821.
Why visit Columbus
Townapedia lists 16 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 32 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Malco Columbus Cinema 8, Brownrigg-Harris-Kennebrew House, Charles McLaran House and Lion Hills.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 94°F; January lows average 36°F.
Weather in Columbus
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Columbus
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Lowndes County, on the eastern border of Mississippi, United States, located primarily east, but also north and northeast of the Tombigbee River, which is also part of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. It is approximately 146 miles (235 km) northeast of Jackson, 92 miles (148 km) north of Meridian, 63 miles (101 km) south of Tupelo, 60 miles (97 km) northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and 120 miles (193 km) west of Birmingham, Alabama.
From the Wikipedia article Columbus, Mississippi (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks16
Brownrigg-Harris-Kennebrew House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic house in Columbus, Lowndes County, Mississippi
Charles McLaran House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Human settlement in Mississippi, United States of America
Friendship Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Cemetery in Columbus, Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States
Harris-Banks House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Mansion in Columbus, Mississippi
Hickory Sticks
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic house in Columbus, Mississippi, United States
Old Fort House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Mississippi
Plymouth
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.5 mi
Archaeological site in Lowndes County, Mississippi
Rosedale
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Building in Mississippi, United States
South Columbus Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Historic district in Columbus, Mississippi
Stephen D. Lee House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic house in Mississippi, United States
Sykes-Leigh House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic mansion in Columbus, Mississippi
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The Cedars
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic early 19th century house in Columbus, Mississippi
4 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes32
El Patron
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.7 mi
78 Brickerton Street, Columbus
Gratia Artisanal Eatery
Cafe · 1.6 mi
224 South 5th Street, Columbus
Mo-Fr 07:00-17:00; Sa 07:00-15:00
20 more on the map.
History
The first record of the site of Columbus in Western history is found in the annals of the explorer Hernando de Soto, who is reputed to have crossed the nearby Tombigbee River on his search for El Dorado. However, the site does not enter the main continuity of United States history until December 1810, when John Pitchlynn, the U.S. Indian agent and interpreter for the Choctaw Nation, moved to Plymouth Bluff, where he built a home, established a farm, and transacted Choctaw Agency business.
After the Battle of New Orleans, Andrew Jackson recognized the urgent need for roads to connect New Orleans to the rest of the country. In 1817 Jackson ordered a road be built to provide a direct route from Nashville to New Orleans. His surveyor, Captain Hugh Young, chose a place on the Tombigbee River where high ground approached the river on both sides as the location for a ferry to be used for crossing the river when high water prevented fording the river. A military bridge was constructed where the present-day Tombigbee Bridge was later developed in Columbus, Mississippi. Jackson's Military Road opened the way for development in the area.
From the History section of Columbus, Mississippi on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Columbus North
Motel and hotel · 1.2 mi
2000 North 6th Street
Wingate by Wyndham Columbus
Motel and hotel · 0.7 mi
129 Brickerton Street, Columbus
Churches and places of worship65
Saint Catherine Orthodox Church
Church · Orthodox · 1.2 mi
725 North 4th Avenue, Columbus
Shopping15
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries29
Ms School For Math And Science
School · 1.3 mi
5Th Ave South And Mscw Dr, Columbus
Healthcare6
Map of Columbus
185 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 36°F | 5.5 in | 0.2 in |
| Feb | 61°F | 39°F | 5.7 in | 0.2 in |
| Mar | 70°F | 46°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 78°F | 53°F | 5.8 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 85°F | 62°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 91°F | 69°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 94°F | 73°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 93°F | 72°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 88°F | 66°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 78°F | 54°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 66°F | 43°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 58°F | 38°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Columbus Hcn (3 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
Lowndes County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-02-06: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2021-10-22: Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2021-08-28: Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2020-04-05: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Columbus-Lowndes County Airport (UBS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- New Hope 5 mi southeast, about 8 min by car
- Columbus AFB 9 mi north, about 14 min by car
- Macedonia 12 mi southeast, about 19 min by car
- Caledonia 13 mi north, about 21 min by car
- Artesia 15 mi southwest, about 24 min by car
- West Point 16 mi northwest, about 26 min by car
- Hamilton 16 mi north, about 27 min by car
- New Hamilton 17 mi north, about 27 min by car
- Northport 50 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Tuscaloosa 54 mi east, about 1 h 30 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
- Columbus MS, Shayanasadi, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Old Fort House, Columbus, Jack Boucher, Public domain
- Post office in Columbus, Mississippi, John J. Sarcone, Public domain
- Court House, Columbus, Miss. (8080222693), Mississippi Department of Archives and History, No restrictions
- City hall, Columbus, Miss. (8080245115), Mississippi Department of Archives and History, No restrictions
- Franklin Academy, Columbus, Miss. (8080217844), Mississippi Department of Archives and History, No restrictions
- Columbus Hospital, Columbus, Miss. (8080228949), Mississippi Department of Archives and History, No restrictions
- Old Tombigbee River Bridge at Columbus, J. Carlos Rosales, Public domain
- Rosedale, Columbus, James Butters, Public domain
- Greetings from Columbus, Mississippi, Army Flying School - Large Letter Postcard (6002771596), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Front Campus picture of Mississippi University for Women, LikeTheBread, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Weaver Place, James Butters, Public domain
- White Arches 1857, Altairisfar (Jeffrey Reed), CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Cedars, Columbus (Lowndes County, Mississippi), James Butters, Photographer, Public domain
- Temple Heights 1837, Altairisfar (Jeffrey Reed), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Retired baldwin (4990019652), tinkerbrad, CC BY 2.0
- Retired baldwin 2 (4990016480), tinkerbrad, CC BY 2.0
- CAGY Baldwin Road Switcher, Matthew Nichols, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Queen City Hotel & 7th Avenue - Mississippi Blues Trail Marker, Firecruise, CC BY-SA 4.0
- MTH4718, Mthunter58, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bone model large, RWhitwam, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bone model numbered, RWhitwam, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bone model labeled, RWhitwam, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Model of human ear, RWhitwam, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Alabama Southern, chief_huddleston, CC BY 2.0
- Charles McLaran House Rwminix, Rwminix, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Harris-Banks House 310-001lth, Leigh T. Harrell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Teasdale2, Marcusmoseley, Public domain
- Friendship Cemetery 263-001, Leigh T. Harrell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Friendship Cemetery 270-001, Leigh T. Harrell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Friendship Cemetery 276-001, Leigh T. Harrell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Friendship Cemetery 280-001, Leigh T. Harrell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Friendship Cemetery 264-001, Leigh T. Harrell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Friendship Cemetery 288-001, Leigh T. Harrell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Friendship Cemetery 293-001, Leigh T. Harrell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Friendship Cemetery 286-001, Leigh T. Harrell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Friendship Cemetery 273-001, Leigh T. Harrell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Friendship Cemetery 281-001, Leigh T. Harrell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Friendship Cemetery 295-001, Leigh T. Harrell, CC BY-SA 3.0
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