Columbia

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.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Columbia has a total area of , of which (or 99.37%) is land and (or 0.63%) is water. Columbia is bounded on the west by the Mississippi River. Running in a diagonal line just northeast of Columbia is the border of St. Clair County, beyond which lies Dupo to the north and Millstadt to the east. To the south is Waterloo. Waterloo and Columbia are expected to grow right up to the borders of the other, in effect extending St. Louis's urban sprawl from South St. Louis County across the Jefferson Barracks Bridge into the heart of the formerly rural Monroe County. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Columbia, IL has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  21,135
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  18,653
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  15,966
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  14,653
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  13,942
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  13,066
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  12,223
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  10,700

Largest nearby schools

• Columbia High School
  High · Columbia · 635 students · 17.2:1 ratio
• Waterloo Junior High School
  Middle · Waterloo · 619 students · 17.2:1 ratio
• Columbia Middle School
  Middle · Columbia · 608 students · 16.9:1 ratio
• W J Zahnow Elem School
  Elementary · Waterloo · 488 students · 15.3:1 ratio
• Parkview Elementary School
  Elementary · Columbia · 432 students · 16.6:1 ratio
• Gardner Elementary School
  Elementary · Waterloo · 399 students · 16:1 ratio
• Rogers Elem School
  Elementary · Waterloo · 367 students · 14.7:1 ratio
• Eagleview Elementary School
  Elementary · Columbia · 315 students · 14.3:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.57 — 2024-09-19
  1 km S of Old Monroe, Missouri
• M 2.81 — 2024-03-28
  1 km NNE of Germantown, Illinois
• M 2.53 — 2024-03-05
  6 km ENE of Pinckneyville, Illinois
• M 2.84 — 2022-04-29
  1 km SSW of Peerless Park, Missouri
• M 2.57 — 2019-09-11
  6 km NNE of Bonne Terre, Missouri
• M 3.12 — 2017-07-01
  9 km SSE of Mulberry Grove, Illinois