Columbus

History

The land developed as Columbus was bought by General John Tipton and Luke Bonesteel in 1820. Tipton built a log cabin on Mount Tipton, a small hill overlooking White River and the surrounding flat, heavily forested and swampy valley. It held wetlands of the river. The town was first known as Tiptona, named in honor of Tipton. The town's name was changed to Columbus on March 20, 1821. Many people believe Tipton was upset by the name change, but no evidence exists to prove this. Nonetheless, he decided to leave the newly founded town and did not return. Tipton was later appointed as the highway commissioner for the State of Indiana and was assigned to building a highway from Indianapolis, Indiana to Louisville, Kentucky. When the road approached Columbus, Tipton constructed the first bypass road ever built; it detoured south around the west side of Columbus en route to Seymour. Joseph McKinney was the first to plot the town of Columbus, but no date was recorded. Local history books for years said that the land on which Columbus sits was donated by Tipton. However, in 2003, Historic Columbus Indiana acquired a deed showing that Tipton had sold the land. A ferry was established below the confluence of the Flatrock and Driftwood rivers, which form the White River. A village of three or four log cabins developed around the ferry landing, and a store was added in 1821. Later that year, Bartholomew County was organized by an act of the State Legislature and named to honor the famous Hoosier militiaman, General Joseph Bartholomew. Columbus was incorporated as a town on June 28, 1864, and was incorporated as a city 1921. The first railroad in Indiana was constructed to Columbus from Madison, Indiana in 1844. This eventually became the Madison branch of the Pennsylvania…

Geography

The Driftwood and Flatrock Rivers converge at Columbus to form the East Fork of the White River. According to the 2010 census, Columbus has a total area of , of which (or 98.62%) is land and (or 1.38%) is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,005
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  780
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  725
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  716
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  713
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  674
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  651
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  622

Largest nearby schools

• Columbus North High School
  High · Columbus · 2,224 students · 13.4:1 ratio
• Columbus East High School
  High · Columbus · 1,535 students · 18.1:1 ratio
• Southside Elementary School
  Elementary · Columbus · 905 students · 18.9:1 ratio
• Northside Middle School
  Middle · Columbus · 904 students · 15.9:1 ratio
• Central Middle School
  Middle · Columbus · 859 students · 15.3:1 ratio
• Parkside Elementary School
  Elementary · Columbus · 727 students · 16.5:1 ratio
• Lillian Schmitt Elementary School
  Elementary · Columbus · 677 students · 16.9:1 ratio
• Clifty Creek Elementary School
  Elementary · Columbus · 636 students · 15.9:1 ratio