Columbia

Sister cities

• Kutaisi

History

Columbia's origins begin with the settlement of American pioneers from Kentucky and Virginia in an early 1800s region known as the Boonslick. Before 1815 settlement in the region was confined to small log forts due to the threat of Native American attack during the War of 1812. When the war ended settlers came on foot, horseback, and wagon, often moving entire households along the Boone's Lick Road and often bringing enslaved African Americans. By 1818 it was clear that the increased population would necessitate a new county be created from territorial Howard County. The Moniteau Creek on the west and Cedar Creek on the east were obvious natural boundaries. Believing it was only a matter of time before a county seat was chosen, the Smithton Land Company was formed to purchase over to establish the village of Smithton (near the present-day intersection of Walnut and Garth). In 1819 Smithton was a small cluster of log cabins in an ancient forest of oak and hickory; chief among them was the cabin of Richard Gentry, a trustee of the Smithton Company who would become first mayor of Columbia. In 1820, Boone County was formed and named after the recently deceased explorer Daniel Boone. The Missouri Legislature appointed John Gray, Jefferson Fulcher, Absalom Hicks, Lawrence Bass, and David Jackson as commissioners to select and establish a permanent county seat. Smithton never had more than twenty people, and it was quickly realized that well digging was difficult because of the bedrock. Springs were discovered across the Flat Branch Creek, so in the spring of 1821 Columbia was laid out, and the inhabitants of Smithton moved their cabins to the new town. The first house in Columbia was built by Thomas Duly in 1820 at what became Fifth and Broadway. Columbia's permanence was…

Geography

Columbia, in northern mid-Missouri, is away from both St. Louis and Kansas City, and north of the state capital of Jefferson City. The city is near the Missouri River, between the Ozark Plateau and the Northern Plains. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The city generally slopes from the highest point in the Northeast to the lowest point in the Southwest towards the Missouri River. Prominent tributaries of the river are Perche Creek, Hinkson Creek, and Flat Branch Creek. Along these and other creeks in the area can be found large valleys, cliffs, and cave systems such as that in Rock Bridge State Park just south of the city. These creeks are largely responsible for numerous stream valleys giving Columbia hilly terrain similar to the Ozarks while also having prairie flatland typical of northern Missouri. Columbia also operates several greenbelts with trails and parks throughout town. Large mammals found in the city include urbanized coyotes, red foxes, and numerous whitetail deer. Eastern gray squirrel, and other rodents are abundant, as well as cottontail rabbits and the nocturnal opossum and raccoon. Large bird species are abundant in parks and include the Canada goose, mallard duck, as well as shorebirds, including the great egret and great blue heron. Turkeys are also common in wooded areas and can occasionally be seen on the MKT recreation trail. Populations of bald eagles are found by the Missouri River. The city is on the Mississippi Flyway, used by migrating birds, and has a large variety of small bird species, common to the eastern U.S. The Eurasian tree sparrow, an introduced species, is limited in North America to the counties surrounding St. Louis. Columbia has large areas of…

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  26,894
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  20,516
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  19,793
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  19,236
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  18,913
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  18,336
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  17,266
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  14,748

Largest nearby schools

• DAVID H. HICKMAN HIGH
  High · COLUMBIA · 2,044 students · 17.2:1 ratio
• ROCK BRIDGE SR. HIGH
  High · COLUMBIA · 2,032 students · 18.8:1 ratio
• MURIEL W. BATTLE HIGH SCHOOL
  High · COLUMBIA · 1,581 students · 15.8:1 ratio
• ANN HAWKINS GENTRY MIDDLE
  Middle · COLUMBIA · 719 students · 14.1:1 ratio
• BEULAH RALPH ELEMENTARY
  Elementary · Columbia · 678 students · 15.1:1 ratio
• MARY PAXTON KEELEY ELEM.
  Elementary · COLUMBIA · 634 students · 15.8:1 ratio
• JEFFERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · COLUMBIA · 625 students · 12.5:1 ratio
• MILL CREEK ELEM.
  Elementary · COLUMBIA · 593 students · 18.5:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.59 — 2022-12-05
  4 km SW of Madison, Missouri
• M 3.3 — 2005-07-31
  Missouri
• M 2.9 — 2004-02-08
  6 km SSW of Stoutsville, Missouri