Jump to content

Columbus, Indiana

Coordinates:39°12′50″N85°54′40″W/ 39.213998°N 85.911056°W/39.213998; -85.911056
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Columbus, Indiana
City
The Robert N. Stewart Bridge (foreground), with the Bartholomew County Courthouse and First Christian Church visible in the background.
The Robert N. Stewart Bridge (foreground), with theBartholomew County CourthouseandFirst Christian Churchvisible in the background.
Flag of Columbus, Indiana
Flag
Official logo of Columbus, Indiana
Logo
Nickname:
"Athens on the Prairie"
Motto:
"Unexpected. Unforgettable"[1]
Location of Columbus in Bartholomew County, Indiana
Location of Columbus in Bartholomew County, Indiana
Columbus is located in Indiana
Columbus
Columbus
Columbus is located in the United States
Columbus
Columbus
Coordinates:39°12′50″N85°54′40″W/ 39.21389°N 85.91111°W/39.21389; -85.91111
CountryUnited States
StateIndiana
CountyBartholomew
Government
•MayorMary Ferdon (R)
Area
[2]
• Total28.75 sq mi (74.47 km2)
• Land28.41 sq mi (73.59 km2)
• Water0.34 sq mi (0.88 km2)
Elevation
[3]
627 ft (191 m)
Population
(2020)
• Total50,474
• Density1,776.44/sq mi (685.90/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5(EST)
• Summer (DST)UTC−4(EDT)
ZIP Codes
47201–47203
Area code(s)812 and 930
FIPS code18-14734[4]
GNISfeature ID2393609[3]
Websitewww.columbus.in.gov
Columbus City Hall

Columbus(/kəˈlʌmbəs/) is a city in, and thecounty seatof,Bartholomew County, Indiana,United States.[5]The population was 50,474 at the2020 census.The city is known for its architectural significance, having commissioned noted works ofmodern architectureandpublic artsince the mid-20th century; the annual programExhibit Columbuscelebrates this legacy. Located about 40 mi (64 km) south ofIndianapolis,on the east fork of theWhite River,it is the state's 20th-largest city. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Indianametropolitan statistical area,which encompasses all of Bartholomew County. Columbus is the birthplace of formerIndiana Governorand formerVice President of the United States,Mike Pence.

Columbus is the headquarters of the engine companyCummins.In 2004 the city was named as one of "The Ten Most Playful Towns" byNick Jr.Family Magazine.[6]In the July 2005 edition ofGQmagazine, Columbus was named as one of the "62 Reasons to Love Your Country".[7]Columbus won the national contest "America in Bloom" in 2006,[8]and in late 2008,National Geographic Travelerranked Columbus 11th on its historic destinations list, describing the city as "authentic, unique, and unspoiled."[9]

History

[edit]

The land developed as Columbus was bought by GeneralJohn Tiptonand Luke Bonesteel in 1820. Tipton built a log cabin on Mount Tipton, a small hill overlookingWhite Riverand 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.[10]

Tipton was later appointed as the highway commissioner for theState of Indianaand was assigned to building a highway fromIndianapolis, IndianatoLouisville, 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 toSeymour.

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. But in 2003, Historic Columbus Indiana acquired a deed showing that Tipton had sold the land.

A ferry was established below the confluence of theFlatrockand 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 theState Legislatureand named to honor the famous Hoosier militiaman,General Joseph Bartholomew.Columbus was incorporated on June 28, 1864.

The first railroad in Indiana was constructed to Columbus fromMadison, Indianain 1844. This eventually became the Madison branch of thePennsylvania Railroad.The railroad fostered the growth of the community into one of the largest in Indiana, and three more railroads reached the city by 1850.

The Crump Theatrein Columbus, built in 1889 by John Crump, is the oldest theater in Indiana. Today the building is included within theColumbus Historic District.Before it closed permanently in 2010, it was an all-ages venue with occasional musical performances.

The Cummins Bookstore began operations in the city in 1892. Until late 2007, when it closed, it was the oldest continually operated bookstore in Indiana.

TheIrwin Union Bankbuilding was built in 1954. It was designated as aNational Historic Landmarkby theNational Park Servicein 2001 in recognition of its unique architecture. The building consists of a one-story bank structure adjacent to a three-story office annex. A portion of the office annex was built along with the banking hall in 1954. The remaining larger portion, designed byKevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates,was built in 1973.Eero Saarinendesigned the bank building with its glazed hall to be set off against the blank background of its three-story brick annex. Two steel and glass vestibule connectors lead from the north side of this structure to the annex. The building was designed to distance the Irwin Union Bank from traditional banking architecture, which mostly echoed imposing, neoclassical style buildings of brick or stone. Tellers were behind iron bars and removed from their customers. Saarinen worked to develop a building that would welcome customers rather than intimidate them.

Economy

[edit]

Columbus has been home to many manufacturing companies, including Noblitt-Sparks Industries, which built radios under the Arvin brand in the 1930s,[11]and Arvin Industries, nowMeritorAfter merging with Meritor Automotive on July 10, 2000, the headquarters of the newly created ArvinMeritor Industries was established in Troy, Michigan, the home of parent company,Rockwell International.It was announced in February 2011 that the company name would revert to Meritor, Inc.[12]

Cumminsis by far the region's largest employer, and the Infotech Park in Columbus[13]accounts for a sizable number of research jobs in the city itself. Just south of Columbus are the North American headquarters ofToyota Material Handling,the world's largest material handling (forklift) manufacturer.

Other notable industries include architecture, a discipline for which Columbus is famous worldwide. The lateJoseph Irwin Miller(then president and chairman ofCummins) launched the Cummins Foundation, a charitable program that helps subsidize a large number of architectural projects throughout the city by up-and-coming engineers and architects.

Early in the 20th century, Columbus also was home to a number of pioneering car manufacturers, includingReeves,which produced the unusual four-axleOctoautoand the twin rear-axle Sextoauto, both around 1911.[14]

Geography

[edit]

TheDriftwoodandFlatrockRivers converge at Columbus to form the East Fork of theWhite River.

According to the 2010 census, Columbus has a total area of 27.886 square miles (72.22 km2), of which 27.5 square miles (71.22 km2) (or 98.62%) is land and 0.386 square miles (1.00 km2) (or 1.38%) is water.[15]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18501,008—
18601,84082.5%
18703,35982.6%
18804,81343.3%
18906,71939.6%
19008,13021.0%
19108,8138.4%
19208,9902.0%
19309,93510.5%
194011,73818.1%
195018,37056.5%
196020,77813.1%
197026,45727.3%
198030,61415.7%
199031,8023.9%
200039,05922.8%
201044,06112.8%
202050,47414.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[16]

2010 census

[edit]

As of the census[17]of 2010, there were 44,061 people, 17,787 households, and 11,506 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,602.2 inhabitants per square mile (618.6/km2). There were 19,700 housing units at an average density of 716.4 per square mile (276.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 86.9%White,2.7%African American,0.2%Native American,5.6%Asian,0.1%Pacific Islander,2.5% fromother races,and 2.0% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 5.8% of the population.

There were 17,787 households, of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.3% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.00.

The median age in the city was 37.1 years. 25.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.3% were from 25 to 44; 24.9% were from 45 to 64; and 14.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

2000 census

[edit]

As of the census[4]of 2000, there were 39,059 people, 15,985 households, and 10,566 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,505.3 inhabitants per square mile (581.2/km2). There were 17,162 housing units at an average density of 661.4 per square mile (255.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.32%White,2.71%BlackorAfrican American,0.13%Native American,3.23%Asian,0.05%Pacific Islander,1.39% fromother races,and 1.19% from two or more races. 2.81% of the population wereHispanicorLatinoof any race.

There were 15,985 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were composed of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39, and the average family size was 2.94.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24 years, 29.5% from 25 to 44 years, 23.0% from 45 to 64 years, and 13.7% over the age of 65. The median age was 36 years. There were 92.8 males for every 100 females and 89.6 males for every 100 females over age 18.

Themedian incomefor a household in the city was $41,723, and the median income for a family was $52,296. Males had a median income of $40,367 versus $24,446 for females, and the per capita income was $22,055. About 6.5% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

[edit]
Henry Moore'sLarge Arch.

Columbus is a city known for itsmodern architectureandpublic art.J. Irwin Miller,2nd CEO and a nephew of a co-founder ofCummins,the Columbus-headquartered diesel engine manufacturer, instituted a program in which the Cummins Foundation paid the architects' fees, provided the client selected a firm from a list compiled by the foundation. The plan was initiated with public schools and was so successful that the foundation decided to offer such design support to other non-profit and civic organizations. The high number of notable public buildings andpublic artin the Columbus area, designed by such individuals asEero Saarinen,I.M. Pei,Robert Venturi,Cesar Pelli,andRichard Meier,led to Columbus earning the nickname "Athens on the Prairie."[18]

Seven buildings, constructed between 1942 and 1965, areNational Historic Landmarks,and approximately 60 other buildings sustain the Bartholomew County seat's reputation as a showcase of modern architecture.[19]National Public Radioonce devoted an article to the town's architecture.[20]

In 2015,Landmark Columbuswas created as a program of Heritage Fund - The Community Foundation of Bartholomew county.

In addition to the Columbus Historic District and Irwin Union Bank, the city has numerous buildings listed on theNational Register of Historic Places,including sevenNational Historic Landmarksof modernist architecture:Bartholomew County Courthouse,Columbus City Hall,First Baptist Church,First Christian Church,Haw Creek Leather Company,Mabel McDowell Elementary School,McEwen-Samuels-Marr House,McKinley School,Miller House,North Christian Church,andThe Republic Newspaper Office.[21][22]

The city is the basis for the 2017 filmColumbusby independent filmmakerKogonada.The film was shot on location in Columbus over 18 days in the summer of 2016.[23]

National Historic Landmarks

[edit]

Other notable Modern buildings

[edit]

Notable historic buildings

[edit]

Public art

[edit]
See also:List of public art in Columbus, Indiana

Exhibit Columbus

[edit]

In May 2016, Landmark Columbus launchedExhibit Columbusas a way to continue the ambitious traditions of the past into the future. Exhibit Columbus features annual programming that alternates between symposium and exhibition years.[33]

Sports

[edit]

Columbus High School was home to footwear pioneerChuck Taylor,who played basketball in Columbus before setting out to promote his now famous shoes and the sport of basketball before being inducted into theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Two local high schools compete within the state in various sports. Columbus North and Columbus East both have competitive athletics and have many notable athletes that go on to compete in college and beyond.Columbus North High Schoolhouses one of thelargest high school gyms in the United States.CNHS vs CEHS

Indiana Dieselsof thePremier Basketball Leagueplay their home games at the gymnasium atCeraland Park,with plans to move to a proposed downtown sports complex in the near future.[34]

Parks and recreation

[edit]

Columbus boasts over 700 acres (280 ha) of parks and green space and over 20 miles of People Trails. These amenities, in addition to several athletic and community facilities, including Donner Aquatic Center, Lincoln Park Softball Complex, Hamilton Center Ice Arena, Clifty Park, Foundation for Youth/Columbus Gymnastics Center and The Commons, are managed and maintained by the Columbus Parks and Recreation Department.

Transportation

[edit]

Transit

[edit]

ColumBUSprovides bus service in the city with five routes operating Monday through Saturday.[35]

Roads and highways

[edit]

The north–southUS Route 31has been diverted to the northeastern part of the city.Interstate 65bypasses Columbus to the west.Indiana Route 46runs-east-west through the southern section of the city.

Railroads

[edit]

Freight rail service is provided by theLouisville and Indiana Railroad(LIRC).[36]The LIRC line runs in a north–south orientation along the western edge of Columbus.

ThePennsylvania Railroad'sKentuckyian(Chicago-Louisville) made stops in the city until 1968.[37][38]The PRR and its successor, thePenn Central,ran the Florida-boundSouth Windup to 1971.[39][40]

The city has been earmarked as a location for a new Amtrak station along the Chicago-Indianapolis-Louisville rail corridor.[41]

Airport

[edit]

Columbus is served by theColumbus Municipal Airport(KBAK). It is located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Columbus. The airport handles approximately 40,500 operations per year, with roughly 87% general aviation, 4% air taxi, 8% military and less than 1% commercial service. The airport has two concrete runways; a 6,401-foot runway with approved ILS and GPS approaches (Runway 5-23) and a 5,001-foot crosswind runway, also with GPS approaches, (Runway 14-32).[42]

The nearest commercial airport which currently has scheduled airline service isIndianapolis International Airport(IND), located approximately 55 miles (89 km) northwest of Columbus.Louisville Muhammad Ali International AirportandCincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airportare 78 miles (126 km) to the south and 83 miles (134 km) to the southeast, respectively.

Notable people

[edit]

This is a list of notable people who were born in, or who currently live, or have lived in Columbus.

Education

[edit]

TheBartholomew Consolidated School Corporation(BCSC) is the local school district. High schools include:

Columbus has a public library, a branch of the Bartholomew County Public Library.[44]

Secondary education includesIndiana University–Purdue University Columbus(IUPUC), anIvy Techcampus, aPurdue Polytechniccampus, and anIndiana Wesleyan Universityeducation center.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"City of Columbus Indiana".City of Columbus Indiana.RetrievedSeptember 25,2012.
  2. ^"2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedMarch 16,2022.
  3. ^abU.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Columbus, Indiana
  4. ^ab"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedJanuary 31,2008.
  5. ^"Find a County".National Association of Counties. Archived fromthe originalon May 31, 2011.RetrievedJune 7,2011.
  6. ^"Top Ten Playful Towns in America Revealed Today by Nick Jr. Magazine".PR Newswire. March 22, 2004.RetrievedJuly 23,2011.
  7. ^"Columbus features in national publications".Columbus, Indiana Convention and Visitors Bureau. Archived fromthe originalon November 26, 2011.RetrievedJuly 23,2011.
  8. ^Minnis, Paul (October 2, 2006)."Columbus wins America in Bloom".The Republic.RetrievedJuly 23,2011.
  9. ^"Historic Destinations Rated – North America".National Geographic Traveler. Archived fromthe originalon September 12, 2015.RetrievedJuly 24,2011.
  10. ^Distler, A. David (October 2008).Anarchy in the Heartland: The Reno Gang Saga.A David Distler. p. 6.ISBN978-0-9705297-1-8.
  11. ^McMahon, Morgan E.A Flick of the Switch 1930–1950(Antiques Electronics Supply, 1990), pp.58–9.
  12. ^"ArvinMeritor posts loss, changing name".Reuters.February 2, 2011.RetrievedJuly 25,2011.
  13. ^"Infotech Park of Columbus, Indiana".RetrievedJuly 25,2011.
  14. ^Clymer, Floyd.Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877–1925.(New York: Bonanza, 1950), p.122-4.
  15. ^"G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1".United States Census Bureau.Archived fromthe originalon February 13, 2020.RetrievedJuly 28,2015.
  16. ^"Indiana's Census 2020 Redistricting Data Dashboard".Census.gov. Archived fromthe originalon July 25, 2021.RetrievedOctober 3,2021.
  17. ^"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedDecember 11,2012.
  18. ^Swartz, Eric."Tagline Guru - City Mottos & Monikers".taglineguru.RetrievedOctober 11,2018.
  19. ^Kriplen, Nancy (May 10, 2013)."An Indiana Town Where Big Names Built".The New York Times.
  20. ^Stamberg, Susan."Columbus, IN: A Mecca of Architecture".NPR.
  21. ^"National Register Information System".National Register of Historic Places.National Park Service.July 9, 2010.
  22. ^"National Register of Historic Places Listings".Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 10/22/12 through 10/27/12.National Park Service. November 2, 2012.
  23. ^Brooks, Brian (August 4, 2017)."Sundance Hits 'Step' & Taylor Sheridan's 'Wind River' Blow Into Theaters – Specialty B.O. Preview".Deadline.RetrievedJanuary 1,2023.
  24. ^abcdef"National Historic Landmarks Survey, Indiana"(PDF).National Park Service.Archived(PDF)from the original on February 8, 2008.RetrievedJuly 25,2011.
  25. ^"Who We Are".First Baptist Church. Archived fromthe originalon September 9, 2011.RetrievedJuly 26,2011.
  26. ^"Our Building".First Christian Church. Archived fromthe originalon October 4, 2011.RetrievedJuly 26,2011.
  27. ^"Irwin Union Bank and Trust".NHLS. Archived fromthe originalon June 5, 2011.RetrievedJuly 26,2011.
  28. ^"National Historic Landmark Nomination – Mabel McDowell"(PDF).National Park Service.Archived(PDF)from the original on June 6, 2011.RetrievedJuly 26,2011.
  29. ^"Miller House".National Park Service. Archived fromthe originalon July 3, 2007.RetrievedJuly 26,2011.
  30. ^"North Christian Church Architecture".North Christian Church.RetrievedJuly 26,2011.
  31. ^Blume, Aimee (June 4, 2013)."Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor continues sweet 110-year-old tradition".Courier & Press.RetrievedSeptember 8,2024.
  32. ^Jane, Tori."The Historic Ice Cream Parlor In Indiana Where You Can Still Experience The Early 20th Century".Only in your state.RetrievedSeptember 8,2024.
  33. ^Shaw, Matt."Columbus, Indiana announces biennial design exhibition to begin in fall 2017 - Archpaper".archpaper.RetrievedNovember 24,2016.
  34. ^"The Republic - Diesels hope for hometown support - Columbus, Indiana".Archived fromthe originalon April 5, 2012.RetrievedOctober 12,2011.
  35. ^"Riders Guide"(PDF).RetrievedAugust 29,2023.
  36. ^"Railroad Project"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on October 28, 2020.
  37. ^"Pennsylvania Railroad".Official Guide of the Railways, Table 53.100(5). National Railway Publication Company. October 1967.
  38. ^"Penn Central, Table 48, dropped after merger".Official Guide of the Railways.101(1). National Railway Publication Company. June 1968.
  39. ^Edmonson, Harold A. (1972).Journey to Amtrak.Kalmbach Publishing. pp. 102–104.ISBN978-0890240236.
  40. ^"Passenger trains operating on the eve of Amtrak"(PDF).Trains.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on February 24, 2021.
  41. ^"Chicago-Indianapolis-Cincinnati and Louisville".Amtrak Connects US.RetrievedJanuary 23,2023.
  42. ^"KBAK - Columbus Municipal Airport".AirNav, LLC.RetrievedJune 25,2017.
  43. ^"Debbi Lawrence Bio, Stats, and Results".Olympics at Sports-Reference.Archived fromthe originalon April 18, 2020.RetrievedOctober 11,2018.
  44. ^"Hours".Bartholomew County Public Library.RetrievedMarch 4,2018.

Sources

[edit]
  • Illustrated Historical Atlas of Bartholomew County, Indiana, 1879 (reprinted by the Bartholomew County Historical Society, 1978)
  • 2003 History of Bartholomew County, Indiana, Volume II, copyright 2003, by the Bartholomew County Historical Society

Further reading

[edit]
  • Columbus Indiana in Vintage Postcards, by Tamara Stone Iorio, copyright 2005 by Tamara Stone Iorio, published by Arcadia Publishing,ISBN0-7385-3449-8
  • "Have you Seen my Town?" by Pamela Dinsmore
  • "Images of America: Columbus" by Patricia Mote
  • "I Discover Columbus" by William Marsh
  • "The Diesel Odyssey of Clessie Cummins" by Lyle Cummins
  • "The Engine that Could" by Jeffrey L. Cruikshank and David B. Sicilia
  • "Columbus Indiana" by Balthazar Korab
  • "A Look at Architecture: Columbus Indiana" by the Visitor's Center
  • "People and Places in my Town, Columbus Indiana" by Sylvia Worton
  • "Folk Heroes, Heroines, and Hometown Heritage – From Columbus, Indiana's City Hall Murals and Beyond" is about Columbus' outstanding personality beyond its architecture.ISBN978-0-615-27621-2,by Rose Pelone Sisson
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related toColumbus, Indiana.
Wikisourcehas the text of a 1905New International Encyclopediaarticle about "Columbus, Indiana".

39°12′50″N85°54′40″W/ 39.213998°N 85.911056°W/39.213998; -85.911056

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Columbus,_Indiana&oldid=1248157742"