Columbus is the third biggest city in Georgia, and also the third largest metropolitan area (comprising of three counties in Georgia and one in Alabama). At last count, about 185,000 people lived within the city.

The city proper was conceived in 1828 through an act in Georgia's legislature. It was named after Chirstopher Columbus and placed on a bluff at the end of the usable part of Chattahoochee River and at the end of the Federal Road before it crossed into Alabama.

Originally based on cotton plantations and textiles, Columbus expanded quickly during the Civil War as a major industrial zone for the South. The addition of an ironworks and Confederate Navy Shipyard bolstered the strength of the city.

By the Spanish-American conflict, Columbus received many important upgrades to bring it up to speed with the addition of streetcars and water works. A training camp was also started that would later become the famous Fort Benning.

As the city continued its growth, the Columbus Junior College was created to meet new demands for higher education. This would eventually become the Columbus State University.

Columbus never stops finding new ways to keep its economy rolling. Having shifted industrial focus several times, the city has alawys managed to thrive under changing economic conditions.