Columbia, also known as “College Town USA,” lies in the central part of the state of Missouri.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-Introduction.html The city was founded in 1819 and incorporated in 1892.http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/missouri/columbia Columbia is the county seat of Boone County and is the fifth-largest city in the state of Missouri.http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US29&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-T1-R&-ds_name=PEP_2006_EST&-_lang=en&-format=ST-9S&-_sse=on Kansas City, Missouri is located 127 miles to the west and St. Louis, Missouri is located 124 miles to the east.http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/missouri/columbia Columbia is connected to both cities by Interstate Highway 70.

Columbia is home to the University of Missouri, Columbia College, and Stephens College.http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/missouri/columbia Manufacturers in the area include the 3M Corporation, Columbia Foods, and Watlow-Columbia, Inc.http://www.citytowninfo.com/places/missouri/columbia

Before the Europeans arrived, the Osage and Missouri tribes inhabited the area.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.html The Missouri tribe was originally from the Ohio River Valley.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.html The Osage tribe was a fringe Plains tribe that dwelled in mainly forested areas.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.html The first Europeans to enter the area were the French.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.html They were led by Marquette’s exploration of the Mississippi River in the 1670s.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.html The Osage tribe and the French began working together in the fur trade. In 1755, the Osage helped the French defeat the British in several conflicts.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.html The Spanish came into the area a few years later and the Osage were pushed into Kansas and Oklahoma.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.html

The Missouri Territory became a part of the United States in 1803.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.html In 1821, settlers of the land named the area Columbia.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.html Columbia at the time had 20 residents and was surrounded by wilderness.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.html The University of Missouri was built in 1841 after Boone County won out over other competing counties who wanted the university.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.htmlIn 1851, Christian Female College was established.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.html The college became coed and was renamed Columbia College in the 1970s.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.html In 1855, Baptist Female College was founded.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.html Eventually the college was renamed Stephens College. Boone County had 13,000 residents in 1839, only St. Louis County had more residents in the state.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-History.html

Columbia is located at latitude 38.952 and longitude -92.333.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-Geography-and-Climate.html The area of the city is 58 square miles and the elevation is 889 feet above sea level.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-Geography-and-Climate.html The annual average temperature 53F.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-Geography-and-Climate.html The annual average precipitation is 39.43 inches of rain and 20.7 inches of snow.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-Geography-and-Climate.html Columbia lies on a terrain that features prairies and forests.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-Geography-and-Climate.html Late spring and early summer are the rainiest times of the year.http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Columbia-Geography-and-Climate.html

• Walters-Boone County Historical Museum
• Jewell Cemetery State Historic Site
• University of Missouri Museum of Art and Archaeology
• Finger Lakes State Park
• Rock Bridge Memorial State Park
• Katy Trail State Parkhttp://www.citytowninfo.com/places/missouri/columbia

• Juliet Huddy: Fox News Correspondent
• Sam Walton: Businessman
• Jessica Capshaw: Actress
• Carl Edwards: NASCAR Driver
• Jane Froman: Singer
• Rob Benedict: Actor
• Gerry Ellis: Former NFL Football Playerhttp://www.famouswhy.com/List/c/People_from_Columbia,_Missouri/