Welcome to Columbus, MS otherwise known as “The Friendly City”! Columbus is located in the northeastern part of Mississippi and has beautiful historic homes to visit, antique and specialty shops, and fun-filled outdoor activities. When you fly into Columbus-Lowndes County Airport, you’re flying into a place where you can soak in history and culture.
Historical Homes and Tours of Columbus
Your first stop in Columbus, MS should be to the legendary Tennessee Williams’s House and Museum. Here, you can tour the home of the playwright, Tennessee Williams, but you’ll be able to shop the gift shop for souvenirs of Columbus, browse brochures and maps of Columbus and its attractions, and enjoy some coffee. The first home of the playwright was transferred to Columbus and now serves as its Welcome Center and is an official National Literary Landmark. So, be sure to stop by and find out what Columbus has to offer!
Part of Columbus, Mississippi’s attraction is its historical homes and tours. Many of Columbus’s natives during the Civil War opened their homes and churches to the wounded. Because Columbus was a “hospital town”, most of the city was left untouched by the ravages of war. And those homes remain today, and you can visit most of them daily.
One of the many houses you should visit after flying into Columbus-Lowndes County Airport is the Amzi Love House. Built c. 1848, the Amzi Love House has been featured in the New York Times travel section and boasts original furnishings from the time, and it is surrounded by beautiful gardens, azalea bushes, and wisteria.
Another beautiful home to visit is the Stephen D. Lee Home & Museum. This was once the home of CSA Gen. Stephen D. Lee, built around 1847. It is an Italianate mansion, and it was restored in the 1960s. Now, it has exhibits for Civil War collections and artifacts. It is open on Fridays from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. or by appointment. Also, the downstairs can be used for weddings, meetings, or educational events.
The Waverley Plantation Mansion is a beautiful antebellum home. It boasts an octagonal-shaped cupola and self-supporting curved stairways. These features alone make it one of the most unique antebellum homes in the South. It has been featured on A&E’s American Castles, and it has graced the covers of countless other national and international publications.
Some of these homes are part of Columbus’s annual Spring Pilgrimage, which showcases over twenty historic homes and tells the stories of the homeowners and friends who lived and/or worked there. This year, the dates are from Mar 31, 2023-April 23, 2023.
Friendship Cemetery in Columbus, MS is the resting place of over 2,000 Confederate soldiers. It was founded in 1849, and in 1866, it was the site of the first Decoration Day. And that led to the modern-day observation of Memorial Day. It is also the resting place of the only nurse to be officially recognized by the United States Government, Mrs. Canant.
While you’re touring Columbus, MS, you might want to check out the African-American Heritage Tour, where you can visit Columbus’s African-American historical sites, dating back to the 19th Century.
And if you need a place to stay, you can stay in a historical home, the Jackie O’ House. Built in 1907, the bed and breakfast is located in downtown Columbus, near the Mississippi University for Women’s campus. It’s a two-story home with 5 private suites, surrounded by beautiful gardens and trees.
Art and Culture in Columbus
Columbus, MS is home to icons like author Eudora Welty, who studied at the Mississippi University for Women, and Tennessee Williams, the legendary playwright. It’s even home to Joshua Meadors, one of the animators for Walt Disney. Columbus is also known for its blues music and artists.
Mississippi is widely known for Blues music, and the city of Columbus is no exception. It’s also part of the Mississippi Blues Trail with markers for Big Joe Williams, Catfish Alley, Howlin’ Wolf, and Queen City Hotel. Big Joe Williams brought blues music to Catfish Alley, which is considered the epicenter of blues, jazz, and soul music in North Mississippi. Many other big names in Blues have played in Catfish Alley: Howlin’ Wolf, B.B. King, Duke Ellington, Little Richard, Bobby Bland, Louis Armstrong, and James Brown.
You can even stop at The Queen City Hotel marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail. Formed by a former slave in the 1900s, The Queen City Hotel once housed artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, B.B. King, Duke Ellington, and James Brown. Other famous athletes also visited The Queen City Hotel.
If you’re flying into Columbus-Lowndes County Airport, you might want to stop by one of the many museums that Columbus has to offer. From the war to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Transportation, Columbus offers many different museums to check out and learn about the history of The Friendly City and events that happened in America. You can even visit Plymouth Bluff, which is four miles of self-guided nature trails and fitness trails. Here, you can learn more about the Cretaceous period and the Native people, Choctaws, who had settled in the Plymouth Bluff area all in the Plymouth Bluff Environmental Center.
And if you prefer art, you can visit the Rosenzweig Arts Center. Located in downtown Columbus, it features sales and exhibit galleries, classrooms, and theater.
Columbus’s Outdoor Fun
Besides touring beautiful homes and visiting the scene of the Blues scene, Columbus offers outdoor fun for you and the family!
There are plenty of 18-hole golf courses to choose from in Columbus, Mississippi. If you enjoy a nice game of golf, be sure to check out any one of these courses or clubhouses for a nice, relaxing day on the green.
Break out the rod and reel, because Columbus has plenty of fishing and boating places to visit! Columbus Lake, Columbus Lock & Dam East Bank, and the Tennesse-Tombigbee Waterway are just a few of the places to put your boat in the water and drop in a line!
And if your kids are with you, you might want to stop by Lee Park or the Slip-N-Dip. Lee Park has a playground for your kids, a grilling area, and pavilion. And the Slip-N-Dip, open on weekends, is a water park, offering a slide and pool, private parties, and swimming lessons.
Each May, Columbus also hosts the Market Street Festival. With over 225 arts and crafts vendors, 30 food vendors, and special events and activities, the Market Street Festival is a great place to get outdoors and create memories with your family and friends.
Columbus-Lowndes County Airport
The Columbus-Lowndes County Airport (KUBS) is located three miles southeast of Columbus, MS on Fabritek Drive. It sits on 215 acres and has one runway. The runway is 18/36, 4305 x 100 ft, made of asphalt, and is in good condition. Its elevation is at 188 ft. 100LL fuel is, also, available 24 hours a day with a credit card. There’s no control tower, but it’s open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday they’re on call all day long.
Whether you’re flying into Columbus-Lowndes County Airport for fun, business, or a family vacation, there’s plenty of fun and learning to be had in Columbus, MS.
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