Columbia is a town in and the

parish seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equivalent term, shire town, is used in ...

of Caldwell Parish,

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

, United States. The population was 277 in 2020.

History

The land that became Columbia was first cleared by Daniel Humphries in 1827. A store was built a few years later the only settlement between

Monroe, Louisiana Monroe is the ninth-largest city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and is the parish seat and largest city of Ouachita Parish. With a 2020 census-tabulated population of 47,702, it is the principal city of the Monroe metropolitan statistical ...

, and the settlements of the Black River was formed. The harbor became a busy port for shipping cotton by

steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. The term ''steamboat'' is used to refer to small steam-powered vessels worki ...

s and

Packet boat Packet boats were medium-sized boats designed mainly for domestic mail and freight transport in European countries and in North American rivers and canals. Eventually including basic passenger accommodation, they were used extensively during t ...

s until the arrival of the railroad. In February 1864 Columbia was the location of a skirmish between Federal and Confederate troops during the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

and there are several plantations in the area.

Geography

Columbia is located just east of the center of Caldwell Parish on the southwest bank of the

Ouachita River The Ouachita River ( ) is a river that runs south and east through the United States, U.S. U.S. state, states of Arkansas and Louisiana, joining the Tensas River to form the Black River (Louisiana), Black River near Jonesville, Louisiana. It i ...

. U.S. Route 165 passes through the center of town and bridges the river, leading north to Monroe and south to

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.75%, is water.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 277 people, 152 households, and 107 families residing in the town.

Government and infrastructure

Law enforcement services are provided by the Columbia Police Department and the Caldwell Parish Sheriff's Office. Fire protection services are provided by the Columbia Volunteer Fire Department, and by other Volunteer Fire Departments across the parish when needed.

Notable people

* Buddy Caldwell,

Attorney General of Louisiana The office of attorney general of Louisiana () has existed since the colonial period. Under Article IV, Section 8 of the Constitution of Louisiana, the attorney general is elected statewide for a four-year term and is the chief legal officer of t ...

, elected in 2007 * Graves B. Erskine, U.S. Marine Corps general; combat officer in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

* J. D. DeBlieux, Louisiana State Senator 1956-1960 & 1964-1976 * Pam Kelly, basketball player, recipient of the Wade Trophy in 1982 * Lelon Kenney, Louisiana state representative, farmer, and businessman * John J. McKeithen,

governor of Louisiana The governor of Louisiana (; ) is the chief executive of the U.S. state government of Louisiana. The governor also serves as the commander in chief of the Louisiana National Guard. Republican Jeff Landry has held the office since January 8, ...

(1964–1972) * W. Fox McKeithen,

Louisiana House of Representatives The Louisiana House of Representatives (; ) is the lower house in the Louisiana State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. This chamber is composed of 105 representatives, each of whom represents approximately 4 ...

, 1984–1988 * Clay Parker, former pitcher for the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...

* Neil Riser, state senator elected in 2007 from the 32nd District * Chet D. Traylor,

Louisiana Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Louisiana (; ) is the supreme court, highest court and court of last resort in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The modern Supreme Court, composed of seven justices, meets in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The Supreme ...

, 1997–2009

Gallery

File:Homeland Federal Savings Bank, Columbia, LA IMG 2694.JPG, Homeland Federal Savings Bank is located off U.S. Highway 165 in Columbia File:Columbia Hill Cemetery, Columbia, LA IMG 2726.JPG, A portion of the hillside graves at the large but dispersed Columbia Hill Cemetery in Columbia. The cemetery was launched just prior to the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

during a yellow fever epidemic. File:Riser and Son Funeral Home, Columbia, LA IMG 2696.JPG, Riser and Son Funeral Home in Columbia is owned by

State Senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...

Neil Riser. File:First United Methodist Church, Columbia, LA IMG 2697.JPG, At this site First United Methodist Church in Columbia dates to 1838. The current building was constructed in 1911. Previously, circuit riders served Caldwell Parish. File:First Baptist Church, Columbia, LA IMG 2699.JPG, First

Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...

Church in Columbia File:Columbia Heights Baptist Church, Columbia, LA IMG 2680.JPG, Columbia Heights Baptist Church off Highway 165 calls itself "The Lighthouse on the Hill".

References

External links

Columbia Progress
Community Progress Site for Columbia, LA {{authority control * Parish seats in Louisiana Louisiana populated places on the Ouachita River Towns in Caldwell Parish, Louisiana Towns in Louisiana