Welcome to Columbia, North Carolina ... Part of the "Inner Banks" |
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Columbia History"Columbia - the town I've imagined in my dreams but never believed existed." So wrote Cora Barksdale during the early part of the 20th century, after she moved to Columbia to become the editor of The Tyrrell Times newspaper. Her unabashed adoration for the town shone through in her writing, as she greeted the townsfolk in her inaugural address, writing, "I wish for once that I still believed in fairies, and could meet one who could touch her magic wand and transform me into a gifted writer so that I could tell all the world what my impressions of this lovely little town are." Situated along the eastern shore of the Scuppernong River estuary, Columbia (originally known as Elizabeth Town) was chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1793. In 1799, the town was selected as the seat of Tyrrell County, which was established in 1729 as a precinct of Albemarle County. The name of the town was changed to Columbia in 1810, to avoid confusion with another Elizabethtown in North Carolina. The 1870 Federal census suggests a population of slightly over a hundred people, who subsisted on livelihoods such as commerce, milling, county administration and maritime occupations including fishing, sailing and boat building. Columbia's postbellum population increase was largely the result of the expansion of the local lumber industry. Approximately 900 residents now call Columbia home. Columbia's proximity to the Outer Banks makes it a popular stopping-off place for tourists looking for a chance to stretch their legs after a long ride along Highway 64. What better way to spend a morning or afternoon than walking along the tree-lined streets of the Historic District as the gentle breeze of the Scuppernong River transports you back to the days of horse-drawn carriages and ladies with parasols, nickel soda pop and penny candy. The Columbia Historic District was formally listed on the National Register of Historic Places in March of 1994. The District consists of a collection of buildings dating from the 19th century to World War II. Residential dwellings and commercial buildings comprise the 35-acre district, and construction details such as Victorian sawn and turned ornament and decorative brickwork blend distinctiveness to the historic building stock. Architecture styles range from Victorian to Craftsman, Tudor Revival to Romanesque. There's something of interest for everyone in Columbia on the Scuppernong. To learn more about Columbia and eastern North Carolina's historic Albemarle region, Click Here. |
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