Columbus, Georgia - Historic City on the Chattahoochee

Columbus, Georgia, has been visited by untold thousands of Americans over the years, many of them because they were stationed at the U.S. Army's famed Fort Benning.

Thousands of new visitors, however, are learning the Columbus is realizing its potential as a major heritage tourism destination. Noted for its multiple historic districts, Riverwalk, museums and more, the city has placed major emphasis on its historic resources and the results are stunning.

From its revitalized downtown area with the River Center for the Performing Arts and allegedly haunted Springer Opera House, the city spreads out along the Chattahoochee River from Lake Oliver on the north to Fort Benning on the South. Founded in 1828, Columbus was a major riverboat port and manufacturing center during the antebellum era.

The Confederate Navy built the ironclad C.S.S. Jackson here and the city was home to one of the South's few major industrial complexes during the Civil War. The Battle of Columbus, fought on Easter Sunday in 1865, was the last major land battle of the war.

Columbus rebounded from the destruction dealt it by Union troops following that battle and today is a progressive and modern city. Its past, however, remains very much alive. The main Columbus Historic District preserves a stunning area of historic and restored homes, including two that once housed the family of Dr. John Pemberton, the inventor of Coca-Cola. The Columbus Riverwalk links a variety of historic sites and points of interest, among them the National Civil War Naval Museum, which houses two original Confederate warships as well as reconstructions of the U.S.S. Hartford, U.S.S. Water Witch and C.S.S. Albemarle. Near the entrance to Fort Benning is the National Infantry Museum, which relocated last month into a stunning new facility.

To learn more about historic Columbus, Georgia, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/gacolumbus1.

National Civil War Naval Museum - Columbus, Georgia

One of the most fascinating historical exhibits in the nation stands by the Chattahoochee River in Columbus, Georgia.

Originally established to preserve the wrecks of the Confederate warships C.S.S. Jackson and C.S.S. Chattahoochee, the National Civil War Naval Museum has grown into a magnificent facility that interprets the history of both the Confederate and Union navies with artifacts, displays and full-size reproductions of Civil War ships.

The most stunning artifact in the museum is the wreck of the C.S.S. Jackson, a massive ironclade built at Columbus for a planned effort to break the blockade at Apalachicola Bay, Florida. The huge ship was 225 feet long, 54 feet wide and weighed an estimated 2000 tons. Captured by the Union army as it was nearing completion, the ship was set afire and burned to the waterline before sinking into the soft mud on the bottom of the Chattahoochee River. Raised in 1961, it is now part of a remarkable exhibit.

In addition, the museum offers visitors a chance to explore a partial reconstruction of Admiral David Farragut's famed flagship, the U.S.S. Hartford, and to experience a Civil War battle aboard the noted Confederate ironclad C.S.S. Albemarle. A full-size reproduction of the U.S.S. Water Witch, captured near Savannah by Confederate forces in 1864, will open to visitors in April.

Other artifacts on display include the original flag from the C.S.S. Arkansas, uniforms, weapons and even a massive cannon from the Jackson that is fired on special occasions.

If you would like to learn more about the National Civil War Naval Museum, please visit our new page at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/navymuseum.