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Interesting Facts
- Old Man River! Columbus was and is a city that thrives on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. For decades the river has provided many life lines for the locals. Today, the river hosts a 12-mile park along its banks. The Chattahoochee Riverwalk provides a venue for bikers, skaters, strollers, and joggers. While on the Riverwalk, don't miss the chance to take a peek at the authentic paddlewheel riverboat from 1880 – the Chattahoochee Princess.
- Okay, Sports Fans ... Sporting Events run the gamut in Columbus. Want a little ice action? Check out a Columbus Cottonmouths hockey game. Want to watch a little pigskin? Head on over to Memorial Stadium for college football. And for that all American sport of baseball, the Columbus Catfish is a team that's easy to root for!
- Andersonville, formerly known as Camp Sumter, was the largest of many Confederate military prisons established during the Civil War. Built in 1864, more than 45,000 Union soldiers were kept here and 13,000 died from disease, poor sanitation, malnutrition, overcrowding or exposure to the elements – and the prison only existed for 14 months. Today, this National Historic Site is the only park to serve as a memorial to all Americans ever captured as Prisoners of War.
- Noted by Lady Bird Johnson, former First Lady and founder of the National Wildflower Research Center, as "a special place where families can enjoy the companionship of nature," Callaway Gardens is 14,000 acres of natural woodlands. At Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center, one of the nation's largest tropical butterfly conservatory, you can enjoy more than 1000 splendid butterflies as they freely flutter about.
- Who hasn't had dreams of exploring space? Well, here's your chance! At Columbus State University's Coca-Cola Space Center you can participate in interactive displays and explore NASA exhibits that include a replica of an Apollo capsule. For larger groups, experience the simulated mission in the Challenger Learning Center.
- Fort Benning, the world's largest and most modern military training center, is located in Columbus. The National Infantry Museum, based at Fort Benning, contains a large collection of military art and artifacts. In addition, it traces the paths of the American Foot Soldier across 200 years of service. Allied and enemy weapons from the American Revolution to the present are on display.
- Take a drive on the wild side! Just outside of Columbus is Pine Mountain Wild Animal Safari. At the 500-acre park, you can see hundreds of animals from around the globe. Watch your fingers! You can feed giraffes, camels, zebras, buffalo and many other non-domesticated animals! It'll be an out of the ordinary experience that you'll never forget!
- Just 41 miles outside of Columbus lies Warm Springs, Georgia, home to the Little Whitehouse built by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Roosevelt came to Warm Springs in search of a cure for the polio that had afflicted him in 1921. Swimming in the warm buoyant waters did bring improvement. In 1945 during his visit to the community, FDR suffered a massive stroke while his portrait was being painted. The "Unfinished Portrait" is the focal point of the Little Whitehouse tour!
- Columbus has a strong legacy of African-American history. The contributions of black citizens have played a major role in the growth of the city. Many notable citizens of Columbus' black community took bold actions for simple civil rights. Among those was The Reverend Primus Edward King, a famous civil rights activist. After being denied his voting right in 1944, King took the decision to the federal appeals court, where he won the right to vote in Democratic primaries for all blacks in Georgia.
- Coke, anyone? The cottage at 11 West Seventh Street was occupied by Dr. John Pemberton, the originator of the formula for Coca-Cola. After the War Between the States, Pemberton moved to Atlanta and died there in 1888. He is buried in Columbus' Linwood Cemetery. The cottage serves as a house museum and an adjoining kitchen houses coke memorabilia.
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