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Central R.R. North Phoenix
circa 1895
Central Railroad, North Phoenix, Alabama
The Central of Georgia Railway was one of the most significant railroads in the South and a vital part of Georgia's transportation infrastructure. Georgians organized the Central in 1833. By 1850, the railroad had become vital in the Georgia cotton economy. During the Civil War, the Central served Confederate mlitary and manufacturing objectives. After the War, the railroad expanded operations in Alabama and Tennessee and became an important player in a chaotic era of takeovers and mergers.
Courtesy of Dennis Jones
14th St. Bridge
This postcard depicts the 14th Street Bridge connecting Columbus and Phenix City around 1910. The steel bridge featured a railway fo a trolley and walkways for pedestrians on either side. It was replaced in 1922 by a concrete structure which still stands.
Courtesy of Columbus State University Archives
Broad Street
circa 1929
Photograph taken on Broadway formerly known as Broad Street looking South from 12th Street. Automobiles changed the look of downtown and created a need for parking. Note the trolley lines running down the sides of the median.
Courtesy of Dennis Jones
Crosley Coupe
circa 1941
Industrialist Powel Crosley, Jr. manfactured automobiles from 1939 to 1952. The body styles available were two-and-four passenger convertibles. The Crosley boasted 50 miles per gallon and became popular because of gas rationing in WWII. Crosley introduced a number of "firsts" in the automobile industry, including the use of the term "Sport Utility." Two famous men who were stationed at Ft. Benning and owned Crosleys were Dwight D. Eisenhower and Omar Bradley.
Courtesy of Columbus State University Archives
Chattahoochee Rapids
The Chattahoochee River features a series of rapids as it encounters the fall line at Columbus. The distinct geographic boundary between the Piedmont region and the Coastal Plain, the fall line is characterized by a sudden drop in elevation and rock formations. The waterpower created by the rapids facilitated the development of hydro-powered industry, such as textile mills, in Columbus.
Courtesy of Dennis Jones
Pastime Theater
circa 1930
Located on Second Avenue, The Pastime belonged to Columbus theatre mogul, Roy E. Martin. Rally for striking International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Movie Operators.
Courtesy of Columbus State University Archives
Columbus Ledger
The Columbus Ledger was established in 1886 by editor and publisher E.T. Byington as an afternoon edition newspaper. In 1930, the Ledger merged with the Columbus Enquirer-Sun, a morning edition paper which had traced its roots back to 1828. For many years the company continued to publish separate daily morning and evening papers, with only the Sunday combined edition known as the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. The daily edition was combined in 1988. This image shows the Ledger’s Broad Street office around 1910, when cars still shared the roadways with horses and wagons.
Courtesy of Columbus State University Archives
Downtown Columbus
This photograph of downtown Columbus, taken around the end of the Civil War, is one of the earliest images of the city known in existence. It is taken from the west side of Broadway between 11th and 12th Streets, and shows several downtown businesses. At the time of the Civil War, Columbus had a population of about 9,000, roughly the same size as Atlanta.
Courtesy of Columbus State University Archives
Textile Mills
Columbus’ textile mills dominated the local economy and employed thousands of area workers. The mills could be loud, uncomfortable and dangerous places to work. Featuring hundreds of pieces of machinery with rapidly moving parts, mills in operation often seemed to literally vibrate. They could be very hot or cold, depending upon the season, and the air within them was usually filled with small particles of cotton lint similar to dust.
Courtesy of Columbus State University Archives
Government Center
circa 1972
10th Avenue between First and Second Avenue
Muscogee County's first courthouse was a wooden structure built around 1829 or 1830. It was replaced by a three-story brick structure in 1838. In 1971, Columbus and Muscogee County merged, and construction of a new building for the consolidated government was begun. The complex was built behind the historic courthouse, and for a brief period, the old and new stood together. With completion of the complex in 1973, the old, historic building was torn down.
Courtesy of Columbus State University Archives
Staff Sgt. Earnest Lee White
circa 1918
World War I. Staff Sgt. Earnest Lee White. Camp Benning, a small tent encampment, was established in October 1918, to provide basic training for infantry units in World War I. Benning is named for Brigadier General Henry L. Benning, a Confederate army general and native of Columbus. Camp Benning became Fort Benning in 1922, when Congress approved the establishment of a permanent Infantry School for the U.S. Army.
Courtesy of Dennis Jones
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