City of Columbus

This city of Columbus was created as a trading town by an act of the General Assembly of Georgia, December 24, 1827. The location designated was on the Chattahoochee River near the Coweta Falls. This spot was selected because it was at the head of river navigation and at the last of a series of falls which afforded great potential water-power. A reservation of 1200 acres was allotted for the town and commons. Surveying of streets began Feb. 1, 1828 and was completed within three months. Within 13 days after the sale of city lots began, July 10, 1828, 488 of the total 632 lots had been sold. The remaining lots were sold in February, 1829. Ignatius Few, Edwin L. de Graffenried, James Hallam, Philip H. Alston and Elias Beall were designated commissioners to conduct the sale. Edward Lloyd Thomas was the surveyor in charge. Governor John Forsyth and his staff attended the initial sale. While here they camped in tents pitched on the town commons which bordered the river between the present Fourth and Seventh streets. By the end of 1829 the city had 1,000 inhabitants.