Columbia (pop. 33,000) was built by settlers in 1807 on the low limestone bluffs of Duck River. The town has become the center of dairy and livestock industries and limestone quarrying.
The Athenaeum Rectory in Columbia is all that remains of a school for girls which flourished from 1852 to 1904. The building is Moorish-Gothic architecture with an interior that has been renovated to reflect the period.
Disability Access: Partial facilities for persons with disabilities.
The James K. Polk Ancestral Home in Columbia is the only surviving residence of the eleventh U.S. President. The Federal-style brick house was built in 1816 by Samuel Polk, James' father and contains original items belonging to James Polk including furniture, paintings, and White House china. The adjacent c 1820 Sisters' House is where two of the President's married sisters lived at different times.
The Rattle & Snap Plantation in Columbia was built by George Washington Polk and his wife, Sallie Hilliard, from 1842-1845. The antebellum mansion has been fully restored and furnished complete with Carriage House/Stables, gardens, and ice house.
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