Columbus, NE (1856)

Post by **Coyote** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 2:45 am

Columbus Commercial Historic District
Roughly bounded by 11th and 14th Sts. and 23rd and 28th
http://necoyote.com/places/columbus.html

DMRyan · Post by **DMRyan** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:39 am

Nice photos, I like seeing the small towns of Nebraska.

The streets look a little quiet, but I'm sure they were all at Wal-Mart that day anyway.

The train station is beautiful, even if they did brick over the existing windows.

Post by **Brad** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 12:26 pm

I am not coyote, but you can totally tell they were bricked over and the windows that were left are much smaller than the origional.

Post by **Coyote** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:13 pm

I couldn't find an answer for that... yet,
But here is an old postcard:

You can see they reworked the roofing at some point.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 3:21 pm

Columbus is a really depressing place.

DMRyan · Post by **DMRyan** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 3:34 pm

Aren't most places of this size? I work a planning job in Fort Dodge, Iowa, population 25,000. It's a totally depressed hole in the wall.

jcitta · Post by **jcitta** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:20 pm

What do you expect a smaller town to be able to do?
Columbus right now is in the process of building a new mall and a new loop or bypass around the city. The city is also going to build a new water park as well. Smaller towns have a much smaller income to work with. I am sure that Omaha is boring, or depressing to some people as well. I am just curious as to what people expect out of a smaller town?

DMRyan · Post by **DMRyan** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:24 pm

Columbus right now is in the process of building a new mall and a new loop or bypass around the city.

Oops, there goes the rest of the businesses that Wal-Mart hasn't taken from downtown yet.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:31 pm

I don't expect anything from the small towns. I'm not a small town type of guy. For people who like to live in them I suppose they like the peace and quiet, slow pace and their jobs. ???

Post by **Coyote** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:45 pm

Actually Columbus is an economic success story. They have over 7000 industrial jobs and keep adding more, a thriving regional retail industry and have been one of the few areas of Nebraska that has shown a steady increase in population.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:18 pm

I'll tell you what Swift... downtown Columbus... is alot more exciting than downtown Millard.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:32 pm

Cool photos, Coyote!

Ryan, I'm going to post some photos of Plattsmouth. It's a great small town. Check 'em out.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 8:23 am

DT Millard is very bland and very ugly. Hopefully the Town Center(proposed) will make a huge difference.

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 11:47 am

Columbuc is also home to Dorthy Lynch slad dressing. I have to have it shipped out to DC! Marty Shukert and his firm (RDG) have done some downtown plans for Columbus and some are starting to be implemented. I would recommend checking out Duster's, a nice brew pub/restaurant.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 1:05 pm

jhuston wrote:I'll tell you what Swift... downtown Columbus... is alot more exciting than downtown Millard.

Downtown Columbus is a lot prettier looking than downtown Millard, but downtown Millard is far less depressing. Let us never forget that the mood of a city/town is dictated by far more than architectural beauty.

My girlfriend is from Columbus and we went back there recently...there are no bookstores in Columbus. There were three but they all went out of business. The music store leaves much to be desired (i.e. music). I got the general sense in the town that (despite the new development going on [which is mostly outside the city limits, right next to the huge factory that is still in operation]), except for a few business owners, most people felt like the town was too big and cultured already, and that they wanted to go back ot he simpler days of the 50's when the whole town shut down at 6:00 pm.

Not that this is anyworse than any other town its size. In a lot of ways (mostly architectural) it is a lot better that towns its size.

But just one man's impression/opinion.

papiostud · Post by **papiostud** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 12:44 am

Which Nebraska town has the best lookin downtown under 20k population? I haven't been to very many but I'd hafta go with either Ralston for Valentine.

West2Omaha · Post by **West2Omaha** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 1:53 am

how about 30K?? Kearney has my vote (yes, i said something positive about the place).

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 2:28 pm

I'd have to say Tecumseh. They even filmed a movie there once.

Bomaha · Post by **Bomaha** » Sat Dec 04, 2004 2:39 pm

I think Nebraska should start up some funding (don't know where it would come from) so that we could start a scenic railway sytem around the state to smaller towns to attract tourists and restore historical places such as this one in Columbus.

Its just a thought

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 7:11 pm

I like it... get those I-80 people out of the boring Platte River valley as well.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 7:51 pm

I agree that that is a good idea.

We should start a letter writing committee to the influential and wealthy people.

Candleshoe · Post by **Candleshoe** » Thu May 04, 2006 3:22 pm

I'd like to see more pics of Columbus. I lived there till the age of twelve and fondly remember the downtown Woolworths, Scotts Five & Dime, Fleischers (sp?) Rexall, the Columbus Theater (which had a candy store next door with a window inside the theater lobby for refreshments). St Boneventure church is a way cool old building, and the downtown park across from the courthouse is the greatest place to cool your heels on an August afternoon.

Any pics from the sixties would REALLY be a delight!

TechnicalDisaster · Post by **TechnicalDisaster** » Thu May 04, 2006 3:32 pm

I'd love to see more pics as well. I was born in Columbus with a heart condition and immediately moved to Omaha to be near hospitals with heart specialists if the need arrived (luckily it never did, and I pretty much grew out of the abnormality). Anyway, I have never been back since.

jcitta · Post by **jcitta** » Fri May 05, 2006 10:34 am

Im from Columbus and still call it home. I am in Omaha now going to Medical School. Right now I am preparing to take my step 1 boards, but maybe after Im done with those I will go and take some pics of Columbus and post them on here.