Learn more about Columbia County and Augusta, Georgia!

Columbia County is one of Georgia's fastest growing and most prosperous counties, located northwest of Augusta-Richmond County, Georgia. Columbia County is part of the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA). Augusta is the 91st largest metropolitan area in the nation with nearly 400,000 people according to the 1990 census. The population of the city of Augusta was just shy of 200,000 in 2000, making the city the 89th largest incorporated city in the U.S.  In a 2005 Money Magazine survey, the town of Evans in Columbia County made the list as one of America's best places to live, placing 32nd out of 1300 cities and towns across the country.

Augusta's perimeter Interstate 520 (Bobby Jones Expressway) now encircles the entire Augusta area on the Georgia side.  In June 2004, the expressway was extended into South Carolina.  The South Carolina portion of the highway is known as the Palmetto Parkway.  Current construction, when completed, will take the expressway all the way back to I-20 on the South Carolina side of the Savannah River.

Major local employers include: The Savannah River Site, Fort Gordon, Club Car, E-Z-Go Textron, and International Paper.

Columbia County is bordered by the Savannah River to the east, J. Strom Thurmond Lake to the north, McDuffie County to the west and Augusta to the south. Columbia County's population has grown from around 66,000 people in 1990 to 89,288 in 2000. Rapid growth is continuing, as the county's population eclipsed the 100,000 mark in 2004. Interstate 20 runs through much of the county.

Recent Population Figures:

Riverwood Plantation-  Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player have designed a 27-hole private golf course in the Riverwood Plantation area near the Greenbrier schools on the banks of the Savannah River.  The course is known as Champions Retreat Golf Club. Numerous homes have been built in this area in the past few years, and many more are planned. (Evans)

Funsville- A small amusement park with miniature golf, go-carts, bumper cars, and arcade games. (Martinez)

Thurmond Lake (Clarks Hill Lake)- Offers camping, swimming, sailing, picnic areas, and its shoreline is 1,100 miles long. It is the largest man-made lake east of the Mississippi River. The lake is 330 feet above sea level. The lake serves as Columbia County's northern border, not to mention a popular local recreation spot.

Golf- Jones Creek Golf Course has been rated as the #1 public golf course in Georgia, however the club is now private. West Lake Golf Course is also very popular. If you're in the beginning stages of learning how to play golf, there is always Putt-Putt Golf and Games!

Parks- Columbia County offers several nice parks to enjoy tennis, basketball, baseball, and soccer. Patriots Park near Appling is very nice and holds many Little League baseball games.

Savannah Rapids Pavilion and Park- Located on an 80 foot bluff above the beautiful and wide Savannah River, and adjacent to the Augusta Canal, the park offers an excellent view of the rocky waters along the fall line. Recent renovations have yielded a small museum and visitor's center in the former lock-keeper's cottage, and a renovated dance pavilion. You can ride your bike from here to Downtown Augusta on a trail between the river and the canal. Many community gatherings are held here. (Martinez)

Evans Town Center- Monitored development in the Evans Town Center by the county government seeks to regulate commercial growth in the Evans area.  A partially completed 6-mile bike path is under construction linking the Savannah Rapids Pavilion to the center of Evans.  A new county courthouse was constructed a few years ago.  Site work has begun on Marshall Square (an upscale mixed-use development). Construction will soon continue on the expansion of Mullins Crossing Shopping Center, which is a large retail complex anchored by Target and Kohl's.  Other stores include OfficeMax, Marshall's, Ross Dress for Less, and Petco.

Baseball- Augusta has its own minor league baseball team that is known as the Augusta GreenJackets.  They play at Lake Olmstead Stadium.  The GreenJackets are affiliated with the San Francisco Giants and were purchased by Ripken Baseball in 2005.

	Football- The Augusta Spartans played their first game at the James Brown Arena on March 10, 2006. The team is a member of the American Indoor Football League. (Downtown Augusta)

The Masters®- The Masters Golf Tournament comes to the city annually during the first full week of April. The tournament at The Augusta National Golf Club is known world-wide as being the most prestigious professional golf event. Tiger Woods won his fourth Green Jacket in 2005, tying Arnold Palmer's record at Augusta.

Hockey- The Augusta Lynx ice hockey team call the James Brown Arena home.  The Lynx are part of the East Coast Hockey League. (Downtown Augusta)

The Riverwalk- Since opening in 1987, this park is a popular spot for social and community events such as boat races, fireworks, concerts, and more. Many Augustans would agree that the addition of the Riverwalk has been very beneficial to our area, both economically and socially. It's a great place to walk in sun or shade because it has two levels. The Augusta Marriott Hotel & Suites is the only hotel along the Riverwalk. (Downtown Augusta)

The Augusta Common- Some old buildings were torn down between Reynolds and Broad Streets to create a new city gathering spot--the Augusta Common.  Eventually, this rectangular park might stretch from the Riverwalk over to Greene Street, creating a long area of greenspace.  A larger version of the Augusta Common was planned by General James Oglethorpe, founder of Augusta.  A statue of him stands today at the park.  A street-level statue of singer James Brown, an Augusta native, was erected in 2005 in the middle of Broad Street, directly in front of the Augusta Common.

The Augusta Museum of History- Located on Reynolds Street near the Riverwalk. Free admission on Sundays. The museum also houses the Augusta Visitors Center.  (Downtown Augusta)

Medical College of Georgia- Located near Downtown, the college is well known for its medical facilities. Mass expansion of the college is in the future plans. (Medical Center)

Children's Medical Center- This medical center for kids is located near the Medical College of Georgia. The hospital opened in the Spring of 1998. (Medical Center)

Augusta Tech- Located in south Augusta, Augusta Technical College offers many courses in the technology field.

Augusta State University- The university is located in one of Augusta's most beautiful areas. Several multi-million dollar classroom buildings and a new student center have been built in recent years.  (Summerville)

Springfield Village Park- Near the Augusta Botanical Gardens, is Springfield Village Park, which includes Springfield Baptist Church.  Founded in the late 1700's, Springfield Baptist Church is the oldest independent black church in the United States.  Both Morehouse College and the Republican Party of Georgia were founded at the church in 1867.  (Downtown Augusta)

Enterprise Mill- Along the banks of the Augusta Canal on Greene Street sits the beautifully restored Enterprise Mill, once owned by the Graniteville Company.  The mill is now home to urban-style condos, offices, and retail stores.  Also, the Augusta Canal Interpretive Center has just opened in the Enterprise Mill. (Downtown Augusta)

Fort Discovery (The National Science Center)- Opened in April 1997 in the Port Royal building at the Riverwalk. It is a science and technology educational center for kids and adults. (Downtown Augusta)

The Augusta Canal- The canal offers a great place to ride bikes or walk in sun or shade. You can enjoy seeing the natural beauty of both the Savannah River and the Augusta Canal along the levee.

Augusta Mall- Augusta's only enclosed shopping mall has been around since the late 1970s, but is still attracting shoppers from all over the community. Major stores include Macy's, J.C. Penney, Sears, and Dillard's. In November 2007, the mall completed a major renovation and expansion, including a promenade of new shops. The mall is located at the intersection of Wrightsboro Road and Bobby Jones Expressway (Interstate 520).

Augusta Exchange- Built in the late 1990s, this large retail hub is one of the main centers of commerce in the Augusta metropolitan area. Augusta Exchange contains many popular retail establishments, including Target, Goody's, Ashley Furniture, Old Navy, Best Buy, and Circuit City. Popular restaurants can also be found here, including Chili's, Tony Roma's, Atlanta Bread Company, and O'Charley's. A 20 screen Regal Cinemas is also located in the area. Augusta Exchange is located near the intersection of Wheeler Road and Bobby Jones Expressway.

		Columbia County Information
The Augusta Chronicle	The Metro Spirit	Popular Augusta Area Links
Downtown Augusta Information	North Augusta, SC Community Information	Augusta-Richmond Conv. & Visitors Bureau

last updated: January 10, 2008