The town of Columbus stood near the Confederate earth-works fort that guarded the old RR bridge. There was once a Stage Stop there and the town benefited from it along with the RailRoad, Ferry, Sawmill, and the Steamboat traffic. The cemetery, considered one of Florida's oldest, is the only evidence left. It can be found on one of the nature trails. Nearby the earth fort was constructed by Confederate soldiers to protect the RR bridge from Union attack. This was very important to the Confederate forces since their meat at the time came almost entirely from Florida range cattle, sugar, and salt. Yes, there were plenty of Cowboys in Florida raising cattle left from Spanish occupation. The Union knew that if they could destroy the RR bridge it would shut off the meat supply for the troops. Union troops were sent from Federally occupied Jacksonville to destroy the bridge but were engaged at Olustee, in Columbia County, and defeated in February of 1864. Submitted by: Mike Woodfin

The Columbus Post Office was established on February 17, 1842 and later moved across the Suwannee to serve the new sawmill town Ellaville in 1867. Mike Woodfin

Cemetery - Courtesy MikeWoodfin

Cemetery - Courtesy MikeWoodfin

Cemetery - Courtesy MikeWoodfin

This an 1880 picture of the covered Railroad Bridge the Confederate forces were protecting from Union attack. photo courtesy Florida State Pictorical Archieves

Original formerly covered railroad bridge, still in use
Coutesy Jim Pike