COLUMBIA, a city of Tennessee, U.S.A., 46m. S. by W. of Nashville, on the Duck river; the county seat of Maury county. It is on Federal highway 31, and is served by the Louisville and Nashville and the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis railways. The population in 192o was 5,526 (35% negroes), and was in Duo (after some annexations of territory), 7,882. It is in a fine farming region, where tobacco, corn, wheat, alfalfa and potatoes are grown, and many mules are raised. Phosphate rock is mined within 12 miles. The city has a large mule market. Its factories include flour-mills, a cannery, a cotton mill and plants making furniture, work clothes and lighting fixtures. Columbia was settled about 1807 and incorporated in 1822. In 1862-63 it was Gen. N. B. Forrest's base of operations, 'and during Gen. Hood's Nashville campaign (Nov.—Dec. 1864) it was occupied alternately by Federal and Confederate troops. James K. Polk began there (1820) to practice law.