About Columbus

Columbus is the second-largest city and the county seat of Cherokee County, Kansas, United States. It is located 15 miles south-southwest of Pittsburg, Kansas.

The first settlement in Columbus was in the year 1868 and the first post office was established in 1869. Columbus was a railroad junction for Saint Louis and San Francisco, and for Missouri, Kansas, and Texas railroads.

Contact Us

Columbus City Hall
300 E Maple St
Columbus, KS 66725

Phone: (620) 429-2159
Fax: (620) 429-1159

Bell

Columbus was named by A.L. Peters, one of the European-American founders, for his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Consequently, the city’s name indirectly honors the explorer, Christopher Columbus. Coal, lead, and zinc was mined in the region.

Columbus had a considerable trade in agricultural products, and its businesses included machine shops, grain elevators, flour mills, a cigar factory, bottle works (soft drinks), a canning factory, and an extensive brick-making plant.

The city population is 2,929 as of the 2020 Census.

Seth Thomas Clock Tower

Columbus is home to the Seth Thomas Clock Tower. Originally built in 1919 as a memorial to World War 1 soldiers, this clock sat on the lawn of the Cherokee County Courthouse.  When the new courthouse was built in 1954, only the clockface would be incorporated into the building. This was until the clock was fully restored to its former glory in the late 1980s.

Clock Tower

Veterans Memorial

The Columbus courtyard is home to the Veterans Memorial. Here you can find a list of names and photos honoring the servicemen and women from Columbus. This memorial was created by friends and family members of these servicemen and women.

Veterans Memorial

Time Capsule

The City recently celebrated its sesquicentennial anniversary with a 50-year-old time capsule that was opened on June 22, 2018, in front of the Cherokee County Courthouse. The time capsule was sealed and placed in front of the courthouse fountain during the city’s centennial celebration on July 20, 1968. The capsule contains historic items such as a tape recording, photos, and a 1968 telephone directory. 

Contact Us

Columbus City Hall
300 E Maple St
Columbus, KS 66725

Phone: (620) 429-2159
Fax: (620) 429-1159