Why is Columbia, TN called Muletown

Posted in Nashville August 03, 2018

The small town of Columbia, Tennessee has seen a renaissance of sorts in recent years. Whereas the tiny spot located roughly an hour from Nashville was once only known as, “Muletown,” it has since grown up, cleaned up and welcomed all sorts of newcomers into its midst. Whether you’re looking for a darling downtown to visit or a new place to live, this quintessential southern town will forever remain one of our favorites.

If you looked at a simple string of details, you'd find that Columbia is located in Maury County, a geographical region in Tennessee that spans the southern mid-state. In 2013, there were over 35,000 folks who called this sweet place home.

Best known as the, "Mule Capital of the World", the city also boasts more pre-Civil War homes than anywhere else in the entirety of Tennessee.

You'll even find the James Knox Polk house within city limits, the president's former home. It's the only structure still standing, other than the White House, that Polk called his home. He is interred just up the road in Nashville, if you're looking to make the complete President Polk loop.

The downtown area is ripped straight from a movie screen, laden with brick buildings that boast vintage signs and kindly bookstore owners and antique dealers.

It's not all old school out here, though. The downtown area is also host to a new taqueria, bakeries, an ice cream shop and the ever-popular coffeehouse, Muletown Roasted Coffee. If the hipsters from Nashville are coming down here JUST for a cup of joe, you know it's good.

Columbia itself has been incorporated since 1817, and has spent the last two hundred years growing and merging with the change in southern and common US culture. Homes are still affordable in the area, which means that the town is rife with young families, established residents and proud Tennesseans.

During the Civil War, Columbia grew as a part of the richest county in the state due to the rich agricultural topography. Crops of tobacco and hemp helped line the pockets of locals, as did the livestock business. The town has since become a bit quieter and settled into a sweet, southern lullaby.

There's really nothing more magical than visiting a town with a sleepy atmosphere and an expansive history. A visit to Columbia not only expands your southern experience, but builds such a pride and understanding of the Volunteer State itself.

Have you been? Would you visit? You can continue to explore our great state with a visit to this adventure park in Tennessee. It’s a blast for the whole family!