Columbia MO Moving Companies

Columbia, Missouri

Columbia is the fifth largest city in Missouri with a population of 108,500 as of 2010. A couple of common nicknames that Columbia carries are college town, the Athens of Missouri, College Town USA and CoMO. With over half of the community possessing a bachelor’s degree and more than a quarter holding a graduate degree, Columbia is the 13th most highly educated city in the U.S. With its quality healthcare and education, Columbia is frequently ranked as a top place to live in, the best place to raise a family and a great community in which to retire. These highlights keep Columbia movers busy month after month.

Economy:
Since the 1800s Columbia’s economy is dominated by the education, insurance and healthcare industries. Its biggest employers are the colleges and universities in the area. The city is also home to the headquarters of many insurance companies like Shelter Insurance and the Columbia Insurance Group.

Several other companies like Datastorm Technologies, Inc., Slackers CDs and Games and Carfax were established in Columbia. The city is also home to the industry leader in new and used textbooks in the United States, MBS Textbook Exchange, which is its largest private Employer.

The Healthcare industry in Columbia employs nearly one out of six of the local workforce. The physician density in the city is three times the national average and has one of the highest hospital beds per capita ratios across the United States. Naturally, there are many local companies who research and manufacture chemicals used for medicines.

History:
Prior to the arrival of European explorers, the Missouri and the Osage Indians inhabited Columbia. In 1678, French explorer Robert de LaSalle claimed all of Missouri for France.

The Smithton Land Company bought several thousand acres of the area and established the Smithton community in 1818. However due to the lack of water the community moved past the Flat Branch in 1821, after which Columbia was established.

In the 1850s, the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails as well as the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad became significant factors in the growth of the city. Education also played a vital role in the development of Columbia, having established the recognized institutions Stephen’s College and the University of Missouri. All these resulted in may families moving to Columbia.

Tourism:
Columbia is a city filled with shopping malls, museums, historical sites, farms and farmers markets, parks and mountain bike trails. Recreational facilities such as skate rinks, golf courses, gymnasiums, indoors sports amenities and theater houses are also abundant in the area.

There are unique places where the whole family can enjoy such as Buck’s Candy Parlor, the Candy Factory, Chuck E. Cheese’s and the Galactic Fun Zone. There are also a great number of annual festivals in city including film, arts and music festivals as well as harvest and heritage celebrations. With a great number of hotels, inns, motels and bed and breakfasts to accommodate any budget, Columbia is a melting pot for tourists.

Colleges and Universities:

• University of Missouri - Columbia
• Columbia College
• Stephens College
• Moberly Area Community College

Interesting Facts:

• Columbia was untouched during the civil war because it was used as a base for Union troops.
• Columbia is home to much wildlife such as coyotes, deer and squirrels. Bald Eagles can also be spotted in areas near the Missouri River.