Article 1: The Struggle For Industrial Education in the “Lowell of the South,” Columbus, Georgia, 1850-1930

The history of Columbus, Georgia, cannot be separated from that of the local textile mills; the mills were important in defining the economic success, the social struggles, and the enduring legacy of southern industrial tycoons. Evidence of this industrial past can be seen on almost every street, school, and business located in the city along the river. Columbus, Georgia, situated on a prime hydroelectric location along Chattahoochee River fault line, boasted the title of the “Lowell of the South” for many years (Martin 1874, 15), and through this industrial foundation, the people of Columbus pioneered a vocational education system that became heralded at its inception as a model for industrial education.