BlockFrom the record
One of 141 National Register listings published here for Muscogee County · listed in 1984 · category: Building.
Sources: the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service
Liberty Theater
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
The listing
- What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
- Address. 821 8th Ave., Columbus, 31901
- When was it listed? May 1984
- Category. building
- Census division. Columbus West
- National Register reference number. 84001208 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.
Fires near this property
97 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 97 fires within 5 miles of Liberty Theater between 1992 and 2018, burning about 484 acres in total. 2 started naturally. 30 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Arson/incendiarism | 30 |
| Debris and open burning | 21 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 16 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 15 |
| Smoking | 5 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 5 |
| Natural | 2 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 2 |
| Other causes | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 September 2015 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 4.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | ECR-20150905-001 |
| 3 September 2011 | Misuse of fire by a minor | 9.2 acres | Georgia Forestry Commission | FY2012-MUSCOGEE-001 |
| 29 September 2008 | Misuse of fire by a minor | 2.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | 2406 SANDFORT RD., AL |
| 22 September 1995 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Georgia Forestry Commission | not named |
| 15 September 2010 | Arson/incendiarism | 1.5 acres | Georgia Forestry Commission | FY2011-MUSCOGEE-001 |
| 11 September 2002 | Smoking | 34 acres | Georgia Forestry Commission | FY2003-MUSCOGEE-001 |
| 1 September 2014 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | ECR-20140901-002 |
| 1 September 1995 | Recreation and ceremony | 3.0 acres | Alabama Forestry Commission | not named |
Mines and quarries near this property
10 of 14 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 14 workings within 5 miles of Liberty Theater: 13 producers, 1 past producer. 13 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Clay, Titanium, Metal, Zirconium, Kyanite, REE. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chattahoochee River Gravel | Sand and Gravel, Construction, Titanium, Metal, Zirconium, Kyanite, REE | Producer | Ilmenite, Kyanite, Quartz, Rutile, Zircon | |
| Dixieland Pits | Sand and Gravel, Construction, Titanium, Metal, Zirconium, Kyanite, REE | Producer | Placer | |
| Bussey Pit | Clay | Producer | ||
| Cilla Mine | Clay | Producer | ||
| No. 1 Pit | Clay | Producer | ||
| No. 4 Mines | Clay | Past Producer | ||
| Woolfolk Mine | Clay | Producer | ||
| Brown Sand Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Dixieland Mine | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Kendrick Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer |
Storms near this property
60 of 111 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Columbus, the town this property stands in, in 111 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 55 thunderstorm wind, 36 hail, 6 flash flood, 4 lightning. The reports record 1 death and 3 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | 1 killed, $5,000 | Broadcast media and newspaper articles reported numerous trees and power lines down on the northeast side of Columbus, near the Lake Bottom area. A 57-year-old woman was killed when a tree limb fell on her in her back yard at the 1200 block of 16th Street. |
| March 1997 | Tornado (F1) | Columbus | 1 hurt, $750,000 | no account filed |
| March 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | 1 hurt, $300,000 | The Columbus Ledger Enquirer newspaper, Columbus television station WTVM, as well as local emergency management officials reported widespread storm damage to much of the Historic District and surroundings areas of Columbus. The damage was caused by a strong gust front preceding a line of early morning thunderstorms. Wind gusts of 61 mph were measured by the ASOS unit at the Columbus airport, but winds were believed to have gusted to near 80 mph in the downtown Historic District of Columbus. Extensive and widespread damage occurred to trees, power lines, and structures throughout the Columbus area, particular in the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Brown Avenue areas. Martin Luther King Boulevard, as well as Columbus thoroughfares north of Victory Drive and south of Peachtree Mall, were strewn with fallen oaks, splintered pines, and other debris, temporarily blocking traffic. Damage consisted of 47 trees, some of which were very large, old oak trees, 17 power lines, and 20 traffic lights. One home was badly damaged when a large oak tree fell across the roof, barely missing the occupant sleeping inside. Damage was also reported at the Columbus RedStixx baseball park where the awning of the office was ripped off, 2 dugouts roofs were damaged, and 3 sets of bleachers were blown on to the playing field. In addition, a firefighter on his way to a call was injured when a power line junction box was blown down and through the window of his fire truck. |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | 1 hurt, $45,000 | Numerous trees and power lines were down in Columbus. A gust to 69 mph was reported at the Columbus airport. At least 60,000 residents were without power. One person was injured in the storm. Several trees blocked roads. Three or four small planes were damaged at the Columbus airport. |
| April 2009 | Tornado (EF1) | Columbus | $3,000,000 | A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Peachtree City, Georgia confirmed that an EF1 tornado, which initially touched down in Phenix City - Russell County, Alabama as an EF2 tornado at the intersection of Dillingham and Broad Streets, continued into Muscogee county, Georgia and the city of Columbus. The total tornado path was determined to be approximately four miles in length, two of which fell within Muscogee county, Georgia. The maximum path width was determined to be 250 yards with maximum winds estimated at 105 mph. Damage within Georgia was first observed at Columbus State University. Significant damage was observed to buildings and trees on the campus. The Old Rankin Building, an older building which had been converted to dormitories, suffered substantial damage. From this point, spotty tree, roof, and window damage was observed along the path of the tornado and it continued moving eastward. At the intersection of 13th Street and 13th Avenue, a small utility truck used at a nursery had been picked up and moved at least 25 feet and through a neighboring fence. Minor damage to displays, trees, and plants was also observed in the adjacent nursery. From here to where the tornado lifted near the intersection of Macon Road and Preston Drive in Columbus, hundreds of large mature oak trees were either snapped or uprooted through Lake Bottom Park and Hilton Avenue and Harding Drive. Extensive damage was observed to homes throughout this area, largely a result of the downed trees. Many power lines were down along the path of the tornado as well. Over 100 structures, including homes and businesses, suffered minor to moderate damage. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $250,000 | The Columbus Ledger-Inquirer reported that at least 26 trees were blown down or uprooted around the city by thunderstorm winds. Several of these were large trees. Damage was reported to homes and vehicles in the area. Several large trees fell through mobile homes in the Pine Grove Mobile Home Park off Plateau Drive. A 40-50 foot branch fell through the back of one site-built home and another home was split in two by a large downed tree. The tree also damaged an adjacent vehicle. Several large trees were down in the city. Two trees were down on homes, one on Steam Mills Road, and several trees were down in yards. Up to 15,000 residents in the area lost power during the storm. |
| March 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $225,000 | The Muscogee county 911 center reported that over 17 reports of trees blown down were received from residents in the city of Columbus. The Columbus-Ledger Inquirer newspaper reported that one home in the historic district of Columbus was destroyed by a large tree that fell on the structure. Most of the homes damaged were on Schomberg Road, Mayo Drive, and Oates Avenue in Columbus. In addition, traffic lights and several power lines were also blown down. Other damage reports from the public included a tree down on a house causing damage and the side blown off a mobile home. Winds on the Columbus airport observation were measured at 39 knots, but most of the damage occurred in the city which is southeast of the airport. At least 3000 homes were left without power during the event. |
| July 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $100,000 | Numerous trees and power lines blown down in the East Highlands and Dinglewood areas of Columbus. A sign was also blown down and several glass bus stop shelters were blown over outside of the WRBL TV studios on 13th Street. Several businesses received minor damage and at least 3500 customers were without power for several hours. |
| January 2017 | Flash Flood | Columbus | $50,000 | The Ledger Enquirer reported isolated areas of street flooding in Columbus, a mudslide along the left bank of the Chattahoochee River near Bulldog Bait and Tackle, and flooding of streets in the Battle Park area. Several cars were stalled in flooded roadways, particularly along 13th Avenue. In total, 2.5 to 3.0 inches of rainfall occurred in a short period of time. |
| August 2004 | Flash Flood | Columbus | $50,000 | The Muscogee County Emergency Management Director, along with several calls from the public, reported that very heavy rain, up to five inches in the north central areas of the county, fell from thunderstorms between 10 am and noon EDT. Several roads in Columbus were flooded and impassable with water flowing over the roads. Several vehicles were stranded in the high water. Two homes were also flooded. One creek on the north side of Columbus was out of its banks and threatened another home and swimming pool. |
| July 2003 | Flash Flood | Columbus | $50,000 | The Muscogee county 911 center reported that several homes and business across the south end of the city were flooded. In one instance during the height of the storm, water rose of to the level of the doors on a county ambulance. |
| May 2003 | Flash Flood | Columbus | $50,000 | The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reported that very heavy rain quickly forced the Holland Creek in Columbus to overflow its banks and cause damage to an adjacent sewer line. Damage was also reported as a result of flooding to the Columbus Convention & Trade Center expansion project, which was well under way. |
| May 1998 | Lightning | Columbus | $40,000 | Lightning struck the Whisperwood Apartments and caused smoke and fire damage to one apartment and minor smoke damage to another. |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $30,000 | The public reported that several homes sustained minor roof damage from strong thunderstorm winds. In addition, several street, highway signs, and even some traffic signals were blown down by strong winds. The Muscogee County 911 Center reported that at least ten trees were down in the south central part of the county from Columbus into the northern part of Fort Benning. |
| July 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $30,000 | Thunderstorm winds knocked down several trees and a corrugated tin and steel beam wall of a building. The wall fell onto a parking lot, resulting in extensive damage. |
| June 2009 | Heavy Rain | Columbus | $25,000 | Columbus television stations reported that extensive street flooding was observed throughout the Columbus metropolitan area. A number of cars stalled out when people attempted to drive them through areas of high water. |
| March 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $25,000 | The Muscogee County Emergency Management Director reported that a number of large trees, several power lines, and even some traffic signals were down, especially in the city of Columbus. A couple of trees and power lines were also down on homes causing minor damage. |
| June 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $25,000 | The Muscogee County 911 Center reported that a thunderstorm downburst downed a number of trees throughout the western portion of the county, including much of the Columbus metropolitan area and the northern portions of Fort Benning. The storm tracked roughly along and just east of the Alabama state line. Several power lines were also down as a result of the downed trees and a few homes had also sustained minor structural damage as a result of downed trees. Nearly 4800 people in the Columbus area were left without power for several hours after the storm. |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $25,000 | The public and the Muscogee County 911 reported that numerous large trees were blown down in the city. The Walden Chase Apartments on Memorial Parkway in Columbus sustained considerable wind damage. The siding was damaged and shingles were blown off the roof. |
| July 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $25,000 | The Columbus Ledger - Enquirer reported that thunderstorm winds knocked down several trees as well as several large tree branches. One large tree fell on a home on Shannon Drive and another fell on power lines on Cherokee Avenue. At least 10,000 residents in the county were without power for part of the evening. |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $25,000 | The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer and several reports from the public indicated that numerous trees were blown down in the Columbus and Upatoi area. In Columbus, several large trees were blown down, some landing on homes causing minor to major damage. Trees also blocked several roads in the area. In Upatoi, a few trees were blown down and a metal awning was blown off a bay window at a home. Some trees were also blown down and minor structural damage was noted east of Upatoi in extreme eastern Muscogee county near the Talbot county line and just west of Box Springs. During the peak of the storm, some 12,000 customers were without electricity across the northern portions of Muscogee county. |
| November 1997 | Hail | Columbus | $25,000 | Hail up to teacup size, shaped in a discus, was reported in Columbus. There were numerous reports of cars being damaged and store windows being knocked out because of the hail. |
| March 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $20,000 | Numerous trees down stretching from just northeast of downtown columbus towards the northeast to the offramp of columbus manchester expressway and county line rd. |
| January 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $20,000 | The Muscogee County 911 Center reported that at least five trees and two power lines were down across mainly the northern and eastern end of the county. One 45-50 foot 16-inch diameter tree was down across a sport utility vehicle at a private residence in the north part of Columbus. Several shingles were blown off a home in Green Island Hills near the Alabama border. |
| June 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $16,000 | The Muscogee County 911 Center reported about a dozen large trees blown down in Columbus, some onto power lines. |
| May 2006 | Heavy Rain | Columbus | $15,000 | The Columbus Ledger-Inquirer reported that very heavy rain, combined with wind gusts of 65 to 70 mph, caused a home in Columbus on Merle Avenue to become flooded with up to a foot of water. The water poured into the house through the windows and doors, largely a result of the combination of strong wind gusts and very heavy rain. In excess of two inches of rain fell throughout much of Muscogee county during the storm, much of which occurred in less than an hour. |
| June 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $15,000 | no account filed |
| March 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $15,000 | no account filed |
| May 2010 | Lightning | Columbus | $10,000 | The Muscogee County 911 Center reported that lightning struck a home in the Columbus area. No specific information pertaining to damages was provided. In addition, lightning took out power to several traffic signals in the city of Columbus. |
| April 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $10,000 | The public reported that several trees and power lines were blown down from the downtown area to the northeast part of the city near U.S. Highway 80. Several cars were blown off Interstate-185 northeast of Columbus. Wind gusts of 60 mph were estimated in this area. |
| August 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $10,000 | Numerous trees reported down in Columbus. |
| June 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $10,000 | Thunderstorm winds knocked down several trees which were a foot or larger in diameter. These downed trees caused damage to a porch on one house and roof damage to another. Several powerlines were also reported downed throughout the county. |
| June 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $10,000 | no account filed |
| March 1996 | Hail | Columbus | $10,000 | no account filed |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $7,000 | The Muscogee County 911 Center reported that several large trees and power lines were down or uprooted across Columbus and the suburbs on the north side of Columbus. |
| January 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $7,000 | A meteorologist with a local Columbus TV station reported that strong straight-lined winds, and possibly a microburst, associated with a line of showers and thunderstorms caused damage to the roof of a dermatologist's office, blew down several trees, and damaged the Columbus Welcome Sign on Interstate 185. |
| February 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $6,000 | The local broadcast media and the public reported trees and power lines blown down from the Tsys campus to around the intersection of Macon Road and Auburn Avenue. |
| July 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $5,000 | Columbus TV Station Channel 9 reported that a number of trees were either split or uprooted by strong thunderstorm winds in an area 10-20 city blocks wide. Most of the damage was in the Country Club area at Cherokee Avenue. |
| August 2003 | Lightning | Columbus | $5,000 | The Muscogee county 911 center reported that lightning struck a tree near a house. The tree subsequently fell on the house causing damage to the structure. |
| February 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $5,000 | The Mucsogee county 911 center reported that numerous trees and power lines were down. |
| April 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $5,000 | A few windows were broken and a couple of awnings were ripped down due to strong wind in downtown Columbus. |
| July 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $5,000 | A few trees were blown down in the city of Columbus. |
| April 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $5,000 | Numerous trees and power lines knocked down and two traffic lights blown over in the city of Columbus. |
| October 1998 | Hail | Columbus | $5,000 | Quarter to plum sized hail was reported north of the city of Columbus. |
| April 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $5,000 | Several trees were blown down across the city. |
| May 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $5,000 | Several trees were blown down in Columbus. |
| May 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $5,000 | Trees were down in the north part of the city. |
| February 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $5,000 | Several large trees downed power lines which caused power outages along Airport Thruway in Columbus. |
| July 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $4,000 | The Muscogee County 911 Center reported that four trees and five power lines were down on the north side of Columbus. |
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $3,000 | The Muscogee county 911 center reported that numerous trees were blown down across the city. |
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $3,000 | An amateur radio operator reported that some power lines were down in Columbus. |
| July 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $3,000 | Trees and power lines were down along Moye Road in the southern part of the county. |
| March 1997 | Hail | Columbus | $3,000 | no account filed |
| July 1998 | Hail | Columbus | $2,000 | Quarter size hail was reported in Columbus. |
| November 1997 | Hail | Columbus | $2,000 | Dime size hail was reported in Columbus. |
| June 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $2,000 | Thunderstorm winds knocked down a large tree across power lines on Miller Road east of the airport. A large tree top fell along Warm Springs Road at the east end of airport. At least 12,000 customers were without power for a short time. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $1,500 | The Muscogee County 911 Center reported that at least three trees were down around Columbus. Doppler radar data suggested that a downburst likely occurred from Columbus southeast toward North Fort Benning in the southeast part of the county. |
| August 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $1,500 | The Muscogee County 911 Center reported that four to five trees were blown down across the northwest part of the county, including the northern areas of Columbus. |
| July 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $1,000 | The local broadcast media reported a tree blown down in Columbus along 13th Street between 17th and 18th Avenues. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Columbus | $1,000 | A report of a tree blown down on Carter Avenue was received over social media. |
Newspapers printed here
4 digitised pages1 paper published in this town, digitised by the Library of Congress and free to read: 1 issue, 4 pages. Every page is searchable, so a name or a street can be looked for directly in what the town printed about itself at the time.
| Newspaper | Published |
|---|---|
| Columbus Chronicle | 1895 to 1900 |
Map coverage status
No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.
Listed places nearby
6 within 8 milesOther National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.
| Photograph | Property | Distance | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building at 920 Ninth Avenue | 0.2 miles | 1980 | |
| Columbus Stockade | 0.2 miles | 1980 | |
 | St. Christoper's Normal and Industrial Parish School | 0.2 miles | 1980 |
 | Gertrude Ma Pridgett Rainey House | 0.2 miles | 1992 |
 | First African Baptist Church | 0.2 miles | 1980 |
 | First African Baptist Church Parsonage | 0.2 miles | 1980 |
Sources for this property
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 84001208 in Record Group 79. |
| Muscogee County | All 141 listed properties in this county. |
Provenance
- Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
- Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
- How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
- Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
- Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
- Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.