Incorporated: 1829
Population: 740
County Name: Coos
(county map)
Town Contact:
Town of Columbia
Town Office
Columbia, NH 03476
Phone: 603-237-5255
Fax: 603-237-8270
Website: Town of Columbia

Origin:
First chartered in 1762, and named Preston for Richard Graham, Viscount Preston of Scotland. The town was regranted in 1770 due to the settler's failure to meet the terms of the grant, and renamed Cockburntown, after Sir James Cockburn of Scotland. It kept that name until 1811, when Governor John Langdon renamed the town Columbia in the spirit of patriotism preceding the War of 1812.

More about Columbia:
The Shrine of Our Lady of Grace is on NH Route 3 in the town of Columbia, NH. It was begun in 1948 as a monument of thanksgiving to Our Lady of Grace for 25 years of blessings and protection of the Oblates in northern New Hampshire. Now, over 50 monuments adorn the grounds and tell artistically of God's love for his people. For anyone who spends the time, the Shrine offers deep insights. The artwork is exceptional, mostly in carrara marble and granite, and over 125 faces tell the story.