Columbus Courthouse Magnolia Trees - Columbus, TX
N 29° 42.372 W 096° 32.422
14R E 737959 N 3288762
On the west side of the Colorado Courthouse Square, along Milam Street, are tall magnolia trees lining the street from the corner with Walnut Street to the corner with Spring Street.
Waymark Code: WMZRX9
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 12/30/2018
Views: 1
Although the Columbus, TX promotes itself as "the City of Live Oaks and live people", the city puts just as much zeal and promotion into its County Courthouse magnolia trees as it does into its giant oak trees. It is on purpose that one side of the Courthouse Square is lined with old magnolia trees.
The residents of Columbus must not be allergic to the scent of the giant magnolia blossoms which they celebrate in an annual Magnolia Days Festival in the Spring. These magnolias at the Square have been growing long before 1942 where an old photo shows them mature and fully formed as a row of trees beside the Courthouse. In 1965, Steve McQueen was filming "Baby, The Rain Must Fall" in Columbus and in one scene he was to drive a motorcycle past the Courthouse wile driving out of town. The movie makers wanted to make this scene more dramatic and asked the city if they could cut down several magnolia trees. The response was a firm "No." The scene was shot for the movie with the trees intact. This city is proud of and preserves its oaks and magnolia trees alike.
Link to story about the 2018 Magnolia Days Festival:
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Link to the 2019 plans for the Magnolia Days Festival:
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