This institution is located on the west side of Columbia, adjoining the city and bounded by the old Hampshire Turnpike on one side and the Mt. Pleasant Turnpike on the other, with the L. & N. Rail Road on the East and Academy Lane on the West. The buildings are on a beautiful tract of land containing 67 acres, in a most desirable section of the city
.Many years ago some of the land was owned by Dr. William J. Polk, a son of Colonel William Polk, and a half brother of Gen. Leonidas Polk and his brothers who lived on the Mt. Pleasant Turnpike. His place was known as Buena Vista, to which he moved in 1834. After the Civil War, his daughter, Mary, who married Colonel Joseph Branch in 1859, lived there. They were the parents of Lucia Branch, who married J. W. Howard. They were the parents of Gerald and Lawrence Howard of Nashville. In the course of events, it came into the hands of Sims Latta and others. These parties deeded it to the United States Government, November 26, 1888, and immediately thereafter the Government spent approximately $450,000.00 in equipping it for an arsenal and military post, for which purpose it was used until 1904. In 1898 equipment for the Spanish-American War was manufactured there. There being little need for this property for military use, citizens of Columbia conceived the plan to have it set apart for educational purposes. Senator E. W. Carmack and Congressman L. P. Padgett co-operated in this movement. By an Act of Congress, approved April 23, 1904, the Secretary of War, Frank Elmer Oliver, was directed to convey it to the Columbia Military Academy, a Tennessee Corporation, for school purposes subject to some restrictions. He did this May 10, 1904. A few days later a new charter was obtained and the property conveyed to the Corporation with material changes in the organization.
The first board of directors was composed of B. L. Wiggins, James H. Kirkland, Seymour A. Mynders, Harvey H. Hannah, William E. Bostick, Edward E. Barthell and Abrom M. Tillman, all prominent in educational and political affairs. The first meeting of the Board was held at the Tulane Hotel, Nashville, April 25, 1904. B. Lanton Wiggins was elected President, Seymour A. Mynders, Vice-President, and A. M. Tillman, Secretary. Professor H. C. Weber, who had been named custodian by the corporation, formerly received the property on the grounds June 30, 1904, and appointed Mr. Davis and Mr. Stokes to care for the same. The Board of Directors held its first meeting on the grounds July 8, 1904, the shift to the new Charter being then made. The school opened in September, 1905. A contract was made with Prof. J. C. Hardy of Texas, April 18, 1905, to operate the first school in these buildings. J. E. Edgerton joined Mr. Hardy and with some difficulty they conducted a school until 1912. H. C. Weber then took charge and continued until 1916 when he transferred his interest to W. B. Greenlaw and George E. McKennon.
On November 11, 1916, at a meeting of the Board of Trustees, the old members resigned. Residents of Columbia were elected to take their places and W. C. Whitthorne was elected President and served until 1917. Greenlaw and McKennon conducted the school for several years.
The Columbia Military Academy leased the property to McKennon and Greenlaw, March 15, 1919, for 99 years. On May 19, 1919, Mr. McKennon sold his interest to Mr. Greenlaw. In May, 1923, Greenlaw leased a three-fourths interest in his rights to C. E. Crossland, J. D. Blanton and Eustice A. Hail. On May 24, the Board of Trustees of the Columbia Military Academy was reorganized with Eugene Anderson, President, and John W. Fry, Secretary. In July, 1923, the Columbia Military Academy Corporation was organized with A. B. Tarpley and I. A. Cunningham largely interested as stockholders and officers. Under this organization the school was conducted with many financial difficulties until 1930. At the meeting of the trustees on March 29, 1930, Judge W. B. Turner was first elected a trustee of the Columbia Military Academy. About this time the contract of the operating company was cancelled by order of the Chancery Court, and the Columbia Military Academy took charge, with Judge W. B. Turner, President, R. S. Hopkins, Vice-President, George E. McKennon, Major Horace Frierson, W. P. Ridley, R. M. McKay, and L. R. Neal, directors.
The Columbia Military Academy Company having been organized by 0. L. Dortch, R. J. Harlan, J. A. Sloan and others, on June 15, 1930, it entered into a contract with the Columbia Military Academy to conduct a school. Under this contract Colonels L. U. and C. A. Ragsdale and Colonel W. 0. Batts, with their assistants, have built up a fine high grade institution that has attracted a fine attendance of approximately 430 students. The Academy has been financially successful and its work has had the approval of the public and the Government. These parties spent many thousands of dollars in constructing many new buildings and greatly improving the property. There were two corporations, the Columbia Military Academy, that held the title to the property, and the Columbia Military Academy Company, that leased the property and conducted the school. It was one of the best of its kind in the United States.
The school was purchased by a Church of Christ group and began operation as the Columbia Academy in 1979 and has been operated thru today (2001) with continuing high standards of excellence in education.
Much of this material was from the book MAURY COUNTY HISTORY by William Turner, written in the 1950s. [modified by WA 11/24/2001}]