A postscript about Columbus.

He was Italian, not Spanish. His home was Genova (Genoa). His name was not Christopher Columbus. It was Cristoforo Columbo. The Spanish applied the Latin name. So, an Italian navigator 'discovered' the new world and another Italian had it inadvertently named after him: Amerigo Vespucci.

Places named after Christopher Columbus:
British Columbia Canadian Province; Colombia and the earlier Greater Colombia, country of South America; Colombo, former capital of Sri Lanka; Colon, Panama; Colon Province, Panama; Columbia, Maryland; Columbia, Missouri; Columbia, South Carolina; Colombo, Paraná, Brazil; Columbus, Georgia; Columbus, Indiana; Columbus, Mississippi; Columbus, Wisconsin; Columbus, Ohio; District of Columbia; Columbiana County, Ohio; Columbiana, Ohio; Columbia County, Pennsylvania; Columbus Circle, New York City, Columbia River.

Man, that Columbus guy got around, or else he had one hellava PR agent.

Once upon a time there was a very good-looking and intelligent kitty cat named Hobbes. He was convinced that people and cats could get to the grocery store by going east across the Ohio River and finally he was able to get funding from the governor of West Virginia and proved it so people had to stop making fun of him and give him cat treats. The End.

Hobbie: Columbus was a good Italian navigator who believed the world was round (imagine that!) and tried for years to get someone to sponsor a voyage to prove it by sailing to China by going west. Finally, the Spanish Queen agreed. You misunderstood me. He didn't found Columbus, OH. They named it after him.

Well, one thing we know...at least two cities claim him! I'm sure there are more!!

Ohio is too far North - he landed much farther South - Columbus GA.