Columbus, Indiana

Episode 693 / 23 April 2026 / 178 min / full

Poison Pudding Problems

"We are going to Indiana this week. Columbus, Indiana. This is in Bartholomew County." about 0:04:51

The case: Murder of Alan Duvall (August 2007). Read the case file.

The figures, as told in 2026

Population

50,718

Median age

35.7

Median household income

$72,380

Median home value

$230,100

Two-bedroom rent

$1,070

Cost of living

83

Religious

49.5%

Property crime

▲ almost double the national average

Violent crime

▼ about half the average

History, in brief

• The land that became Columbus was bought by General John Tipton and a man named Luke Bonesteel. about 0:07:20
• Tipton built a log cabin on Mount Tipton, a small hill overlooking the White River. about 0:07:52
• The town was first known as Tiptona, named in honour of Tipton. about 0:07:58
• About a year later the name was changed to Columbus because other towns were mocking Tiptona. about 0:08:07
• On March 20th, 1821, all the other towns around were mocking them. about 0:08:17
• In 1821 there were three or four log cabins around the ferry landing, and a store was added that year. about 0:08:43
• Later that year the county was organised. about 0:09:04
• Columbus was incorporated as a town in 1864 and as a city in 1921. about 0:09:04
• The town's nickname is Athens of the Prairie. about 0:07:02
• The town motto is 'unexpected, unforgettable'. about 0:06:05
• The area codes are 812 and 930. about 0:05:55
• Columbus is in south central Indiana, about 50 minutes from Indianapolis and an hour and 10 minutes from Louisville. about 0:05:26

The reviews read out

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