Physical Characteristics. Columbia County is in northeast Florida and is bordered by Georgia and Hamilton, Suwannee, Gilchrist, Alachua, Union, and Baker counties. The county has 796.45 square miles of land and 4.90 square miles of water for a total of 801.35 square miles. The average January temperature is 55.6 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average August temperature is 81.1 degrees Fahrenheit. The average annual rainfall is 49.88 inches.
History. Columbia County was established in 1832 from St. Johns County and was named in honor of Christopher Columbus. The Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto founded a large village on the site of present day Lake City.
