Columbia, Missouri is located ~100 miles west of St. Louis and ~125 miles east of Kansas City. The meeting is being held in October to enjoy the crisp weather and fall colors of central Missouri. The Osage and Missouri Indians roamed the Columbia area and the Lewis and Clark Expedition passed within a few miles of the city on the Missouri River 1803. In 1806, Daniel Boone established a salt lick northwest of Columbia where settlers could preserve meat for their Westward journey.

Education has played a vital role in Columbia’s development. The University of Missouri, Columbia’s largest employer, was founded in 1839 and represents the birth of public higher education west of the Mississippi River. The 1,340-acre campus is the state’s flagship university, combining the resources of a comprehensive research institution and a land-grant university. It is one of 5 institutions in the United States having Engineering, Law, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine all on one campus. A renowned recreational facility and natatorium are located centrally for easy access. The University has an 18-hole golf course and is close to other championship/challenging courses.

Natural features of Columbia include its city parks and its proximity to the Missouri River and Katy Trail State Park. The park, built on the former corridor of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT) Railroad (better known as the Katy), is now a hiking and bicycling trail that runs 225 miles across the state, with several trailheads near the University. In the fall, football games dominate campus activity while the entire region is colored with the rich reds and oranges of sugar maple, sumac and bittersweet. From spring through fall, farmers’ markets offer abundant local produce and color. Columbia is frequently ranked as a top place to live, raise a family, and to retire. Temperatures (Fahrenheit) in mid-October are in the mid-60’s and low 70’s during the day with lows in the 40s and 50s at night. Occasional rain and wind are always possible!

For further information about Columbia see:

The District: http://www.discoverthedistrict.com/
Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau: http://www.visitcolumbiamo.com/