Columbus Junction is home of the historic Swinging Bridge, found one block south of Highway 92 near downtown.

The 262-foot-long steel cable and wood suspension bridge was built in 1922 as an elevated walkway connecting Third and Fourth streets.

[4] Columbus Junction began as a settlement located at the intersection of two railroad lines.

The first local business, a restaurant and boarding house imported via the Rock Island from Muscatine, Iowa, opened the day after a BCR&M train made the inaugural stop and crossing of the newly completed intersection.

Neighboring Columbus City had been established before the railroads arrived and both the Rock Island and BCR&M had built their lines over a mile's distance away.

[5] The largest sustained period of growth for Columbus Junction was from 1960 to 2000, driven primarily by job creation in meat processing.

From 1961 to 1982 Rath Packing Company operated a hog processing plant just north of the city.

The most recent wave of immigrants includes refugees from the Chin State of Myanmar (Burma).

The damage dealt by the inundation affected 29 businesses and non-profits, but the community has since been able to recover.

[8] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.19 square miles (5.67 km2), all land.

26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.