> Columbus, Indiana I don't think Columbus fits into this category. It is one of hundreds of pre-automobile county seats that exist all over the US (east of t

> Columbus, Indiana I don't think Columbus fits into this category. It is one of hundreds of pre-automobile county seats that exist all over the US (east of the Rocky Mountains). It has an urban-like street grid with the county courthouse in the middle. What sets Columbus apart from the rest is having a successful multi-national manufacturing corporation that refused to let the town die. On top of that, the founder created a foundation that will pay the architect fees for any civic building if they use a famous architect. The government or church or bank or whatever still has to pay for construction, so you end up with a city with outstanding architecture that is sized exactly for what a small city needs. If you spend time in Columbus, you'll notice that their hugely successful downtown is mostly old buildings in excellent condition.