Columbia is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,971 at the 2000 census. Originally a part of Lebanon, known as the North Society or Lebanon's Crank, Columbia was incorporated in May 1804. Columbia gets its name from the American ballad "Hail, Columbia". Columbia offers pre-kindergarten through 8th grade education in town at Horace W. Porter School, while high school students have a choice of attending four nearby high schools.