The Columbia corporate name has an interesting and colorful connection with the early history of Connecticut and transportation. “Columbia” was the name of a 19th century tall ship captained by John Rathbone of Mystic, Connecticut. The 1051-ton vessel was representative of a class of sleek, fast sailing ships known as Packets. These ships enabled the United States to capture a major share of the growing transatlantic passenger traffic. Owners Arthur Maurice and Barbara Silver have preserved these roots in the company’s name. Columbia combines the tradition and excellence of the past with the innovation and technology of the present, to create a new standard in transportation for the future.