Complex sentence: From before statehood until 2012, Columbus was the largest city of the Mississippi Golden Triangle, but a collapse of manufacturing in Columbus in the 1990s and many factors including rapid growth associated with Mississippi State University has led Starkville to surpass Columbus in population.
Split into simpler sentences: From before statehood until 2012, Columbus was the largest city of the Mississippi Golden Triangle. Factors including rapid growth associated with Mississippi State University has led Starkville to surpass Columbus in population.