Magnolia is a city in Columbia County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 11,577. The city is the county seat of Columbia County.Magnolia is home to the World's Largest Charcoal Grill and the World Championship Steak Cookoff, part of the Magnolia Blossom Festival.HistoryThe city was founded in 1853. At the time of its incorporation in 1858, the city had a population of about 1,950. The city grew slowly as an agricultural and regional cotton market until the discovery of oil just east of the city in March 1938, with the Barnett #1 drilled by the Kerr-Lynn Company. The Magnolia Oil Field was an important discovery, not just for the city but for the nation, as it was the largest producing field (in volume) during the early years of World War II, helping to fuel the American war effort.In March 2013 more than 5,000 barrels of oil leaked from a Lion Oil Trading & Transportation storage tank in Magnolia, with some flowing into a bayou.GeographyMagnolia is located in southwest Arkansas, north of the center of Columbia County at . The average altitude is 336ft above sea level according to NOAA. The surrounding region is a mix of dense forest, farm prairies, and low rolling hills.According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 34.4km2, of which 0.07km2, or 0.21%, is water.Magnolia is located about east of Texarkana, about south of Little Rock, and about northeast of Shreveport, Louisiana.