As Columbus continues to grow in population, more and more people are moving into Downtown and its urban neighborhoods. While these neighborhoods were among the first in the city to be developed, they were not always the desirable areas they are today. Read on to learn more about the history of Columbus’ urban neighborhoods.
Short North
Now it’s the city’s vibrant arts and cultural district, but the Short North was long known as a rough part of town filled with blight and crime. Much like other neighborhoods in the area, the Short North suffered as the city’s affluent residents continued to move out of the city’s core into the suburbs during the 1960s and ’70s. Artists helped to revitalize the area starting in the 1980s. The district’s defining arches have a long history. 1888, the district’s distinctive arches were erected for a reunion for Civil War soldiers. The original wooden arches were replaced by metal arches, which were taken down in 1912 to make way for globe lights. In the early 2000s, the city installed 22 new arches with color-changing, fiber-optic lighting to pay homage to the district’s history.
Italian Village
Today, Italian Village is one of the city’s trendiest neighborhoods. A century ago, this neighborhood just north of Downtown Columbus was home to a melting pot of immigrants, including Irish, Lebanese, Greek, German and, of course, Italian. They flocked to the area because it was within walking distance of many manufacturing jobs at the companies including Jeffrey Manufacturing Co., Berry Bolt Works and Timken Roller Bearing. The neighborhood’s name comes from its abundance of Italianate architecture. A shining example is St. John the Baptist Italian Catholic Church, built in 1898 and now ground zero for the annual Columbus Italian Festival, a raucous celebration of food, music, singing, dancing and bocce.
Victorian Village
This stately neighborhood runs along Neil Avenue south of Ohio State University and north of Downtown. The area is known for its Victorian houses, most of which were built near the turn of the 20th century. The elegant houses were built in the area because of its proximity to the city’s first public park, Goodale Park, as well as streetcar lines along Neil and High. But when the automobile replaced the streetcar as the transportation mode of choice, residents moved further away from the urban core and into the suburbs of Columbus, leading to a decline in Victorian Village. Following the success of revitalization in German Village, restoration of the neighborhood began in the 1970s with help from Columbus’ bohemian and gay communities.
German Village
The historic neighborhood just south of Downtown Columbus was largely settled by German immigrants in the mid 1800s. At that time, people spoke German in the neighborhood’s stores, schools and churches. The neighborhood grew and developed before the city’s zoning regulations were put in place, which is why even today businesses are scattered throughout residential neighborhoods. The neighborhood declined due to social and political changes, including anti-German sentiments during World War I. But in 1960s, resident Frank Fetch created the German Village Society to promote preservation and rehabilitation of the neighborhood. Thanks to the Society’s work, the Village is now a model of urban neighborhood preservation and revitalization.
Clintonville
This north side urban neighborhood originally grew as Downtown residents and Ohio State professors built summer homes in the area in the early 1900s, and surrounding farmland was converted to housing developments after the streetcar lines were extended north from Downtown. Clintonville was once home to two of the city’s forgotten treasures: Columbus’ first zoo, which opened and closed in 1905, as well as Olentangy Park amusement park. Open from 1880 to 1939, Olentangy Park featured four roller coasters, a zoo, a dance pavilion, water slide, canoe rental and the country’s largest theater and largest swimming pool. You can still ride on the Olentangy Park’s carousel today at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium!
Olde Towne East
Located to the east of Downtown Columbus, Olde Towne is home to over 1,000 homes in more than 50 architectural styles, including Italianate, Queen Anne and Victorian. The neighborhood was one of the first suburban areas in Columbus, and was developed in the 19th and 20th centuries as affluent politicians, businessmen, industrialists and architects built new homes there. The area fell into decline after the 1920s, when residents began moving to further outward, and the once opulent mansions were partitioned and converted into apartments and nursing homes. Revitalization is now under way.