Columbus is the capital and the largest city of the American state of Ohio.
Named for explorer Christopher Columbus, the city was founded in 1812 at the
confluence of the Scioto and
Olentangy rivers, and assumed the functions of state capital in 1816. The city has a
diverse economy based on education, insurance,
healthcare, and technology. Acknowledged by
Money Magazine as the 8th best large city in the U.S. to inhabit, it is also
recognized as an emerging global city.[3][4] Residents of Columbus are
usually referred to as Columbusites.[5]
The population was 711,470 at the 2000 census. In 2006 Columbus was ranked
as the 15th largest city in the United States, with 733,203
residents, and was the country's 32nd largest metropolitan area. Located near the geographic center
of the state, Columbus is the county seat of Franklin County, although parts of the city also extend into Delaware and Fairfield counties.
The name Columbus is often used to refer to the Columbus
Metropolitan Area, which includes many other municipalities. According to the US
Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 1,725,570, while the Combined
Statistical Area (which also includes Marion and Chillicothe) has 1,953,575 people.[6]
History
Evidence of ancient mound-building societies abounds in the region near the
confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers. Mound Street, located in downtown Columbus, was so named because of its proximity
to a large Native American burial mound.[7] Numerous other earthworks were found throughout the area, including a surviving
edifice on McKinley Avenue.[8] Those ancient civilizations
had long since faded into history when European explorers began moving into the region south of Lake
Erie. Rather than an empty frontier, however, they encountered people of the
Miami, Delaware, Wyandot,
Shawnee, and Mingo nations. These tribes resisted expansion by
the fledgling United States, resulting in years of bitter conflict. A decisive battle at Fallen Timbers resulted in the Treaty of
Greenville, which finally opened the way for new settlements. By 1797, a young surveyor
from Virginia named Lucas Sullivant had founded a permanent
settlement on the west bank of the forks of the Scioto River. An admirer of Benjamin
Franklin, Sullivant chose to name his new frontier village "Franklinton."[9]
Although the location was desirable in its proximity to navigable rivers, Sullivant was
initially foiled when in 1798, a large flood wiped out the newly formed settlement.[10] He persevered, and the village was rebuilt.
19th century
After achieving statehood in 1803, political infighting among Ohio's more prominent leaders resulted in the state
capital moving from Chillicothe to Zanesville and back again. The state legislature eventually decided that a new capital city, located in
the center of the state, was a necessary compromise. Several of Ohio's small towns and villages petitioned the legislature for
the honor of becoming the state capital, but ultimately a coalition of land speculators, with Sullivant's support, made the most
attractive offer to the Ohio General Assembly. Named in honor of Christopher
Columbus, the capital city was founded on February 14, 1812,
on the "High Banks opposite Franklinton at the Forks of the Scioto known as Wolf's Ridge."[11] At the time, this area was a dense forestland, used only as a hunting
ground.[12]
Old City Hall, completed in 1872 and burned in 1921
The Burough of Columbus [sic] was officially established on February 10,
1816.[13] Nine people were
elected to fill the various positions of Mayor, Treasurer, and others. Although the recent War of
1812 had brought prosperity to the area, the subsequent recession and conflicting claims to the land threatened the
success of the new town. Early conditions were abysmal, with frequent bouts of fevers and an outbreak of Cholera in 1833.[14]
The National Road reached Columbus from Baltimore in 1831, which complemented the city's new link to the Ohio and Erie Canal and facilitated a population boom.[15] A wave of immigrants from Europe resulted in the establishment of two ethnic
enclaves on the outskirts of the city. A significant Irish population settled in the north along Naghten Street (presently Nationwide Boulevard), while the
Germans took advantage of the cheap land to the south, creating a community that came to be
known as Das Alte Südende (The Old South End). Columbus' German population is
responsible for constructing numerous breweries, Trinity Lutheran Seminary, and Capital
University.[16]
With a population of 3500, Columbus was officially chartered as a city on March 3,
1834. The legislature carried out a special act on that day, which granted legislative authority to
the city council and judicial authority to the mayor. Elections were held in April of that year, with voters choosing one John
Brooks as the first mayor.[17]
In 1850 the Columbus and Xenia Railroad became the first railroad to enter the city, followed by the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad in 1851. The two railroads built
a joint Union Station on the east side of High Street just north of
Naughten (then called North Public Lane). Rail traffic into Columbus increased--by 1875 Columbus was served by eight railroads,
and a new, more elaborate station was built.[18]
The Great Southern Hotel, completed in 1897
On January 7, 1857, the Ohio Statehouse finally opened to the public after eighteen years of construction.[19] During the Civil War,
Columbus was the home of Camp Chase, a major base for the Union
Army that housed 26,000 troops and held up to 9,000 Confederate
prisoners of war. Over 2,000 Confederate soldiers remain buried at the site, making it
one of the largest Confederate cemeteries in the North.[20] By virtue of the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act, the Ohio
Agricultural and Mechanical College was founded in 1870 on the former estate of William and Hannah Neil.[21]
By the end of the 19th century, Columbus saw the rise of several major manufacturing
businesses. The city became known as the "Buggy Capital of the World," thanks to the presence of some two dozen buggy factories, notably the Columbus Buggy Company, which was founded in 1875 by C.D. Firestone. The Columbus
Consolidated Brewing Company also rose to prominence during this time, and it may have achieved even greater success were it not
for the influence of the Anti-Saloon League, based in neighboring Westerville.[22] In the steel
industry, a forward-thinking man named Samuel P. Bush presided over the Buckeye Steel Castings Company. Columbus was also a popular location for the organization of
labor. In 1886, Samuel Gompers founded the American Federation of Labor in Druid's Hall on S. Fourth Street, and in 1890 the
United Mine Workers of America was founded at old City Hall.[23]
20th century to the present
Columbus earned its nickname "The Arch City" because of the dozens of metal (formerly wooden) arches that spanned High Street
at the turn of the twentieth century. The arches illuminated the thoroughfare and eventually became the means by which electric
power was provided to the new streetcars. The arches were torn down and replaced with cluster
lights in 1914, but were reconstructed in the Short North district in 2002 for their
unique historical interest.[24].
On March 25, 1913, a catastrophic flood devastated the
neighborhood of Franklinton, leaving over ninety people dead and thousands of West Side residents homeless. To prevent future
flooding, the Army Corps of Engineers recommended widening the
Scioto River through downtown, constructing new bridges, and building a retaining wall along its banks. With the strength of the
post-WWI economy, a construction boom occurred in the 1920s, resulting in a new Civic
Center, the Ohio Theatre, the American Insurance
Union Citadel, and, to the north, a massive new Ohio Stadium.[25] Although the American
Professional Football Association was founded in Canton in 1920, its head offices
moved to Columbus in 1921 and remained in the city until 1941. In 1922, the association's name was changed to the
National Football League. [26]
The effects of the Great Depression were somewhat less severe
in Columbus, as the city's diversified economy helped it fare marginally better than its Rust Belt neighbors. World War II brought a tremendous number
of new jobs to the city, and with it another population surge. This time, the majority of new arrivals were migrants from the
"extraordinarily depressed rural areas" of Appalachia, who would soon account for more than a
third of Columbus' rising population.[27] In 1948, the
Town and Country Shopping Center opened in suburban Whitehall, and it is now regarded as
one of the first modern shopping centers in the United States.[28] Along with the construction of the interstate highway, it signaled the arrival of rapid suburban
development in central Ohio. In order to protect the city's tax base from this suburbanization, Columbus adopted a policy of linking sewer and water hookups to annexation to the city.[29] By the
early 1990s, Columbus had grown to become Ohio's largest city in both land area and in population.
Efforts to revitalize Downtown Columbus have met with mixed results in recent
decades. In the 1970s old landmarks such as Union Station and the Neil
House Hotel were razed to construct high-rise offices and retail space such as the Huntington
Center.[30] Newer suburban developments at
Tuttle Crossing, Easton, and
Polaris have inhibited much of the anticipated downtown growth. Still, with the
addition of the Arena District as well as hundreds of downtown residential units,
significant revitalization efforts are likely to continue in the downtown area.
Geography
Topography
Skyline of Columbus, viewed from North Bank Park
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area
of 550.5 km² (212.6 mi²). 544.6 km² (210.3 mi²) of
it is land and 5.9 km² (2.3 mi²) of it (1.07%) is water. Unlike many other major US cities in the Midwest, Columbus continues to expand its reach by way of extensions and annexations, making it one of the fastest growing large cities in the nation, in terms of both geography and
population, and probably the fastest in the Midwest. Unlike Cleveland and Cincinnati, the central cities in Ohio's two
largest metropolitan areas, Columbus is ringed by relatively few suburbs; since the 1950s it has made annexation a condition for providing water and sewer service, to which it holds regional rights throughout a
large portion of Central Ohio. This policy is credited with preserving Columbus' tax base in the face of the U.S.'s
suburbanization and has contributed to its continued economic expansion, much like other cities pursuing similar policies such as
San Antonio, Texas, of which is similarly lacking in
surrounding incorporated suburbs.
The confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy
rivers occurs just west of downtown Columbus. Several smaller tributaries course through the Columbus metro area, including
Alum Creek, Big Walnut Creek, and Darby Creek.
Columbus is considered to have relatively flat topography thanks to a large glacier that covered most of Ohio during the Wisconsin Ice Age.
However, there are sizable differences in elevation through the area, with the high point of Franklin County being 1132ft (345m)
above Sea level near New Albany, and the low point
being 670ft (207m) where the Scioto River leaves the county near Lockbourne.[31] Numerous ravine areas near the rivers and creeks also help
give some variety to the landscape. Deciduous trees are common, including maple, oak, hickory, walnut, poplar, cottonwood, and of course,
buckeye.
Climate
Weather averages for Columbus[32]
| Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
| Avg high (°F) |
36 |
39 |
50 |
62 |
73 |
82 |
85 |
84 |
77 |
65 |
51 |
40 |
62 |
| Avg high (°C) |
2 |
4 |
10 |
17 |
23 |
28 |
29 |
29 |
25 |
18 |
11 |
4 |
17 |
| Avg low (°F) |
20 |
22 |
31 |
40 |
50 |
59 |
64 |
62 |
54 |
43 |
34 |
25 |
42 |
| Avg low (°C) |
-7 |
-6 |
-1 |
4 |
10 |
15 |
18 |
17 |
12 |
6 |
1 |
-4 |
6 |
| Rainfall (in) |
2.8 |
2.3 |
3.1 |
3.4 |
3.8 |
3.9 |
4.6 |
3.3 |
2.7 |
2.1 |
3.0 |
2.7 |
37.8 |
| Rainfall (cm) |
7.1 |
5.8 |
7.9 |
8.6 |
9.7 |
9.9 |
11.7 |
8.4 |
6.9 |
5.4 |
7.7 |
6.9 |
96.0 |
| Snowfall (in) |
8.1 |
6.2 |
4.5 |
0.9 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
2.3 |
5.5 |
27.6 |
| Snowfall (cm) |
20.6 |
15.7 |
11.4 |
2.3 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.3 |
5.8 |
14.0 |
70.1 |
The region is dominated by a humid continental climate (Koppen climate classification Dfa), characterized by hot, muggy summers and cold,
dry winters. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Columbus was 106°F (41°C), which occurred twice during the Dust Bowl drought of the 1930s - once on July
21, 1934, and again two years later, on July 14,
1936.[33] The coldest temperature was -22°F (-30°C), occurring January 19, 1994.[33]
Columbus is subject to Severe weather typical to the Midwestern United States. Tornadoes
are possible from the spring to the fall, the most recent of which occurred on October 11,
2006 and caused F2 damage.[34] Floods, blizzards, and severe thunderstorms can also occur from time to time.
Cityscape
- See also: Neighborhoods in Columbus,
Ohio, Columbus Metropolitan Area, Downtown Columbus, and List of
skyscrapers in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus also has a number of distinctive neighborhoods within the metro area. The Short
North, situated just north of downtown, is rich with art galleries, dining,
pubs, and specialty shops. A number of large, ornate Victorian homes are located nearby, and together they comprise Victorian Village. To the south, German Village is known for
its quaint 19th century brick cottages, and it holds the distinction as the largest privately funded historic district on the
National Register of Historic Places. These three neighborhoods
have all undergone gentrification on a large scale. Franklinton, sometimes known as "the
Bottoms", is the neighborhood immediately west of downtown. It gets its colorful nickname due to the fact that much of the land
lies below the level of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers, and a floodwall is required to contain the rivers and protect the area
from devastating floods. Just to the west of Franklinton is a group of smaller neighborhoods commonly referred to as
"The Hilltop."
There is also the Heritage Districts which include the Driving Park, Livingston Park and
Old Oaks areas on the near east side of the city which is home to a part of the cities large black population.
The University area is populated by a high concentration of
students during the school year (approximately 50,000) and features many old homes which have been converted to apartments for
student use. The stretch of High Street that runs through the campus area caters to the student body with its abundance of bars,
sandwich shops, music stores, and bookstores. Located between OSU and Worthington is
Clintonville, where a mix of middle class homes can be found alongside beautiful old
stone and brick-faced houses nestled among rolling hills. Further west of downtown, San
Margherita is a community formed by Italian immigrants who arrived at the turn of the 20th century.
Transportation
The city's street plan originates downtown and extends into the old-growth neighborhoods, following a grid pattern with the intersection of High Street (running north-south)
and Broad Street (running east-west) at its center. North-South streets run twelve degrees west of due North, parallel to High
Street; the Avenues (vis. Fifth Avenue, Sixth Avenue, Seventh Avenue, etc.) run east-west, perpendicular to High and parallel to
Broad.[35] The address system begins its numbering at the
intersection of Broad and High, with numbers increasing in magnitude with distance from Broad or High. For example, 251 W 5th
Avenue is approximately 2½ city-blocks west of High Street on Fifth Avenue, which intersects High Street roughly 5 city-blocks
north of the intersection of Broad and High. As a counter example, 251 E 5th Avenue is approximately 2½ city-blocks east of High
and 5 city-blocks north of the intersection of Broad and High. Buildings along north-south streets are numbered in a similar
manner: the building number indicates the approximate distance from Broad Street in city blocks, the prefixes ‘N’ and ‘S’
indicate whether that distance is to measured to the north or south of Broad Street and the street number itself indicates how
far the street is from the center of the city at the intersection of Broad and High.
This numbering system breaks down outside the original, old-growth areas—particularly in the suburbs and peripheral
settlements annexed during the 20th century. Some streets and avenues break the mold. For example, while all of the numbered
avenues run east-west, perpendicular to High Street, many named, non-numbered avenues run north-south, parallel to High. The same
is true of many named streets: while the numbered streets in the city run north-south, perpendicular to Broad Street, many named,
non-numbered streets run east-west, perpendicular to High Street.
Other major, local roads in Columbus could include Main Street, Morse Road, Dublin-Granville Road (SR-161), Cleveland Avenue/Westerville Road (SR-3),
Olentangy River Road, Riverside Drive, Sunbury Road, Fifth Avenue and Livingston Avenue.
The eastern junction of I-70 and I-71 as they split apart leaving Columbus
Columbus is bisected by two major Interstate Highways, Interstate 70 running east-west, and Interstate 71 running north to
roughly southwest. The two Interstates combine downtown for about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) in an area locally known as "The Split",
which is a major traffic congestion point within Columbus, especially during rush hour.
U.S. Highway 40, aka National Road, runs east-west
through Columbus, comprising Main Street to the east of downtown and Broad Street to the west. It is also widely recognized as
the nation's first highway. U.S. Highway 23 runs roughly north-south, while
U.S. Highway 33 runs northwest-to-southeast. The Interstate 270 Outerbelt encircles the vast majority of the city,
while the newly redesigned Innerbelt consists of the Interstate 670 spur on the
north side (which continues to the east past the Airport and to the west where it merges with I-70), State Route 315 on the west side, the I-70/71 split on the south side, and I-71 on the east. Due to
its central location within Ohio and abundance of outbound roadways, nearly all of the state's destinations are within a 2-hour
drive of Columbus.
Columbus used to have a major train station downtown called Union
Station, most notably as a stop along Amtrak's National
Limited train service until 1977. The station itself was razed in 1979[36], and the Greater Columbus Convention Center now stands in its place. The station was also a stop
along the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad and
the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis
Railroad. Columbus is now the second largest metropolitan area in the U.S. (after Phoenix, Arizona) without passenger rail service[37], however studies are underway towards reintroducing passenger rail
service to Columbus via the Ohio Hub project.
Columbus maintains a widespread municipal bus service called the Central Ohio
Transit Authority (COTA). The City is served by three airports operated by the Columbus Regional Airport Authority: Port Columbus International Airport, Rickenbacker International Airport, and Bolton Field
Airport. In addition, the city is also served by Don Scott Airport,
which is owned and operated by The Ohio State University.
A modern streetcar system has been proposed for the downtown and surrounding areas.[38] The most favored route would run along High Street, from the
Brewery District to the Short North. It is not
clear where funding for such a system would come from, and no firm construction plans have been promulgated.
Demographics
| City of Columbus census results[39] |
| Year |
Population |
% Change |
Rank |
| 1840 |
6,048 |
N/A |
70 |
| 1850 |
17,882 |
195.7 |
37 |
| 1860 |
18,554 |
3.8 |
49 |
| 1870 |
31,274 |
68.6 |
42 |
| 1880 |
51,647 |
65.1 |
33 |
| 1890 |
88,150 |
70.7 |
30 |
| 1900 |
125,560 |
42.4 |
28 |
| 1910 |
181,511 |
44.6 |
29 |
| 1920 |
237,031 |
30.6 |
28 |
| 1930 |
290,564 |
22.6 |
28 |
| 1940 |
306,087 |
5.3 |
26 |
| 1950 |
375,901 |
22.8 |
28 |
| 1960 |
471,316 |
25.4 |
28 |
| 1970 |
539,677 |
14.5 |
21 |
| 1980 |
564,871 |
4.7 |
19 |
| 1990 |
632,910 |
12.0 |
16 |
| 2000 |
711,470 |
12.4 |
15 |
| 2006 |
733,203 |
N/A |
15 |
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 711,470 people, 301,534 households, and 165,240 families
residing in the city. The population density was 1,306.4/km² (3,383.6/mi²). There
were 327,175 housing units at an average density of 600.8/km² (1,556.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 67.93%
White, 24.47% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 3.44% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.17% from other races, and 2.65% from two or more races. 2.46% of the population
were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 301,534 households out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.1% were
married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and
45.2% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years
of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 3.01.
The age distribution is 24.2% under the age of 18, 14.0% from 18 to 24, 35.1% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who
were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females
age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,897, and the median
income for a family was $47,391. Males had a median income of $35,138 versus $28,705 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,450. About 10.8% of families and 14.8% of the population were
below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age
65 or over.
The Columbus metropolitan area has experienced several waves of immigration in the 20th century, including groups from
Vietnam, Russia, Somalia, and
ongoing immigration from Mexico and other Latin American countries.[40] Many other countries of origin are represented as well, with much of this
related to the international draw of The Ohio State University. As is the case in much of America, there is less assimilation
going on than compartmentalization, with large monoethnic neighborhoods developing. This influx is putting pressure on all of the
social services institutions, notably the public schools and the public health system.[41]
Due to its demographics, which include a mix of races and a wide range of incomes, as well as urban, suburban, and nearby
rural areas, Columbus has been considered to be a "typical" American city, and has been used as a test market for new products by
retail and restaurant chains.[42] However, newer studies
suggest that Columbus may no longer accurately mirror the U.S. population as a whole.[43]
Economy
- See also: List of largest
Central Ohio employers
Columbus has a generally strong and diverse economy, ranking in the top 10 overall in the United States, and the best in Ohio,
according to Policom Corp. [44] As Columbus is the state
capital, there is a large government presence in the city. Including city, county, state, and federal employers, government jobs
provide the largest single source of employment within Columbus.
With approximately 100,000 college students in the Metropolitan Area, there are a large number of people employed within
higher education institutions. Large organizations include The Ohio State
University, Franklin University and Columbus State Community College, as well as numerous other smaller colleges and
schools.
Columbus is home to five insurance companies. Nationwide Insurance makes its home downtown in a large, multi-building complex that
dominates the northern end of the downtown area. The other insurance companies in the city are Motorists
Insurance, Grange Insurance, Safe Auto Insurance, and
State Auto Insurance. Huntington Bancshares Inc.
has its headquarters in the downtown area. Bank One was headquartered in Columbus
until 1998, and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., which acquired Bank One in 2004, continues
to maintain a major presence in Columbus, with a large mortgage servicing unit in the city. Serving the business-only niche,
Commerce National Bank is headquartered in Columbus.
Chemical Abstracts Service is located just north of the OSU campus. The
Battelle Memorial Institute, a major research and development facility, is
located just to the south of said campus. These two institutions make the city one of the world's leading centers for scientific
information distribution. McGraw-Hill has large offices within Columbus as well.
Many technology companies either call Columbus home or have significant operations in the area. The Internet Service Provider CompuServe still has its roots
in Columbus, although it has been owned by AOL since 1998. Sterling Commerce, a B2B software company, has its
headquarters on the Northwest side. Mettler Toledo, a manufacturer of precision scales
and scientific equipment is based in the area known as Polaris. Microsoft also has an office
at Polaris. There is a strong push toward gaining more research and technology companies in the city. The multi-jurisdictional
[[315 Research + Technology Corridor]] was set up in 2006 to promote the area nationally and internationally,[45] in hopes of achieving something similar to Research Triangle Park in North Carolina.
Limited Brands (formerly known as The Limited, Inc.) is located on the east side of
the city and is the parent company of the retail stores The Limited, Express, Victoria's Secret, and Bath & Body Works, among others. Limited Too is also
based in the area. Retail Ventures is headquartered in the capital city. They operate
stores under the DSW, Filene's Basement,
American Signature, Rooms today and Value City banners.
Three fast food chains are based in Columbus: Charley's Grilled Subs,
Steak Escape, and White Castle.
Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, Bob
Evans Restaurants, Max & Erma's, Damon's
Grill, and Donatos Pizza are also based in the city. Wendy's operated its first store downtown as both a museum and a restaurant until March 2007 when the
establishment was closed due to low revenue. The company is presently headquartered outside the city in nearby Dublin.
Worthington Industries, a large steel-processing company, is primarily located
on the north side near Worthington. Historically, Port Columbus
International Airport was once home to a North American Aviation factory
(later North American/Rockwell). Aircraft built in Columbus include the North American F-86
Sabre, A-5 Vigilante, OV-10 Bronco, T-2 Buckeye (named after the state tree, and Ohio State University's mascot), and components for the
B-1 bomber, as well as numerous missiles and guidance systems.[46] Budweiser has a major
brewery located on the north side, while Hexion Specialty Chemicals (formerly
part of Borden, Inc.) is located downtown. The Ross Products Division of
Abbott Laboratories, makers of Ensure nutritional drink and Similac infant formula,
is headquartered in Columbus, with over 7,000 employees. UPS has a large
distribution center on the west side of the city.
Columbus is also home to Skybus Airlines. The start-up company began flying in May of
2007.[47]
Law and government
- See also: List of Mayors of Columbus,
Ohio
The government is administered by a mayor and a unicameral council elected every two years, the mayor appointing the director
of safety and the director of public service. The people elect the treasurer, auditor, municipal court clerk, municipal court
judges and city attorney. A charter commission, elected
