Columbus is the capital of the American state of Ohio and is located centrally within the state in the Mid-Ohio region. It is the home of The Ohio State University. The combination of Ohio Government and Ohio State University has fueled amazing growth both financially and physically in Columbus. It has created a business and research enviroment that has provided substantial employment opportunities to the diverse ethnic and local graduates of Ohio State University, and other academic institutions in Columbus. The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC), is projected to be one of the top 50 supercomputers in the world and among the top 10 supercomputing academic centers. Columbus is evolving into a less formal City than days past, the blue suits walking the downtown streets on hot August days are giving way to open collars and more comfortable attire. On warm evenings the downtown eateries are bursting with outside diners and the sidewalks are bustling with activity. All in all, Columbus is a great American City!
Districts
Understand
Named after the Italian explorer who sailed under the Spanish flag (In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue), this city is the largest in Ohio in terms of population with 730,657 (1.7 million in the metropolitan area, which is third in size in Ohio behind Greater Cleveland and Greater Cincinnati) and the 15th largest in the country. A lot of growth has been fueled by government jobs (as the state capital), The Ohio State University (one of the largest student populations in the nation) and numerous Fortune 500 companies headquartered here (Cardinal Health, Nationwide Insurance, Limited Brands, etc.). It is a day's drive from one half of the U.S. population and is located at the intersection of I-70 and I-71.
Generally arranged in a really big wheel, Columbus is the central hub to many nearby cities including (clockwise from the north):
Newspapers
The Dispatch is Columbus' daily newspaper, and has the standard News/Sports/Arts/Classifieds mix. Perhaps due to the fact that Columbus is the state capitol, the Dispatch usually carries more news about state politics than most of the other Ohio dailies. In addition to the standard vending machines, the Dispatch can also be purchased on some COTA (public) buses by depositing an extra $0.50 into the fare box.
The Other Paper is probably the best source for information on the music and arts scenes in Columbus. It is geared towards a younger (or at least more liberal) audience and can usually be found free in coffee shops and restaurants.
While not as colorful or notorious as The Other Paper, Columbus Alive is another good source for entertainment schedules, and may be less jarring to those with conservative sensibilities. It is also provided free at local businesses and libraries.
The Lantern is the student newspaper of The Ohio State University, and can thus be found in and around the University's campus. The writing found in the Lantern is sometimes of questionable quality, causing some students to nickname it The Latrine.
Get in
By plane
By car
Major highways include I-71 & Rte. 315 (north and south), I-70 & I-670 (east and west), and the outer-belt, I-270. US Routes 33, 23, and 40 also converge downtown.
By bus
Get around
By bus
The COTA bus service , while not by any standard one of the greatest in the nation, can take you to most important places in the city, which should be about 5 blocks away from any conceivable location you need to go to. This service costs $2.00 for an express bus and $1.50 for a normal bus. Transfers are free; ask for one from the bus driver when you pay your fare.
By foot
The entire corridor of High Street (US Route 23) from Clintonville in the North to Merion Village in the South is extremely pedestrian-friendly, though it does pass through some less-than-scenic areas, particularly the few blocks between campus and the short north.
Downtown Columbus is a walkable city with most attractions located within a 20 minute walk of each other. The Columbus Landmarks Foundation conducts walking tours, too.
By car
True to the Midwest spirit, Columbus is built to be car-friendly. Parking is extensive (and reasonably priced) at almost all major destinations. Downtown is the only place where things may be a little tight. Try the parking beneath the City-Center Mall for reasonable day rates if you don't mind a short walk, or small independently-owned surface lots throughout the city.
It has been joked that the Orange construction barrel is Ohio's real state flower (they do seem to pop up every spring), so be prepared for them to line the freeways for most of the summer. Current hot spots are 161 heading East past 270, and the north edge of 270 North 315 & 23.
See
Festivals/Events
These are a few of the larger/major events in Columbus, all are sizable and located close to good parking areas. You have to understand, Columbus likes to party, the festivals reflect this as well as anything in Columbus and are a major part of the City. Visiting during any of these events will give you a better feel for the City.
Sports Teams
Learn
Work
To provide an idea of the diverse mix of Columbus-based business activity, the following Fortune 500 headquarters are in Columbus:
Buy
Eat
The City of Columbus issues approximately 6,000 licenses for a variety of types of food vendors, Franklin County issues about 3,000 for the remainder of the County and the suburban area. When you consider this and other food events like festivals, The Ohio State Fair and sporting events (tail gate parties), you have to be convince, they do like to eat here. Columbus can be a real gastronomical adventure for even the most discerning diner. Columbus has an extremely diverse ethnic base, reflected in its variety of restaurants that rivals cities like New Orleans for culinary treats, price and variety.
Food Safety – In Columbus, starting late May of 2007, all 6,000 local restaurants must post :Image:Columbus_OH_Health_Dept_Festival_Food_Stickerjpg.jpg|color coded signs that reflect the results of the most previous inspection by the Columbus Public Health Dept. Green = passing most recent inspection. Red, yellow or white suggests you probably may want to reconsider your options. The law applies to public pools, tattoo parlors, spas, campgrounds as well as food markets. The sign must be obvious, within five foot of an entrance.
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Drink
Music
Sleep
Budget
Mid-range
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Contact
Visitor Information
WIFI Access
Local Media
Get out
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Columbus is the capital and the largest city of the American state of Ohio. Named for the famed 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 as the 8th best large city to inhabit in the US by Money Magazine, it is also recognized as an emerging global city. Residents of Columbus are usually referred to as Columbusites.
In 2006 Columbus was ranked as the United States 15th largest city, with 733,203 residents, and is 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.
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. Numerous other earthworks were found throughout the area, including a surviving edifice on McKinley Avenue. 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." 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. 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." At the time, this area was a dense forestland, used only as a hunting ground.
The Burough of Columbus was officially established on February 10, 1816. 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.
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. 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, Capital University, and for instituting the first kindergarten in the United States.
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.
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.
On January 7, 1857, the Ohio Statehouse finally opened to the public after eighteen years of construction. 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. 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.
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. 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.
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..
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. 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.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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
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 1130ft (345m) above Sea level near New Albany, and the low point being 680ft (207m) where the Scioto River leaves the county near Lockbourne. Numerous ravine areas near the rivers and creeks also help give some variety to the landscape. As far as trees, deciduous trees are common, including maple, oak, hickory, walnut, poplar, cottonwood, and of course, buckeye.
Climate
| 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 highest 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. The coldest was -22°F (-30°C), occurring January 19, 1994.
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.
Floods, blizzards, and severe thunderstorms can also occur from time to time.
Cityscape
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. 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 Ave. is approximately two and a half city-blocks west of High Street on Fifth Avenue, which intersects High Street roughly five city-blocks north of the intersection of Broad and High. As a counter example, 251 E 5th Ave. is approximately two and a half city-blocks east of High, five 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, parallel to High Street.
A short list of 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.
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, 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) without passenger rail service, 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 Port Columbus International Airport, Rickenbacker International Airport, Don Scott Airport (run by The Ohio State University), and Bolton Field Airport.
A modern streetcar system has been proposed for the downtown and surrounding areas. 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.
External links
