Timeline of Columbus, Ohio

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Columbus, Ohio, United States.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by editing the page to add missing items, with references to reliable sources.

18th century

• 1797: Lucas Sullivant founds Franklinton, Central Ohio's first permanent white settlement and the oldest Columbus neighborhood. ^[1]

19th century

• 1803
  • Ohio becomes the first state formed from the Northwest Territory. ^[1]
  • Franklin County is formed from Ross County. ^[1]
• 1805: Postal service is established in Franklinton, and the settlement acquires its first preacher. ^[1]
• 1806: The first schoolhouse is built, a 16-foot-square log building. ^[1]
• 1811: The first church is constructed, by the present-day Old Franklinton Cemetery. ^[1]
• 1812
  • Columbus is founded. ^[2]
  • Population: 300. ^[2]
  • Foundations for High Street laid out.
• 1813: Columbus's first post office is established. ^[1]
• 1814
  • William Ludlow is named "director of the town of Columbus" to supervise its construction. ^[1]
  • The first market house, later known as Central Market, is constructed. ^[1]
  • The first newspaper is established, The Western Intelligencer , after it moves from Worthington. ^[1]
• 1816
  • Columbus becomes the capitol of Ohio and the legislature meets in Columbus's first statehouse. ^[1]
  • The Village of Columbus is organized, with Jarvis W. Pike elected as the first mayor. ^{[2] [1]}
• 1817
  • James Monroe visits Columbus, the first U.S. President to do so. ^[1]
  • The Ohio State Library is headquartered in Columbus. ^[3]
• 1824: The seat of Franklin County moves from Franklinton to Columbus. ^[1]
• 1826: The first public schools are opened in Columbus and Franklinton. ^[1]
• 1831: Columbus is connected to the Ohio and Erie Canal through the Columbus Feeder Canal. ^{[2] [1] [4]}
• 1832: The Ohio School for the Deaf is established.
• 1833
  • National Road in operation. ^[2]
  • A cholera epidemic kills 100 residents and causes 1,000 to move away. ^[1]
• 1834
  • Columbus chartered as a city, population: 3,500. ^[1]
  • John Brooks becomes mayor. ^[1]
  • Ohio Penitentiary begins operating. ^[2]
• 1837: Ohio State School for the Blind established. ^[2]
• 1840: Population: 6,048. ^[5]
• 1845: Columbus Public Schools established.
• 1849
  • State Convention of the Colored Citizen held in city. ^[6]
  • Green Lawn Cemetery established.
• 1850
  • The Columbus and Xenia Railroad begins operating, ^[2] and the first passenger train arrives in the city. ^[1]
  • Development of Franklin Park began. ^[4]
  • Population: 17,882. ^[5]
• 1851
  • Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad begins operating.
  • Union Station operates from 1851 to 1977.
• 1853
  • Saint Patrick Church founded.
  • Columbus Athenaeum founded. ^[3]
• 1857: The Ohio Statehouse opens to the public and begins use.
• 1861
  • Ohio Statehouse fully completed. ^{[2] [4]}
  • Camp Chase is established (1861). ^[1]
• 1862: Fort Hayes is established.
• 1865: Abraham Lincoln's funeral procession stops in Columbus. ^[1]
• 1868
  • St. Mary's of the Springs school opens. ^[2]
  • Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railway in operation.
• 1870
  • Columbus annexes 4,052 acres (1,640 ha), including Franklinton. ^[1]
  • The Ohio State University is founded, as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College.
  • Columbus Circulating Library organized. ^[3]
• 1871
  • The Daily Dispatch newspaper begins publication. ^[7]
  • Public water system first set-up. ^[1]
  • Population: 32,000. ^[1]
• 1872: Public Library & Reading Room established at Columbus City Hall. ^{[3] [8]}
• 1873: The Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College opens. ^[2]
• 1874: The Ohio State Fair is permanently established in Columbus, after being held in cities throughout the state each year. ^[1]
• 1875: Union Station rebuilt.
• 1878
  • St. Joseph Cathedral building completed.
  • Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts and Ohio State University Marching Band established.
• 1879: Columbus Art School and Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery ^[2] established.
• 1880: Population: 51,647. ^[5]
• 1887: Franklin County Courthouse built. ^[2]
• 1890: Population: 88,150. ^[4]
• 1894: "Ugly law" approved. ^[9]
• 1895: Franklin Park Conservatory opens.
• 1898: First Neighborhood Guild organized. ^[10]
• 1899
  • Columbus Citizen newspaper begins publication. ^[7]
  • Masonic Temple built.
  • Hocking Valley Railway operates from 1899 to 1930. ^[4]
• 1900
  • Godman Guild House built. ^[10]
  • Population: 125,560. ^{[5] [4]}

20th century

• 1903: Columbus, Delaware and Marion Railway operated 1903 to 1933.
• 1904: Governor's Mansion and Franklin County Memorial Hall ^[2] built.
• 1905: Indianola Park (amusement park) in business.
• 1906: Columbus Public Library building constructed. ^[2]
• 1910
  • Streetcar strike. ^[2]
  • Population: 181,511. ^[4]
• 1912: Woman Suffrage parade takes place.
• 1913: The Great Flood of 1913 ^[2]
• 1914: The Columbus City Charter is adopted.
• 1917: Women are granted the right to vote in municipal elections. ^[1]
• 1919: The Spring Street YMCA opens. ^[11]
• 1920
  • Planning begins for buildings in the Columbus Civic Center. ^[1]
  • Population: 237,031. ^[5]
• 1922: Ohio State University's Ohio Stadium built. ^[2]
• 1924: Central High School is completed, the first building completed in the new Columbus Civic Center. ^[1]
• 1927: The American Insurance Union Citadel is completed, becoming the fifth-tallest building in the world at the time.
• 1928
  • Columbus City Hall is completed, replacing the Old City Hall destroyed by fire in 1921. ^[1]
  • Ohio Theatre opens.
• 1929
  • The present-day John Glenn Columbus International Airport is established. ^[1]
  • Battelle Memorial Institute founded.
• 1933: Ohio State Office Building constructed. ^[2]
• 1934: U.S. Post Office and Courthouse built. ^[2]
• 1936: White Castle restaurant chain headquartered in city.
• 1937: Spanish–American War Memorial dedicated.
• 1940: Population: 306,087. ^[5]
• 1947: National Auto Theatre (drive-in cinema) in business. ^[12]
• 1952: Ohio State University's Mershon Center for International Security Studies established.
• 1954: Black Baptist Pastors' Conference organized (approximate date). ^[13]
• 1954-1958: Columbus annexes numerous parcels, growing from 40 sq mi (100 km²) to 84.9 sq mi (220 km²). ^[1]
• 1955
  • Franklin Heights High School founded.
  • Columbus begins planning its interstate highways along with state and federal agencies. ^[1]
  • Sister city relationship established with Genoa, Italy. ^[14]
• 1959: The Columbus Citizen-Journal newspaper in publication.
• 1960: Population: 471,316. ^[5]
• 1964
  • Northland Mall in business.
  • Bank One Tower built.
• 1969: First Wendy's founded by Dave Thomas.
• 1970
  • Columbus Free Press begins publication.
  • Columbus surpasses Cincinnati in population.
• 1974: Rhodes State Office Tower built.
• 1975: Columbus Monthly magazine begins publication.
• 1976
  • Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center established.
  • Union Station demolished.
• 1977
  • QUBE television begins broadcasting.
  • One Nationwide Plaza built.
  • Clippers begin playing in Columbus.
• 1978: Community Development Task Force formed. ^[15]
• 1980: Sister city relationship established with Tainan City, Taiwan. ^[14]
• 1982: Columbus surpasses Cleveland to become the largest city by population in Ohio.
• 1984
  • Huntington Center built.
  • Ohio Penitentiary closes.
• 1985: Catco theatre company founded.
• 1987
  • King Arts Complex active.
  • Union Station mural painted.
• 1988
  • Vern Riffe State Office Tower and Three Nationwide Plaza built.
  • Sister city relationships established with Hefei, China; Odense, Denmark; and Seville, Spain. ^[14]
• 1989: Columbus City Center (shopping mall) in business.
• 1990
  • The Other Paper begins publication.
  • William Green Building constructed.
  • Population: 632,910. ^[5]
• 1991
  • City government computer network begins operating. ^[16]
  • Carriage Place Movies 12 (cinema) in business. ^[12]
• 1992: Sister city relationship established with Dresden, Germany. ^[14]
• 1996
  • Columbus Crew begins play with the newly established Major League Soccer.
  • Sister city relationship established with Herzliya, Israel. ^[14]
  • Chamber of Commerce city portal online. ^{[17] [18]}
• 1998: City government website online (approximate date). ^{[19] [ chronology citation needed ]}
• 1999
  • The Columbus Crew moves to newly-built Columbus Crew Stadium.
  • Easton Town Center opens.
  • Columbus Ohio Temple built.
• 2000
  • Michael B. Coleman begins his first term as mayor of Columbus.
  • Nationwide Arena opens, hosting the newly founded Columbus Blue Jackets.
  • Population: 711,470. ^[20]

21st century

• 2001
  • Columbus Underground begins publication. ^[21]
  • Miranova Condominiums built.
  • Arena Grand cinema ^[12] and Polaris Fashion Place (shopping mall) in business.
• 2004: The Northland Mall on Morse Road, which closed in 2002, is demolished to make way for a new commercial development, ^[22] ultimately to be called Northland Village.
• 2008: Sister city relationship established with Ahmedabad, India. ^[14]
• 2009: Huntington Park opens in the Arena District, replacing Cooper Stadium as the home of Columbus Clippers baseball.
• 2010
  • Population: 787,033. ^[23]
  • Columbus City Center demolished.
• 2011
  • Columbus Commons opens.
  • Steve Stivers becomes U.S. representative for Ohio's 15th congressional district. ^[24]
• 2013
  • Population: 822,553. ^[25]
  • Joyce Beatty becomes U.S. representative for Ohio's 3rd congressional district.
• 2014: Sister city relationship established with Curitiba, Brazil. ^[14]
• 2016
  • Columbus surpasses Indianapolis to become the second largest city in the Midwest.
  • Andrew Ginther begins his first term as mayor.
• 2018: Columbus surpasses San Francisco to become the 14th-largest city in America.
• 2020
  • The COVID-19 pandemic is introduced to Columbus.
  • George Floyd protests take place in Columbus and most major U.S. cities.
  • Population 905,748.
• 2021: Lower.com Field, the new Columbus Crew stadium, opens.
• 2023:Columbus Crew wins its third MLS Cup, its second in four years.

See also

• Bibliography of Columbus, Ohio
• History of Columbus, Ohio
• List of mayors of Columbus, Ohio

Other cities in Ohio

• Timeline of Cincinnati
• Timeline of Cleveland
• Timeline of Toledo, Ohio

References

Citations

1. "Highlights of Columbus History". The Columbus Dispatch. October 14, 1962. pp. 154–156. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
2. Federal Writers' Project 1940.
3. Davies Project. "American Libraries before 1876". Princeton University. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
4. Britannica 1910.
5. Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 1790 to 1990, US Census Bureau, 1998
6. "Conventions by Year". Colored Conventions. P. Gabrielle Foreman, director. University of Delaware, Library. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
7. "US Newspaper Directory". Chronicling America. Washington DC: Library of Congress. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
8. American Library Annual, 1917-1918. New York: R.R. Bowker Co. 1918. pp. 7 v. hdl:2027/mdp.39015013751220.
9. Susan M. Schweik (2010). The Ugly Laws: Disability in Public. New York University Press. ISBN   978-0-8147-8361-0.
10. Peterson 1965.
11. Nina Mjagkij (1994). Light in the Darkness: African Americans and the YMCA, 1852-1946. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN   0-8131-2801-3.
12. "Movie Theaters in Columbus, OH". CinemaTreasures.org. Los Angeles: Cinema Treasures LLC. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
13. Alex-Assensoh 2004.
14. "Greater Columbus Sister Cities International" . Retrieved December 30, 2014.
15. Rimmerman 1985.
16. "NII Awards 1995". USA: National Information Infrastructure Awards. Archived from the original on January 2, 1997.
17. "Columbus Supersite". Archived from the original on December 23, 1996 – via Internet Archive, Wayback Machine.
18. "Columbus Supersite Makes its Internet Debut", Columbus Dispatch, July 10, 1996
19. "City of Columbus, Ohio". Archived from the original on November 11, 1998 – via Internet Archive, Wayback Machine.
20. U.S. Census Bureau, "Mini-Historical Statistics: Population of the Largest 75 Cities: 1900 to 2000" (PDF), Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2003
21. "Ohio". CJR's Guide to Online News Startups. New York: Columbia Journalism Review . Retrieved July 30, 2014.
22. "Northland Mall demolition to begin". Business First of Columbus. January 23, 2004. Retrieved March 2, 2008.
23. "Columbus (city), Ohio". State & County QuickFacts. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 10, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
24. "Ohio". Official Congressional Directory. Government Printing Office. 2011. ISBN   9780160886539.
25. "The 15 Cities with the Largest Numeric Increase from July 1, 2012 to July 1, 2013" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 2014. Vintage 2013 Population Estimates

Bibliography

• "Columbus (Ohio)"  . Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 6 (11th ed.). 1910. pp. 746–747.
• Craig Rimmerman (1985), "Citizen Participation and Policy Implementation in the Columbus, Ohio CDBG Program", Public Administration Quarterly, 9 (3): 328–341, JSTOR   40861102
• Federal Writers' Project (1940), "Columbus", Ohio Guide, American Guide Series, New York: Oxford University Press – via Open Library
• Jon A. Peterson (1965), "From Social Settlement to Social Agency: Settlement Work in Columbus, Ohio, 1898-1958", Social Service Review, 39 (2): 191–208, doi:10.1086/641739, JSTOR   30017591, S2CID   143963893
• Yvette M. Alex-Assensoh (2004), "Taking the Sanctuary to the Streets: Religion, Race, and Community Development in Columbus, Ohio", Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 594: 79–91, doi:10.1177/0002716204264781, JSTOR   4127695, S2CID   145330315

External links

• Columbus Metropolitan Library. Local History
• "Columbus, Ohio". Ohio History Central. Columbus, Ohio: Ohio History Connection.
• Digital Public Library of America. Items related to Columbus, Ohio, various dates