Columbus History

Named for the famed explorer, the city of Columbus is the capital of Ohio. It serves as the seat for Franklin County, although it extends into Delaware and Fairfield counties as well. Columbus is regarded as an emerging global city with a diverse economy, and recently ranked 8th in the Money Magazine 10 Best Big Cities list. Columbus is the home of Ohio State University, the largest university in the U.S. In addition to government and education, Columbus is recognized as a major distribution, commercial, and cultural center.

The Northwest Territory was once inhabited by numerous Native American tribes, who fought against U.S. attempts to expand onto their land. The Northwest Indian War came to an end in 1794, with the Battle of Fallen Timbers and the signing of the Treaty of Greenville. The first permanent U.S. settlement in the area was founded by Lucas Sullivant, a surveyor from Virginia, and was named Franklinton in honor of Benjamin Franklin.

When Ohio became a state in 1803, the political leaders debated constantly over the location of the seat of government. The capital moved back and forth between the cities of Chillicothe and Zanesville until 1812, when a compromise was reached. A tract of land was purchased on the Scioto River near Franklinton, and the "Burough" of Columbus was established in 1816. Columbus received its city charter in 1834, and eventually annexed Franklinton as a neighborhood in 1870. A massive flooding of the Scioto River devastated Franklinton in 1913, leaving over 90 dead and thousands homeless. At the suggestion of the Army Corps of Engineers, the river channel was widened and a retaining wall was built.

Columbus boasts an NHL hockey team (Columbus Blue Jackets) and an MLS soccer team (Columbus Crew), and many Columbusites are fiercely devoted to Ohio State's football team, the Buckeyes. The city is also home to the Arnold Classic, an annual fitness expo and competition hosted by Arnold Schwarzenegger. For those less concerned about their diet, the Ohio State Fair in August features an annual exhibition of butter sculptures and plenty of food-on-a-stick. The COMFEST Community Festival at Goodale Park bills itself as "arguably the largest free, non-corporate urban music and arts festival in the United States."