Timeline of Columbus, Ohio facts for kids

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

18th century

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

19th century

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

20th century

• 1903: Columbus, Delaware and Marion Railway operated 1903 to 1933.
• 1904: Governor's Mansion and Franklin County Memorial Hall built.
• 1905: Indianola Park (amusement park) in business.
• 1906: Columbus Public Library building constructed.
• 1910
  • Streetcar strike.
  • Population: 181,511.
• 1912: Woman Suffrage parade takes place.
• 1913: The Great Flood of 1913
• 1914: The Columbus City Charter is adopted.
• 1917: Women are granted the right to vote in municipal elections.
• 1919: The Spring Street YMCA opens.
• 1920
  • Planning begins for buildings in the Columbus Civic Center.
  • Population: 237,031.
• 1922: Ohio State University's Ohio Stadium built.
• 1924: Central High School is completed, the first building completed in the new Columbus Civic Center.
• 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.
  • Ohio Theatre opens.
• 1929
  • The present-day John Glenn Columbus International Airport is established.
  • Battelle Memorial Institute founded.
• 1933: Ohio State Office Building constructed.
• 1934: U.S. Post Office and Courthouse built.
• 1936: White Castle restaurant chain headquartered in city.
• 1937: Spanish–American War Memorial dedicated.
• 1940: Population: 306,087.
• 1947: National Auto Theatre (drive-in cinema) in business.
• 1952: Ohio State University's Mershon Center for International Security Studies established.
• 1954: Black Baptist Pastors' Conference organized (approximate date).
• 1954-1958: Columbus annexes numerous parcels, growing from 40 sq mi (100 km²) to 84.9 sq mi (220 km²).
• 1955
  • Franklin Heights High School founded.
  • Columbus begins planning its interstate highways along with state and federal agencies.
  • Sister city relationship established with Genoa, Italy.
• 1959: The Columbus Citizen-Journal newspaper in publication.
• 1960: Population: 471,316.
• 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.
• 1980: Sister city relationship established with Tainan City, Taiwan.
• 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.
• 1989: Columbus City Center (shopping mall) in business.
• 1990
  • The Other Paper begins publication.
  • William Green Building constructed.
  • Population: 632,910.
• 1991
  • City government computer network begins operating.
  • Carriage Place Movies 12 (cinema) in business.
• 1992: Sister city relationship established with Dresden, Germany.
• 1996
  • Columbus Crew begins play with the newly established Major League Soccer.
  • Sister city relationship established with Herzliya, Israel.
  • Chamber of Commerce city portal online.
• 1998: City government website online (approximate date).
• 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.

21st century

• 2001
  • Columbus Underground begins publication.
  • Miranova Condominiums built.
  • Arena Grand cinema 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, ultimately to be called Northland Village.
• 2008: Sister city relationship established with Ahmedabad, India.
• 2009: Huntington Park opens in the Arena District, replacing Cooper Stadium as the home of Columbus Clippers baseball.
• 2010
  • Population: 787,033.
  • Columbus City Center demolished.
• 2011
  • Columbus Commons opens.
  • Steve Stivers becomes U.S. representative for Ohio's 15th congressional district.
• 2013
  • Population: 822,553.
  • Joyce Beatty becomes U.S. representative for Ohio's 3rd congressional district.
• 2014: Sister city relationship established with Curitiba, Brazil.
• 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.