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Columbus, Ohio

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: North American Geography

   Columbus, Ohio
   Skyline of Columbus, Ohio

   Official flag of Columbus, Ohio
                Flag

                                  Official seal of Columbus, Ohio
                                               Seal

   Nickname: "The Arch City" "The Discovery City"
   Location in the state of Ohio, USA
   Location in the state of Ohio, USA
   Coordinates: 39°59′00″N, 82°59′00″W
   Country United States
   State Ohio
   Counties Franklin, Delaware, and Fairfield
   Mayor Michael B. Coleman ( D)
   Area
    - City 550.5 km²
    - Land 544.6 km²
    - Water 5.9 km²
   Elevation 275 m
   Population
    - City (2005) 730,657
    - Density 1,306.4/km²
    - Metro 1,708,625
   Time zone EST ( UTC-5)
    - Summer ( DST) EDT ( UTC-4)
   Website: http://www.columbus.gov/

   Columbus is the capital of the U.S. state of Ohio. The city was founded
   in 1812 at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers, and
   assumed the functions of state capital in 1816.

   According to the 2000 census, Columbus has a population of 711,470
   residents, making it the largest city in Ohio and the 15th largest in
   the United States. The population increased to an estimated 730,657 in
   2005. The greater Columbus metropolitan area has a population of
   1,708,625 as of 2005, ranking it third in Ohio (behind Cleveland and
   Cincinnati) and 31st in the United States. With regard to the Combined
   Statistical Area (which includes Chillicothe and Marion), Columbus
   ranks 24th in the country with approximately 1.84 million residents.

   Located near the geographic centre of the state, Columbus is the county
   seat of Franklin County, though parts of the city also extend into
   Delaware and Fairfield counties.

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. 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."

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 honour 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 honour of Christopher Columbus, the capital city was
   founded in February, 1812, on the "High Banks opposite Franklinton at
   the Forks of the Scioto known as Wolf's Ridge."

   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 Die Alte Sud Ende (The Old South End). Columbus'
   German population is responsible for constructing numerous breweries,
   the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Capital University, and for
   instituting the first kindergarten in the United States.

   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

   Street arches returned to the Short North in late 2002
   Enlarge
   Street arches returned to the Short North in late 2002

   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 for
   their unique historical interest..

   On March 25, 1913, a catastrophic flood devastated the neighbourhood 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 Centre, the Ohio
   Theatre, the American Insurance Union Citadel, and, to the north, a
   massive new Ohio Stadium.

   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 Centre 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 1970's old landmarks such as Union Station and
   the Neil House Hotel were razed to construct high-rise office and
   retail spaces such as the Huntington Centre. 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.

   The Columbus metropolitan area has experienced several strong waves of
   immigration in the 20th century, including groups from Vietnam, Russia,
   Somalia, and a slower ongoing immigration from Mexico and other
   Hispanic countries. Many other countries of origin are represented as
   well, with much of this related to the international draw of The Ohio
   State University.

Geography

   Skyline of Columbus, viewed from North Bank Park
   Enlarge
   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 Charlotte, North Carolina, and San Antonio, Texas, both of
   which are 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 Wisconsian Ice
   Age. However, there are sizeable 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

                        Weather averages for Columbus

       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, 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 1930's - 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 11 October 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. Franklinton, sometimes known as "the Bottoms", is
   the neighbourhood 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."

   The OSU Campus area is populated by a high concentration of students
   during the school year (approximately 35,000 undergraduate students and
   15,000 graduate students for a total of 50,000 students) 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, and music
   stores and bookstores. Located between OSU and Worthington is
   Clintonville, where a mix of middle class Levittown-type homes can be
   found alongside beautiful old stone and brick-faced houses nestled
   among rolling hills. Clintonville is home to Whetstone Park, and the
   Park of Roses, a beautiful 13 acre rose garden. Further west of
   downtown, San Margherita is a community formed by Italian immigrants
   who arrived at the turn of the 20th century.

   Other neighborhoods and crossroads around the area include: Berwick,
   Bexley, Dublin, Gahanna, Hungarian Village, Merion Village, Milo
   Grogan, Linden, Flytown, Italian Village, Weinland Park, Driving Park,
   New Albany, Olde Town East, Grandview -Marble Cliff, Seagrave,
   University View, Valleyview, New Rome, Urbancrest, Eastmoor, Minerva
   Park, Mifflinville, Linworth, Riverlea, Northland, Olentangy, Lincoln
   Village, Upper Arlington, Westerville and Worthington.

Transportation

   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 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 Columbus and its suburbs, while the newly redesigned
   Innerbelt consists of the Interstate 670 spur on the north side (which
   continues to the east past Port Columbus International 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.

   The city's street plan originates downtown and in the immediate
   vicinities, the oldest parts of the city. The plan follows a roughly
   gridiron model bisected by High Street (running north-south) and Broad
   Street (running east-west). The city street numbering plan originates
   at their intersection in mid-downtown, so house numbers increase with
   distance from downtown. This street grid is not followed as strictly
   further out from downtown, particularly in the suburbs (mostly old
   towns with their own street plans still intact) and the newer
   subdivisions. Besides High and Broad Streets, major thoroughfares in
   Columbus include Main Street, Morse Road, Dublin-Granville Road (aka
   SR-161), Cleveland Avenue/Westerville Road (aka SR-3), Olentangy River
   Road, Riverside Drive, Sunbury Road, and Livingston Avenue.

   Columbus maintains a widespread municipal bus service called the
   Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA). Columbus used to have a major
   train station downtown called Union Station, however it was razed in
   the late 1970s. Columbus is now the second largest metropolitan area in
   the U.S. (after Phoenix) without passenger rail service. It is served
   by Port Columbus International Airport, Rickenbacker International
   Airport, Don Scott Airport (run by OSU), 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.

   Columbus was a stop along the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St.
   Louis Railroad that connected Pittsburgh to Chicago and St. Louis.

Demographics

    City of Columbus census results
   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
   2005 730,657    N/A      15

   As of the census^ GR2 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.

   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. However, newer studies suggest that Columbus may no longer
   accurately mirror the U.S. population as a whole.

   The demographics of Central Ohio are changing rapidly with the influx
   of immigrants from Latin America, Africa, and Asia. 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.

Economy

   Columbus has a generally strong and diverse economy, ranking in the top
   10 overall in the United States, and the best in Ohio.

Government

   As Columbus is the capital of the state of Ohio, 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.

Education

   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,
   and Columbus State Community College, as well as numerous other smaller
   colleges and schools.

Financial Activities

   Columbus is home to no fewer than five insurance companies. Nationwide
   Insurance makes its home downtown in a large, multi-building complex
   that dominates the northern end of the downtown area. Other companies
   based in the city include Motorists Insurance, Grange Insurance, Safe
   Auto Insurance, and State Auto Insurance.

   Huntington Bancshares Inc. has its headquarters in the downtown area.
   Bank One was formerly headquartered in Columbus prior to the merger
   with First Chicago-NBD, and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. continues to
   maintain a major presence in Columbus, with a large mortgage servicing
   unit in the city, after purchasing Bank One in 2004. Serving the
   business-only niche, Commerce National Bank is headquartered in
   Columbus.

Information

   The area is home to the Online Computer Library Centre (owner of the
   Dewey Decimal System), as well as Chemical Abstracts Service, making it
   one of the world's leading centers for scientific information
   distribution. The Battelle Memorial Institute, a major research and
   development facility, is located just to the south of the Ohio State
   University Campus. McGraw-Hill has large offices within Columbus as
   well.

Technology

   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
   in the Northwest suburb of Dublin. Microcenter, a retailer of computers
   and other electronic equipment, was started and is still based in the
   city. In addition, Qwest, a major telecom provider, has offices in
   Dublin. 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, as well as a major warehouse located in
   Grove City, on the Southwest side of Columbus.

   There is a strong push towards gaining more research and technology
   companies in Columbus. The multi-jursdictional 315 Research +
   Technology Corridor was set up in 2006 to promote the area nationally
   and internationally, in hopes of achieving something similar to
   Research Triangle Park in North Carolina.

Retail

   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. Abercrombie & Fitch headquarters are located in the northeast
   suburb of New Albany. Under the corporate umbrella of Abercrombie &
   Fitch are Hollister Co., RUEHL No.925, and CONCEPT 5. Retail Ventures
   is headquartered in the capital city. They operate stores under the
   DSW, Filene's Basement, and Value City banners.

   Four fast food chains have their home base in the Columbus metro area,
   including Charley's Grilled Subs, Steak Escape, Wendy's and White
   Castle, with Wendy's still operating their first store downtown as both
   a museum and a working restaurant. Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, Bob
   Evans Restaurants, Max & Erma's, and Donatos Pizza are likewise based
   in Columbus.

Industry

   Worthington Industries, a large steel-processing company, is primarily
   located on the north side near the city of Worthington. Honda has two
   auto plants, in Marysville and East Liberty. The facilities are located
   to the northwest of Columbus along US-33. The Marysville plant is
   Honda's first and largest North American auto plant. Together the
   plants produce Accords, Civics, Elements, some CR-V's (beginning in
   2007), motorcycles, as well as the Acura TL, Acura RDX, and formerly,
   the Acura CL. Scotts Miracle-Gro Co., the maker's of Miracle Gro and
   various other soil and potting fertilizers and products is also
   headquartered in the exurb of Marysville.

   Historically, Port Columbus International Airport was once home to the
   North American Aircraft factory (later North American/Rockwell).
   Aircraft built in Columbus include the North American F-86 Saber, 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.

   In addition, Budweiser has a major brewery located on the north side of
   the city. Hexion Specialty Chemicals (formerly part of Borden Milk
   Products) 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.
   Cardinal Health has its headquarters along I-270 in Dublin. UPS has a
   large distribution centre on the west side of the city.

Law and government

   City Hall.
   Enlarge
   City Hall.

   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, and solicitor. A charter commission, elected in 1913,
   submitted, in May, 1914, a new charter offering a modified Federal
   form, with a number of progressive features, such as nonpartisan
   ballot, preferential voting, recall of elected officials, the
   referendum, and a small council elected at large. The charter was
   adopted, effective January 1, 1916. The current mayor of Columbus is
   Michael B. Coleman.

Crime

   According to Morgan Quitno, in 2006 Columbus was the 9th most dangerous
   out of 32 cities with a population of 500,000 or more , though it has
   never been ranked among top 25 overall. This ranking is based on crime
   statistics compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as weighted
   by Morgan Quitno's methodology . According to FBI statistics for 2005,
   Columbus had 102 reported murders and 6,111 total reported violent
   crimes of all types.

Education

Colleges and universities

   Columbus is the home of The Ohio State University, which is one of the
   largest college campuses in the United States. Other institutions
   located in Columbus and its metro area include Columbus State Community
   College, Franklin University, Ohio Dominican University, the Columbus
   College of Art and Design, Pontifical College Josephinum, Ohio Wesleyan
   University in Delaware, Capital University in Bexley, Denison
   University in Granville, Otterbein College in Westerville, and DeVry
   University.

K-12 schools

   Columbus Public Schools (CPS) is the majority district. CPS offers many
   alternative schools, such as Columbus Alternative High School, Fort
   Hayes Arts and Academic High School, and Ecole Kenwood. Each suburb
   operates a district as well, typically occupying the area of one or
   more townships, sometimes across overlapping municipal boundaries.
   Notable private schools within Columbus include The Wellington School,
   the Columbus Academy, Columbus School for Girls. The catholic schools,
   run by the Diocese of Columbus are St. Francis DeSales High School,
   Saint Charles Preparatory School, Bishop Watterson High School, and
   Bishop Ready High School. The second largest school district is
   South-Western City Schools, which takes up southwestern Franklin
   County.

   Columbus' first kindergarten was established here by Louisa
   Frankenberg, a former student of Friedrich Froebel. She immigrated to
   the city in 1838. In addition, Indianola Junior High School became the
   nation's first middle school in 1909, helping to bridge the difficult
   transition from elementary to high school at a time when only
   forty-eight percent of students continued their education after the 9th
   grade.

Libraries

   The Columbus Metropolitan Library has been serving residents of Central
   Ohio since 1873 and has 20 branches throughout the area. This library
   is one of the most-used library systems in the country and has been
   ranked as the Best Library system in the Nation by Hennens American
   Public Library Ratings.

Culture

Landmarks

   The Ohio Statehouse
   Enlarge
   The Ohio Statehouse

   Columbus is home to several world-class buildings, including the
   Greek-Revival State Capitol and the Peter Eisenman-designed Wexner
   Centre and Columbus Convention Centre. Other buildings of interest
   include the Rhodes State Office Tower, LeVeque Tower, and One
   Nationwide Plaza.

   The Ohio Statehouse construction began in 1839 on a 10-acre (40,000-m²)
   plot of land donated by four prominent Columbus landowners. This plot
   formed Capitol Square, which was not part of the original layout of the
   city. Built of Columbus limestone from the Marble Cliff Quarry Co., the
   Statehouse stands on foundations 18 feet (5 m) deep, laid by prison
   labor gangs rumored to have been comprised largely of masons jailed for
   minor infractions. The Statehouse features a central recessed porch
   with a colonnade of a forthright and primitive Greek Doric mode. A
   broad and low central pediment supports the windowed astylar drum under
   an invisibly low saucer dome that lights the interior rotunda. Unlike
   many U.S. state capitol buildings, the Ohio State Capitol owes little
   to the architecture of the national Capitol. During the long course of
   the Statehouse's 22 years of construction, seven architects were
   employed. Relations between the legislature and the architects were not
   always cordial: Nathan B. Kelly, who introduced heating and an
   ingenious system of natural forced ventilation, was dismissed because
   the commissioners found his designs too lavish for the original
   intentions of the committee. The Statehouse was opened to the
   legislature and the public in 1857 and finally completed in 1861. It is
   located at the intersection of Broad and High Streets in downtown
   Columbus.

   Founded in 1975, The Jefferson Center for Learning and the Arts is a
   campus of nonprofit organizations and a center for research,
   publications, and seminars on nonprofit leadership and governance.
   Located at the eastern edge of downtown Columbus, Ohio, The Jefferson
   Centre has restored eleven turn-of-the-century homes, including the
   childhood residence of James Thurber. These locations are used for
   nonprofits in human services, education and the arts and the centre
   recently obtained a twelfth property to renovate.

   A to-scale replica of the Santa Maria is found on the Scioto
   Riverfront. It was installed in 1992 to commemorate the 500-year
   anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus' namesake.

   Established in 1848, Greenlawn Cemetery is one of the largest
   cemeteries in the Midwestern United States.

Museums

   Columbus Museum of Art
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   Columbus Museum of Art

   The Columbus Museum of Art opened in 1931, has a collection focusing on
   European and American art up to early modernism.

   Franklin Park Conservatory, a botanical garden located in Franklin
   Park, opened in 1895. Renovated in 1992, it was home to AmeriFlora '92.
   In 2004, it was loaned a large collection of Dale Chihuly glass
   sculpture, which is now a permanent collection.

   COSI, (formerly the Centre of Science and Industry), is a large science
   museum. The present building was completed in November 1999, opposite
   downtown on the west bank of the Scioto River.

   On the campus of The Ohio State University, one can find The Wexner
   Centre for the Arts, a contemporary art gallery and research facility
   located on the OSU campus, and the Ohio State University Athletics Hall
   of Fame, located in the Jerome Schottenstein Centre (home of the OSU
   basketball and men's ice hockey teams). The Chadwick Arboretum is
   nearby.

   The Ohio Historical Society is headquartered in Columbus, with its
   flagship museum, the 250,000-square-foot (23,000-m²) Ohio Historical
   Centre, located just 4 miles (6 km) north of downtown. Along with the
   museum is Ohio Village, a replica of a village around the time of the
   American Civil War.

   The Ohio Railway Museum located in Worthington features a large
   collection of both static and operational railway equipment.

Fairs and festivals

   Annual festivities in Columbus include the Ohio State Fair—one of the
   largest state fairs in the country— as well as the Columbus Arts
   Festival and the Jazz and Ribs Festival, both of which occur on the
   downtown riverfront. ComFest (short for "Community Festival") is an
   immense three-day gathering in Goodale Park (just north of downtown
   Columbus and adjacent to the Short North) with art vendors and live
   music on multiple stages, hundreds of local social and political
   organizations, body painting and beer. Coinciding with the weekend of
   ComFest is the large Gay Pride Parade, reflective of the sizeable gay
   population in Columbus. Around the Fourth of July, Columbus hosts Red,
   White, and Boom, the largest fireworks display in the midwest on the
   Scioto riverfront downtown to crowds of over 500,000 people, as well as
   the popular Doo Dah Parade, a nonsensical satire of ordinary parades.
   Each June, the Park of Roses in Clintonville holds its annual "Rose
   Festival" featuring 13 acres of blooming roses. The Origins
   International Game Expo is held around the first week of July. The
   Short North is host to the monthly "Gallery Hop", which attracts
   hundreds to the neighbourhood's art galleries (which all open their
   doors to the public until late at night) and street musicians. At the
   end of September, German Village throws an annual Oktoberfest
   celebration that features authentic German food, beer, music, and
   crafts. The Hilltop Bean Dinner is an annual event held on Columbus'
   West Side that celebrates the city's Civil War heritage near the
   historic Camp Chase Cemetery. Festival Latino is held in June and
   celebrates Latino culture with music, food and activities. This free
   event is held downtown and draws over 300,000. The Jazz and Rib Fest is
   a free downtown event held each July featuring jazz artists and rib
   vendors from around the country. During Memorial Day Weekend, Columbus
   also holds the popular Asian Festival in Franklin Park. Hundreds of
   restaurants, vendors, and companies open up booths, traditional music
   and martial arts are performed, and cultural exhibits are set up. In
   recent years, attendees have numbered over 100,000.

   Columbus also hosts many conventions in the Greater Columbus Convention
   Centre, a pastel-colored deconstructivist building on the north edge of
   downtown that resembles jumbled blocks, or a train yard from overhead.
   The convention centre was designed by famed architect Peter Eisenman,
   who also designed the aforementioned Wexner Center. Completed in 1993,
   the convention centre now is 1.7 million square feet.

Sports

   Columbus is home to the Ohio State Buckeyes college football team. The
   team is a member of the NCAA's Big Ten Conference, and plays home games
   at Ohio Stadium. The OSU- Michigan football game is the final game of
   the regular season and is played in November each year, alternating
   between Columbus and Ann Arbor, Michigan. ESPN has recognized the
   OSU-Michigan rivalry as the greatest rivalry in all of sports.
   Moreover, "Buckeye fever" permeates Columbus culture year-round and
   forms a major part of Columbus's cultural identity. During the winter
   months, the Buckeyes basketball team is also a major sporting
   attraction.

   Columbus has professional sports teams in hockey, soccer, arena
   football, and minor league baseball. The Columbus Blue Jackets of the
   National Hockey League and Columbus Destroyers of the Arena Football
   League both play at Nationwide Arena, while the Columbus Crew of Major
   League Soccer play at their own stadium, Columbus Crew Stadium, which
   is known for being the first stadium designed expressly for soccer
   built in the United States. The Columbus Clippers, Triple A affiliate
   of the Washington Nationals (formerly a long-time affiliate of the New
   York Yankees through 2006), currently host their games at Cooper
   Stadium but are beginning construction on a new ballpark in the Arena
   District named Huntington Park. Two semi-professional football teams
   also compete locally: the Columbus Comets of the Women's Professional
   Football League and the Ohio Swarm of the Mid Continental Football
   League. Columbus is also the home of the Columbus Lady Shooting Stars
   soccer team.

   Since 1976, the Columbus suburb of Dublin has been the site of the PGA
   Tour's Memorial Tournament at the Muirfield Village golf course,
   designed by Jack Nicklaus. In 1987, the course hosted the Ryder Cup and
   in 1998 it hosted the Solheim Cup.

   From 1985 to 1988, Columbus hosted major league auto racing, with the
   IMSA Columbus Ford Dealers 500. Rahal Letterman Racing has a home in
   the west suburb of Hilliard and races in the Indy Racing League.
   Intersport Racing has a home in the northwest suburb of Dublin and
   races in the American Le Mans Series. Kilisport has a home in the north
   suburb of Powell and competes in the Champ Car Atlantic Series.
   TruSports, owners of the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, has a home in the
   northwest suburb of Dublin.

   Columbus hosts the annual Arnold Sports Festival fitness expo and
   competition in late February. Named after Arnold Schwarzenegger (who
   won his first Mr. Olympia title in Columbus), the event has grown to
   eight Olympic sports and 12,000 athletes competing in 20 world-class
   events. The annual All American Quarter Horse Congress, the largest
   single breed horse show in the world, is held at the Ohio Expo Centre
   each October.
   Palace Theatre
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   Palace Theatre

Performing arts

   Columbus is the home of many renowned performing arts institutions,
   including Opera Columbus, BalletMet, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra,
   the Contemporary American Theatre Company (CATCo), Shadowbox Cabaret
   and the Columbus Jazz Orchestra. Throughout the summer, the Actors'
   Theatre offers free performances of Shakespearean plays in an open-air
   amphitheatre located in German Village.

   There are several major concert venues in Columbus, including arenas
   such as Nationwide Arena, Value City Arena and Germain Amphitheatre.
   Columbus also has a number of medium-sized venues downtown, including
   the historic Palace Theatre, the Ohio Theatre, the Southern Theatre,
   the Riffe Centre which houses The Capitol Theatre as well as two studio
   theatres, Veterans Memorial auditorium and the Lifestyle Communities
   Pavilion (the LC for short) (formerly the PromoWest Pavilion). The
   Newport Music Hall, located in the OSU campus neighbourhood, is a
   smaller venue, but highly respected by the alternative music scene.

   Much of the growth in entertainment capacity in Columbus has been
   recent. The construction of the Crew Stadium, Nationwide Arena, Value
   City Arena, the Greater Columbus Convention Centre, and the Lifestyle
   Communities Pavilion are all projects completed since 1990.

Parks and outdoor attractions

   The Columbus and Franklin County Metropolitan Park District includes
   Inniswood Metro Gardens, a collection of public gardens; Highbanks
   Metro Park; Battelle-Darby Creek Metro Park; as well as many others.
   The Big Darby Creek in the southwestern part of town is considered to
   be especially significant for its beauty and ecological diversity .

   Columbus is located near many hiking areas and state parks, including
   Clifton Gorge, Alum Creek, Black Hand Gorge, and the Hocking Hills area
   of Ohio. Columbus is home to Franklin Park Conservatory, a botanical
   garden surrounded by 95 acres of park, over 60 community gardens, and
   many farmers markets featuring local foods. It was named a "Great
   Garden City" by Organic Gardening magazine (June/July 2006 issue).

   The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is world renowned for its collections
   that include lowland gorillas, manatees, Siberian tigers, cheetahs, and
   kangaroos. Its director emeritus, Jack Hanna, frequently appears on
   national television, including on The Tonight Show and The Late Show
   with David Letterman.

   The famous painting Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte
   is represented in topiary at Columbus's Old Deaf School Park in
   downtown.

Sister cities

   Columbus has seven sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities
   International. Columbus established its first Sister City relationship
   in 1955 with Genoa, Italy. To commemorate this relationship, Columbus
   received as a gift from the people of Genoa a large statue of
   Christopher Columbus. The statue overlooks Broad Street in front of
   Columbus City Hall.
     * Germany - Dresden, Germany
     * Italy - Genoa, Italy
     * People's Republic of China - Hefei, the People's Republic of China
     * Israel - Herzliya, Israel
     * Denmark - Odense, Denmark
     * Spain - Seville, Spain
     * Republic of China - Tainan City, Taiwan (ROC)

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