# Timeline of Columbus, Ohio

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 km$^2$) to 84.9 sq mi (220 km$^2$).
* 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.