Pre-Columbian

The site had long been a waypoint between the Scioto and Muskingum Rivers. By the fifth century, the area had a mound-building culture whose influence lasted into the twentieth century. In later years, COSI would discover sites showing the neighborhood to have been occupied for at least ten thousand years.^[1]

1800s

The Neville Mansion

The Town of Columbus was laid out in 1812 by Joel Wright, with today's Olde Towne East being directly east of it on a high ridge. A massive population boom followed the Civil War leading to growth along Broad, Long and Main streets. The major transportation was foot, horse, and horse-drawn buggy until the rise of the street car. The area evolved from farmhouses to a subdivision in the 1870s with a few houses remaining, but the majority being gutted in favor of new store frontage. This allowed people to leave the city and live in streetcar suburbs, causing further growth along Main, Long and Broad streets, and Mount Vernon Avenue.^[1] From this period comes the unique architectural style of Olde Towne East, there was a social mixing of rich and poor because residents were in close proximity to each other. It was common for wealthy individuals to live up the street from those of middle to lower class and in some instances bosses lived near their own employees.^[2]

1900s

After World War I the area was diverse and encouraged interaction among social classes. At this time, the whole Near East had begun to develop identities within its neighborhoods. Following World War II along with the emerging commonality of the car, and the rise of suburbia, the whole Near East changed. By the 1950s much of the housing abandoned by wealthy owners began to deteriorate, while houses that were much older and bigger were divided into apartments and rooming houses. The construction of the interstates and the Model Cities Program cleared sections of the Near East reducing housing stock, forcing residents to move, some believe that this results in the relative isolation of the Near East.^[3] Following the trend and emergence of the 1960s American Preservation movement, and further spurred by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 which established preservation legislative, the neighborhood association of the 1970s^[2] emerged to lead the recovery of Olde Towne East and the rest of the Near East community.^[3]

Present day

Vacant houses in Olde Towne East, 2014, now demolished

Today, Olde Towne East is undergoing steady growth. Homes are being renovated and new families are moving into the area. Young families are making a return to the community. This encouraged restoration of parks and small businesses. Olde Towne East is going through a major renovation due to a string of new businesses emerging. A series of bars, eateries and varied other business have opened up between Bryden Road and Broad Street in the Parsons Avenue business corridor. Main Street has also seen a boom in public and private development. The new commercial activity, which is concentrated around 18th and Oak streets, attracts residents and tourists breathing new life to what had been a "collection of houses".^[4]

Columbus Public Health Building

Columbus Public Health

The Columbus Public Health Building offers a variety of health related services ranging from alcohol and drug abuse clinics to tuberculosis control.^[5] They also collect and provide medical data via publications and research from the epidemiology department.^[6]

Kwanzaa Playground at English Park

English Park is home to the Kwanzaa Playground, which was developed in 1995 as a joint effort between the community and the City of Columbus. Seven local artists and sculptors contributed to the design and construction. The park has a human-like shape representing mankind's first ancestor. The park focuses on positive African-American imagery which embody the concept that "it takes a village to raise a child."^[7]

E.T Paul Company

In 1890s, it opens as a blacksmith shop. However, due to the emerging popularity of the car, it quickly transformed itself. Within ten years it started to sell tires and continues to do so, making it the oldest tire dealership in the United States.^[8]

E.T. Paul closed at the end of 2014 due to expansion on I-71.^[9]

Other structures

The East Broad Street Commercial Building

The W.H. Jones Mansion, Central Assurance Company, East Broad Street Commercial Building, and Orebaugh House, all represent "over half a century of distinct architectural styles". The Jones House sits on a stone foundation, with a slate roof, gables set above a circular tower flanked by tall, decorated chimneys. The Central Assurance Insurance Company is a 1940s Art Deco style building. Next to it is the Tudor style half-timbered 1920s mixed use East Broad Street Commercial Building, which housed the Jong Mea Restaurant. The downstairs portion was the family-run restaurant and the upstairs was the family's residence. Finally, the Orebaugh House, an 1880s Italianate home with a L-shaped porch and frieze style windows.^[10]

The arts

James Valentine (photographer),^[11] George Bellows Jr. (artist), Alice Schille (artist),^[2] and Aniana Toska (cultural critic).

Architecture

Joseph Yost, George Bellows Sr.^[2]

Business

H.S. Hallwood (owner of a paving block company), Dr. Louis M. Early (inventor of radiograph paper), Joe Carr (NFL founder)^[2]

Performance

Mary Campbell (the only two-time Miss America),^[2] Bell Wanzo (musician)^[12]

Architecture diversity and origin

There is no distinct architectural style in Olde Towne East. The uniqueness results from the early diversity of social classes. Though housing interiors were predominantly utilitarian, a large front porch is a common aesthetic to the community. It is believed that the big porches "shaped the neighborhood" and the way people lived as residents often socialized on their porches.

Historic preservation and the neighborhood association

Historic preservation programs began nationally under the American Preservation movement which gained popularity in the 1960s, and was further spurred by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, which established preservation legislative. The neighborhood association of the 1970s emerged to preserve the legacy of the neighborhood's former inhabitants. The demolition list emerged and was left to the neighborhood association to delegate if the building was preserved or destroyed.^[2]

Changing demographics

Since Columbus industrialized, a new middle class of was formed by a group of white collar workers. However, the emergence of the streetcar soon moved them away from the industrial Olde Towne East, and following this, the rise of the car moved wealthier residents out, too. Shortly after, a large population of African-Americans moved in, further dividing the interstates from Columbus, which affected Olde Towne East's economy.^[2]

Current demographics

Following the above problems, and many other nationwide issues that emerged with time, the Neighborhood revival movement began to motivate residents into repairing houses and beautification projects.^[13] Olde Towne East is predominantly African American, with a sizable gay and lesbian population. Most residents have at least a bachelor's degree, and are earning $13,000 to $35,000 annually.^[14]

Education

Ohio Avenue Elementary School

The education in Olde Towne East has consistently higher enrollment rates than the rest of Columbus in all areas of education. There more are students per capita in Olde Towne East than the average of Columbus, showing it to have a predominantly young population, with roughly a third of grade school students are in private schools in Olde Towne East as opposed to the less than 15 percent of Columbus.^[14]

Economic Development

Olde Towne East is involved in the Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Program (NCR) which is a Business improvement program for the district for Columbus and other cities in the Northeastern United States. The NCR matches grants and loans, while providing: technical assistance, capital improvements and planning services for business organization. Staff in the NCR even offer help to individual businesses for architectural designs and exterior rehabilitation efforts of their property. This is done primarily through the NCR's Investment Fund, the Commercial Improvement Loan Fund, Facade Renovation Fund, and the Storefront Renovation Grant Fund.^[15]