I had always been curious about Columbus, OH, partly because it is a big city that really isn’t known for much, other than being the home of Ohio State University and the birthplace of Jack Nicklaus.
Last week and this week, Patty and I had the opportunity to visit Columbus because Patty had a booth at the biannual Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) General Assembly. (For 20 years, Patty has owned and operated a business that designs and manufactures clergy vestments. WomenSpirit is the women’s line, and AbidingSpirit is the men’s line.)
Columbus is a lively, hospitable city that is very easy to navigate. Its downtown is larger than Kansas City’s; it has an attractive area of bars and restaurants just north of the convention center district; and it boasts a historic, high-end residential and restaurant area south of downtown called German Village.
One aspect of Columbus I particularly liked, as a retired reporter and editor, was a the big sign on top of the building that houses the local paper, The Columbus Dispatch. The sign is impressive enough during the day, but at night its bold, red letters are visible for blocks…It made me wonder why The Star has never had a large, distinctive sign on its stately building at 18th and Grand. The only identifying sign on the old Star building is a bronze plaque next to the south-side door bearing the words “The Star.”
…I guess The Star is just humble and self-effacing…like its founder, un-huh, William Rockhill Nelson.
Now the photos…
The most striking building on the Columbus skyline is the Leveque Tower, an Art Deco style structure that stands 47 stories and once was the tallest building between New York and Chicago.
The Dispatch building, by day.
…and by night.
The Ohio Statehouse, with its conical roof, which is sometimes likened to a “Chinese hat.”
Nationwide insurance dominates the skyline and the town.
The convention center represents a laudable architectural achievement. From the outside, it looks like a series of buildings — done in pastels — but inside it’s the requisite “big box,” with an expansive exhibition space that can be subdivided.
That’s Patty (right) talking to longtime customer Rev. Janet Long of Elyria, OH. At the convention, Janet ordered a red robe for Pentecost. It will be her seventh WomenSpirit robe.
Just north of the convention center is the “Short North” area, distinguished by wrought-iron arches over High Street.
Very near our hotel stands the former federal court building and U.S. Post Office — a “Romanesque Revival” style building, which a law firm has owned and occupied since 1984.
I took this photo from our eighth-floor hotel room. The building at the left, with the glowing top, is the Leveque Tower. At center, of course, is the Statehouse.
This is German Village, where almost everything is made of brick. (I understand southern Ohio used to be a major brick production center.) German Village is just south of downtown, part of which is visible in the background.
Here’s an excellent German Village restaurant where we ate.
Strolling around after dinner, we happened upon this house with an incredible flower garden.
We struck up a conversation with the owner, Paul, and he invited us to see his patio garden.
A hibiscus flower in full bloom.
One morning, I feel obliged to report, I had to take an unexpected side trip to the Columbus Police Impound and Parking Violations Bureau.
And there’s our rented Mazda CX-5, which got towed from State Street very early Monday morning. Sometimes even editors fail to read the fine print: Parking along that part of State is prohibited between midnight and 6 a.m. Mondays for street sweeping.
Unexpected side trips often yield unexpected benefits, like this distant view of downtown…with a few minor obstructions. Two-hundred twenty-eight dollars later I was headed back downtown. And they are the friendliest people at the impound center; the clerk even complimented me on my Sam Snead hat!
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
Thank you. Great photos. I can still remember passing through Columbus the first time in 1958 on my way from Pittsburgh to KC to visit Navy friends. Arriving early evening via US 40 (no I-70 then). As I recall, 40 wound through a park lined with old time street lamps. Probably not there any more.
Then back on an urban street (still 40) through the middle of town; a red light every block; a long line of slow moving, stop/start traffic. 40 was almost a ghetto-neighborhood street with a lot of folks, in t-shirts or undershirts, at bridge-like tables playing cards at some, and checkers at others. It was a warm, humid evening and, of course no AC in the car (1954 two door). Made 3 or more round trips like that before I-70 was finally through town. It took over an hour to get through Columbus. Ahh, those were the days.
I love that story, John. Vivid imagery from the pre-interstate days, when most of the main roads went straight through towns.
Nice pics. Did you have spaetzle? :-) ‘Course the “Nationwide is on your side” jingle popped into my head as soon as I saw that building. Ah, the power of advertising.
I think that jingle financed the first 30 floors of that building.
But wait! Where are the photos of the airport??? You surely can’t judge the city without reporting on the state of the airport! Well, I do. What you described here about being hospitable, easy to navigate, beautiful architecture, friendly people – that’s what I remember about places I visit. I never remember what the airport is like, unless I have an awful experience there. TGIF Fitz, Kate
Just like “gayle”, that jingle ran through my mind…and just like “43rdplace” I was very disappointed that you didn’t visit the Columbus Airport for a leisurely stroll and some fine dining!!!
I’m withholding final judgment on Columbus until I can visit the airport. And now I think I’m going to add tow lots as a major criterion for rating the cities I visit.
Maybe you could be on an episode of “Parking Wars” — but you’d have to rant and rave and swear a lot.
Silly me, I just assumed in German Town you’d go to a German restaurant, but on closer inspection I see it is Italian-American! So, no, probably no spaetzle … maybe gnocchi?
Rainbow trout for me and a vegetarian dish for Patty…We went back a second night and found a great pizza place with patio dining. I really didn’t see much about German Village that was particularly German.
You missed the biggest business of all there: Les Wexner’s empire: The Limited. (Includes Victoria’s Secret.) Les owns at least five Picassos in his home there in New Albany; it’s the Mission Hills of Columbus. Les personally designed the entire town–and it’s quite Stepford. Every home is red brick, and there is an extreme HOA association that makes JoCo’s neighborhood Nazis look like a Boy Scout troop. Les is a big fan of Thomas Jefferson, hence his “NEW” Albany, in homage to a Jeffersonian project.
Not as big as Nationwide…In 2013, L Brands posted $10.5 billion in revenue. Nationwide? $23.9 billion.
Great pictures. Perhaps you should have been a tour guide. Only been to Columbus once when my brother-in-law was getting his PhD there and then drove by on the way to the Smokies, but you actually made it interesting. Quite a feat.
Thanks, John. You made me smile…It really is an interesting place, but I would recommend that a trip to Columbus, like ours, be built around going to an event, such as a convention or major sporting event at Nationwide Arena.
My Dad and Mom went to these conventions for years. Lyndon Johnson spoke at one held in the old Municipal Auditorium in KC many, many years ago. Jim did you drive to Columbus? How many of these a year do you and Patty do for other denominations? I’m curious about the business side and logistics.
I spent a couple of days in Columbus a while back and have a couple of friends there. They hope to get a streetcar going at some point.
I didn’t see any indication of impending streetcar construction, Tom…I’ll email or call you about the other part.
Columbus is the National Headquarters of family owned White Castle Hamburgers. You love ’em or hate ’em. I’m in the “love ’em” group.
I think we went by the headquarters building…Good addition to the “What’s Columbus Got?” list, Jim.
Haha, I’m in the hate ’em group. Never tried one because I couldn’t get past the smell of that place. Something akin to a footlocker stuffed with dirty gym shorts and onion rings. I do believe that, (like Taco Bell) people on the brink of alcohol poisoning go there in order to purge their system. But do not worry, I’m leaving all those I didn’t buy for you sir!
Save some for me please, Jim! Many happy, yummy memories associated with those little gut bombs!!
Not me, Jason. I believe every one of my visits has been a sober one.
I love the pictures, Jim. I have always liked the Ohio statehouse because of that conical tower. I was in Columbus just the one time, at night, on the Amtrak train from KC to DC. 1976.
Great to hear from you again, Rick…I hope you and your mom are doing well.