A recent Columbus Dispatch article titled When Downtown Was King begins with:
A century ago, Columbus was a city with one main shopping center. It was called Downtown, and it had many neighborhoods around it. That was Columbus in 1899--Downtown and neighborhoods.
The article shows a picture of Columbus' Central Market--open in 1899 and torn down in 1966--and picture of crowds and streetcars at Union Station. Here is another great picture of Union Station--can you believe this was torn down?
Here are some great pictures of downtown Columbus from the late 1800's. From the lighted arches over High Street to pictures of buildings like Union Station, downtown Columbus was alive at night. This page states "the same plan of [arch] illumination is being extended to other streets, and Columbus will maintain her reputation of being the most brilliantly illuminated city in the country". Today the original arches are gone but at least the short north has brought them back.
Compare the brightly lit arches to a picture of today's downtown skyline. While the skyscrapers seem "big city", doesn't it seem like the magic is gone? The arches are exciting, the skyscrapers are just imposing.
Here's another interesting picture: a bank building at N. High St. and W. Gay St. The author of this article says "what a wonderful way to preserve history"--add to the top of a building instead of tearing it down. With massive demolition occurring or having occurred throughout downtown Columbus, wouldn't it be nice if more older buildings could be preserved this way? Here's a tragic file of historic buildings gone forever.
So is downtown still the heart of Columbus? Obviously downtown is still the city's geographic center, and the City of Columbus Trade and Development Department Web site lists downtown as the future home of the Blue Jackets, the heart of entertainment with 1.8 million attendees at CAPA, museum, and other downtown events, and the host of numerous festivals. But in my opinion, the magic is gone. People may rush downtown for events or games, but when it comes to shopping, mingling, or other personal needs they prefer the malls and suburbs.
For more photographs of neat stuff you'll never see because it was torn down, mostly in the downtown Columbus area, click here.
