So you know your way around Columbus, you know all the good places to eat, all the important dates in history, and all the best sights to see. But there’s always something new to learn. Every city has its set of peculiar little known facts, and we’re no exception. Read on to discover 13 neat and funky facts about Columbus. You’ll be the star of the party when you share these with your friends!
- We are young.
Chris Ford/Flickr Columbus is one of the top ten youngest cities in the country. For almost 10 years, the average age of Columbus residents has stayed around 30-33 years old.
- Columbus is an innovator in water quality.
Gioconda Beekman/Flickr In an effort to fight typhoid fever outbreaks, Clarence and Charles Hoover designed the world’s first water filtration facility, right here in Columbus. The same facility design and treatment protocols are still used all over the world. The Hoover Dam near Westerville is named after the two brothers.
- We’re the third leading fashion design city.
Carissa Andrea Thrush The biggest fashion design cities in the country are places New York, Los Angeles… and Columbus! This is partly due to the fact that large fashion companies like Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch, and DSW have their headquarters here in the city.
- We’re “Arch City.”
Nick W/Flickr Until 1914, Columbus used wooden arches that spanned streets to provide streetlights and power streetcars. This gave the city its nickname - “Arch City.” In 2002, metal arches were installed in the Short North to pay homage to the historic arches.
- We’re one of the Top 5 craft beers cities.
©Sonya Afanasyeva You know we have lots of fantastic local breweries in town, but did you know Columbus ranks in the top five US cities for craft beer production? Cheers to that!
- We have a super smart city.
Universitat Pompeu Fabra/Flickr In 2013 the Intelligent Community Forum named Columbus the most intelligent city in the country. We have also ranked in the top 20 most educated and most literate cities.
- We’re home to America’s first junior high school.
analogue Kid/Wikipedia The Indianola Junior High School was the very first junior high in the country. It opened in 1909 and still operates today as the Graham Expeditionary School. The building is on the National Register of Historic Buildings.
- There’s a unique history behind Union Station.
Collection of George C. Campbell/Wikipedia From 1850 to 1977 the Union Station served railroad passengers in Columbus. Three different buildings served as the station. At its peak, the station handled 112 passenger trains per day. The only remnant of the stations is one arch, part of the third station, that stands today on Nationwide Boulevard across from Nationwide Arena.
- Columbus is the heart of it all.
John Mueller/Flickr Columbus is the 15th largest city in the U.S. by population. Also check this out: half of the residents of the United States live within 500 miles of Columbus.
- We have a few strange laws. Especially when it comes to whales….
Cyrille Humbert/Flickr You will be surprised to learn that in Columbus it is illegal to fish for whales on Sunday. So if you are lucky enough to spot a whale in Columbus, just make sure it’s not Sunday.
- …and about shoes.
Flickr/Ashley Van Haeften Another weird old role is that women in Columbus are not allowed to wear patent leather shoes in public. The law is certainly not enforced, but it was apparently put in place for women’s protection: it was believed that it was easy for men to see the reflection of women’s underwear in shiny leather shoes.
- We were first in cargo flight.
MilborneOne/Wikimedia The world’s first cargo flight landed in Columbus. It carried two packages of silk from Dayton in a Wright Model B airplane and was flown to Pilot Philip Parmalee.
- We’re home to the world’s largest gavel.
Flickr/Sam Howzit Sitting next to Ohio Judicial Center in the middle of a beautiful reflecting pool in downtown Columbus is the world’s largest gavel. It was created by Andrew Scott in 2008.
Pretty neat, huh? Do you know any other fun facts about Columbus? Let us know in the comments!
Chris Ford/Flickr
Columbus is one of the top ten youngest cities in the country. For almost 10 years, the average age of Columbus residents has stayed around 30-33 years old.
Gioconda Beekman/Flickr
In an effort to fight typhoid fever outbreaks, Clarence and Charles Hoover designed the world’s first water filtration facility, right here in Columbus. The same facility design and treatment protocols are still used all over the world. The Hoover Dam near Westerville is named after the two brothers.
Carissa Andrea Thrush
The biggest fashion design cities in the country are places New York, Los Angeles… and Columbus! This is partly due to the fact that large fashion companies like Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch, and DSW have their headquarters here in the city.
Nick W/Flickr
Until 1914, Columbus used wooden arches that spanned streets to provide streetlights and power streetcars. This gave the city its nickname - “Arch City.” In 2002, metal arches were installed in the Short North to pay homage to the historic arches.
©Sonya Afanasyeva
You know we have lots of fantastic local breweries in town, but did you know Columbus ranks in the top five US cities for craft beer production? Cheers to that!
Universitat Pompeu Fabra/Flickr
In 2013 the Intelligent Community Forum named Columbus the most intelligent city in the country. We have also ranked in the top 20 most educated and most literate cities.
analogue Kid/Wikipedia
The Indianola Junior High School was the very first junior high in the country. It opened in 1909 and still operates today as the Graham Expeditionary School. The building is on the National Register of Historic Buildings.
Collection of George C. Campbell/Wikipedia
From 1850 to 1977 the Union Station served railroad passengers in Columbus. Three different buildings served as the station. At its peak, the station handled 112 passenger trains per day. The only remnant of the stations is one arch, part of the third station, that stands today on Nationwide Boulevard across from Nationwide Arena.
John Mueller/Flickr
Columbus is the 15th largest city in the U.S. by population. Also check this out: half of the residents of the United States live within 500 miles of Columbus.
Cyrille Humbert/Flickr
You will be surprised to learn that in Columbus it is illegal to fish for whales on Sunday. So if you are lucky enough to spot a whale in Columbus, just make sure it’s not Sunday.
Flickr/Ashley Van Haeften
Another weird old role is that women in Columbus are not allowed to wear patent leather shoes in public. The law is certainly not enforced, but it was apparently put in place for women’s protection: it was believed that it was easy for men to see the reflection of women’s underwear in shiny leather shoes.
MilborneOne/Wikimedia
The world’s first cargo flight landed in Columbus. It carried two packages of silk from Dayton in a Wright Model B airplane and was flown to Pilot Philip Parmalee.
Flickr/Sam Howzit
Sitting next to Ohio Judicial Center in the middle of a beautiful reflecting pool in downtown Columbus is the world’s largest gavel. It was created by Andrew Scott in 2008.
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