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Columbus Neighborhoods: Sharing Our History and Culture
By Tom Rieland, General Manager
As you can see, our focus this month is on Columbus Neighborhoods...and you can expect this new WOSU initiative to continue to be in the spotlight as we approach the 2012 Columbus bicentennial.
The idea of WOSU focusing its energies on neighborhoods came out of the 2007-08 efforts by the city to build a road map toward “a new legacy for our healthy and growing city.” Mayor Coleman created a Bicentennial Commission of 225 community leaders and I was excited to serve as part of that group. As a result of public meetings including the largest citizen summit in Columbus’ history and a variety of committee sessions, the Blueprint for the Bicentennial was created.
The document reflected the theme heard consistently through the meetings—the core strength of Columbus is in its neighborhoods. The many diverse neighborhoods make Columbus, as described in the Blueprint, “livable, remarkable, marketable, and unique.” Quality neighborhoods were seen by the commission as the building block to a great city.
So what role could WOSU play in developing that theme as we headed into the bicentennial? Our creative staff played with that question for months, before developing what has become the largest, most comprehensive local content project in our history.
The project includes six major local historical documentaries, an interactive web site (developed with the Columbus Metropolitan Library) to capture the history and culture of all the city’s core neighborhoods, radio news and talk specials, town hall forums to focus on the future, community storytelling days, educational programming for schools, and more.
Of course, anyone can develop great plans, but how do you deliver?
Columbus Neighborhoods required major new funding, but we recognized the challenge of a project being developed during the worst economic crisis of our lifetime. We simply didn’t know how it could happen, but the breakthrough came in February 2009.
State Auto Insurance, a company with a 90-year legacy in Columbus and decades of involvement with WOSU became a major sponsor of Columbus Neighborhoods. I can’t say enough about how State Auto stepped up and believed in this project and in WOSU’s talented staff. Their support has led to other gifts, big and small, helping the project grow in scope and become even more valuable to the community.
Capturing the history and cultural significance of the many communities that make up Columbus at this time of enormous change within the city is a unique opportunity. We’re so proud to be part of both telling that story and helping others tell it from their own perspective.
We hope you enjoy our focus this month on the Short North Arts District and look forward to this fall, when we turn our attention to German Village.
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Online This Month on wosu.org
WOSU Public Media
Watch National PBS Shows on wosu.org
WOSU’s new video player has launched on the wosu.org web site. You can now watch national PBS shows online if you missed them on TV (note: some shows will only be available for a limited span of time). Programs like NOVA, American Experience, P.O.V., History Detectives, and more are available to view.
Local WOSU programs will be added to the video player soon, so you can catch your favorite ArtZine, see what topics were discussed on Columbus on the Record, and much more!
Our new video player is available on our home page at wosu.org so check it out today!
Plus, check out these WOSU Blogs on our web site:
Arts Blog
Columbus on the Record Blog
Classical eNotes Blog
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News from WOSU
WOSU Public Media
  Columbus Neighborhoods: The Short North
Debuts on WOSU TV on Monday, March 8 at 8pm
By Scott Gowans, WOSU Web Manager
WOSU’s new hour-long documentary Columbus Neighborhoods: The Short North follows the rise and fall and rise of the Short North, a neighborhood that hit the bottom and found a way to rebound. The story includes the history of the arches, the inception—and abrupt demolition—of the Columbus Union Station, an incredible reunion of Civil War soldiers, a circus magnate, and the emergence of local festivals and traditions that have become part of the Short North’s character.
This program includes the neighborhoods of Victorian Village, Italian Village, Harrison West, Flytown, and the Short North business and arts district along High Street from the Convention Center to 5th Ave. (No doubt each area deserves its own documentary. Visit columbusneighborhoods.org to learn more and to contribute your own stories.)
Local historians Ed Lentz, Nancy Recchie, Jeff Darbee, Doreen Uhas-Sauer, Kathy Mast Kane, and Terry Sherburn are featured in the program. Also appearing are Sandy Wood, John Allen, Maria Galloway, Sherrie Riley Hawk, Pat Collins, members of the Flytown Club, and many more.
Few could have imagined the wild success of the Gallery Hop and the irreverent Doo Dah Parade, especially given the area’s past.
In 1851, Dr. Lincoln Goodale had the foresight to donate land bearing his name to the city. Goodale knew this area north of the city would be a rapidly growing industrial area, and he wanted to preserve an area of beauty. Goodale Park is generally considered to be one of the nation’s first modern parks.
Union Depot #1, located at 400 N. High Street, received its first train in 1850. In the early 1900s, wooden arches were installed, running from downtown up High St., earning Columbus the title “Arch City.” A unique population boom occurred in 1888: 80,000 Civil War soldiers held a reunion in the city that had a population of only 200,000.
As more and more people arrived in this area, more and more houses were needed. One story goes that the houses seemed to “fly up over night,” and for this reason the Goodale area became known as ‘Flytown.’ (Another—and somewhat less flattering—story centers around mosquitoes.)
In 1920, North High Street was a thriving urban area, but by the 1980s, the Short North was known for dilapidated buildings and crime. The Near Northside, as it was known, suffered further decay when Union Station was torn down in 1976.
Redevelopment in the Short North started in the mid 1970s when cheap houses were renovated. Developer Sandy Wood offered gallery space in historic (though rundown) buildings at $3-$4 per square foot. Arts galleries banded together and created the Gallery Hop, drawing thousands of visitors. The Cap (built over I-670) further knit the community together, providing a seamless transition from downtown to the arts district.
CATCO veteran Jonathan Putnam provides the narration to Columbus Neighborhoods: The Short North, and dozens of local organizations, historical societies, and individuals provided photos and footage. Thirty-three local musicians contributed to the 50-song soundtrack and the program is produced by WOSU’s Mary Rathke.
Anyone interested in the past, present, or future of these neighborhoods will enjoy the documentary. With its study of architectural styles and the stories that bind communities, it is as vibrant and essential as the Short North itself.
 Check Out WOSU's Interactive Online Annual Report
The WOSU Online Annual Report is a media-rich retrospective look at the programs, partners, and people that helped to make 2009 a great year for our organization.
You can read, see, and hear more about our involvement in the digital TV transition, our work with the arts community in Columbus, our award-winning news team, and much more. WOSU’s progress over the past year was impressive...and we couldn’t have made such an important impact without the support of our generous donors.
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 WOSU Snapshots
Every month, WOSU features snapshots of the people, events, and highlights of public broadcasting. We hope you enjoy this retrospective look at WOSU!
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WOSU Media Partners
WOSU Public Media
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Sign up for e-newsletters from WOSU Public Media for information that is important to you and your interests: whether you prefer our NPR News and Classical Music programming, our all-day news on WOSU 820 AM, or the educational, trusted programs on WOSU TV. Perhaps you want to know about WOSU special events...we have an e-newsletter to fit your interests.
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Airfare Online March 2010 
