• Tos, 1917-1976
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
• rAL TOS, 1917-1976 $ •OV.U'10,, V si '^6-191* UPPER ARLINGTON BICENTENNIAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Robert McKnight, Chairman Mrs. John W. Saeger, Co-Chairman - Projects David Hammond, Treasurer Mrs. Edwin B. Hamilton, Vice Chairman - Media Ken Thompson, Vice Chairman - Government BICENTENNIAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mrs. Ruth Anderson Mrs. Carl Aschinger, Jr. Art Ballantyne Mrs. Liz Brownell Robert Creamer Dick Franklin Frank Gallo Mrs. Blanche Geisman Mrs. Marion Grasso Dick Greer Roy Haddox Nelson Harper Mrs. H. Carl Haueisen Tom C. Hayward John Jenkins Ronald Johnson Mrs. Carole Langford John H. Nourse Mrs. Dorothy Peterson Jack Phelps Mrs. Martin Peter Sayers James Schott Ron Starbuck FACTS AND PHOTOS COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mrs. Ediwn B. Hamilton, Chairman Mrs. Liz Brownell Mrs. Dan Carmack Mrs. George Jameson Mrs. Carol Reaves Mr. Ron Starbuck, Cover Design UPPER ARLINGTON CITY COUNCIL Richard H. Moore, President Blaine T. Sickles, Vice President Herschel C. Atkinson, Jr. Charles F. Glander George F. Renkert Jack P. Smith John Van Dyke Hal W. Hyrne, City Manager THE CITY OF UPPER ft FACTS AND PHOTOS, 1917-1976 The first newspaper in Franklin County originated in In 1917 the Northwest Community Paper was 1811 in Worthington and was called the Western In replaced with a monthly publication edited by Evan telligencer. It was later moved to Columbus and was Mahaffy, The Norwester. The format was similar to a known as the Western Intelligencer and Columbus magazine and included some advertising, news, local Gazette. It was published weekly and from this history, school and church items, and a regular newspaper descended the widely known and in feature "Who's Who in Upper Arlington." Our nation fluential Ohio State Journal. was at war and items concerning Upper Arlington residents in service and overseas were listed in each In the 1880's Columbus had more than 30 issue. Hints on growing vegetables and flowers, newspapers and magazines including The Ohio State fishing, sports and home building were all discussed. Journal, The Daily Dispatch later known as the In 1922 The Norwester was replaced by the Com Columbus Evening Dispatch, The Sunday Herald, The munity News which served Grandview, Marble Cliff Irish Times, The Saturday Toiler, Sunday Morning and Upper Arlington at the cost of $1.00 per year. The News, Sunday Capitol, and others, many published by masthead of the early papers indicated that it was religious groups. (Therefore, it was not unusual that published by the First Community Church. This was The First Community Church published the local not stated on later editions. The paper was 12 1/ 2" Upper Arlington paper in the 1920's.) wide and 19" deep and contained four pages. On July 3, 1930, the first issue of the Tri-Village Although the history of the Northwest area began News was published with Mr. Bert Allen, Jr. as Editor long before 1917, it was not recorded in any local and Everett B. Taylor as publisher. The Tri-Village newspaper. In 1800 Elijah Backus received a grant of News was a four page paper issued every Friday and nearly 3,000 acres of land from the United States the early issues were a metropolitan size 22" x 15". In government, but at that time it was of little July 1931 the Tri Village Publishing Co. was listed as significance to anyone but him. With westward ex the publisher and Curtis F. Ricketts Editor. Mr. C. pansion came people, one of whom was Mr. Henry Warren Ricketts, the present editor of the Tri-Village Miller who purchased 850 acres in 1856. News is the son of Curtis F. Ricketts. On Christmas Eve 1913, The Thompson Brothers, In 1954 C. Warren Ricketts started The Upper Ben and King, purchased 840 acres from Henry Arlington News which concentrated on the coverage of Miller's son, James T. Miller to build a totally planned Upper Arlington. Mr. Ricketts is presently the subdivision with large residential lots. The com publisher and Mrs. Eleanor Boardman the Executive munity grew and in 1918 was incorporated into a Editor. (Both the Tri-Village News and The Upper village with James T. Miller as Mayor. At this point Arlington News are published today but no issues of most residents in the Northwest area read Columbus the Tri-Village News are shown in this book after newspapers but felt a need for a local paper. 1954.) The Upper Arlington News contains not only local news, but also coverage of the Upper Arlington The beginning ot Newspaper History in the Schools and the Upper Arlington Municipal Govern Arlington area began June 15, 1916, with the ment. The masthead reads The Upper Arlington News publication of the first issue of the four page Nor "for the most Progressive Community in Ohio." The thwest Community Paper. The Editor carried a story Upper Arlington News is published weekly and on the front page "Our First Attempt - How Do You delivered free to every home in Upper Arlington each Like It?" The Editor indicated that the paper was Wednesday. prepared in two days and asked that the readers On the following pages we will present a picture of overlook errors, with a promise that the next issue the growth and history of Upper Arlington through the would be better. community newspapers from 1917 - 1976. The Original Upper Arlingtonian In this month of first things, our thoughts go back to the question: "Who was the The NORWESTER first resident of our district?" The series included the Messrs. Thompson, J. F. Born- hauser, then back to Jas. T. Miller; those landowners who preceded him and on to the OFFICIAL PUBLICATION Indians and Mound Builders. If, however, we were to name the first citizen of the community after it came to be known as Upper Arlington, James T. Miller is the OF Till'. man. And so Upper Arlington history will always begin with him. UPPER ARLINGTON COMMUNITY We are glad indeed of the privilege of here recording a few of the good things that have come to the Norwester concerning this gentleman. Ol'H IDEAL: " The,finest resiilenee district and the must cordial com mini it;/ ,n Ohio". Mr. Miller was born in Columbus, at the northeast corner of Rich and Sixth Streets August 14th, 1846. The firmly built little brick house is still standing. Mr. Miller Vol. I JtiHmiru 1U18 So. 3 says that it was old when he first knew it. James T. Miller with two brothers and two sisters made up the family of Henry and Almeda Miller. The children attended the old Mound Street School in their early days. The site of this building is the same as the one built in 1876 of which the writer of this sketch happens to have charge. Later the family moved to the State Street district. Mr. Miller is still connected with this school by his membership in the active organization of State Street School boys. In 1856 Henry Miller bought 850 acres, the larger part of which is represented in the present plat of (J. A. A portion of this land extended below Fifth Avenue. In 1862 the house which has since been known as the Miller home, was erected. Additions have been made from time to time as the needs of the family required, but this well constructed house is still a splendid example of the house types of the middle of the 19th century. There were not more than six houses in Columbus outfitted with plumb ing when this system was installed here. People came in large numbers from long dis tance to see this feature. The present structure is 100x42 ft. in dimension and con tains 22 rooms. When the Miller family moved from Columbus to the farm much of this section was wooded land. The present quarries were then in operation, but the stone was transported by wagon only. Later the railroad tracks were laid into the quarries. The Pennsylvania Railroad was then in existence but the cars and engines used were far different than present ones. Mr. James Miller married Miss Esther Everett in 1869. To them were born eight children. Samuel Huston, Henry, Eliza (Mrs. E. D. Howard), Grace, Nancy Almeda, Jessie and Ella. "Hugh" is now in the Medical Reserve Corps of the U. S. Army. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Miller lived to ripe useful old ages to enjoy the suburban life the farm afforded. For many years prior to their passing, James T. Miller had active charge of the place. General farming was carried on with perhaps special interest in the raising of good horses and shorthorn cattle. In addition to the operation of the farm, Henry and James T. Miller along with Samuel Huston entered the shoe business with stores in Columbus and Pittsburg. This business was conducted successfully for twelve years. Mr. James T. Miller has lived to see many changes in and about Columbus. He has seen it grow from a town whose center was High and Main Streets to a city of many square miles; from a few thousand inhabitants to a population of 250,000 people. Columbus was a neighboring town. Now the city, indeed the cream of the city has come out to him. A part of his farm has become the Scioto Country Club; the larger part of the remainder is the site of the most promising building site in the world. Through it all he has been a most happy even-tempered genial gentleman. A splendid host, a generous neighbor, the head of a splendid family—a community leader and a genial gentleman are some of the college degrees he carries. The Norwester Building Show Number wishes him the best the world affords, a long life, and a complete realization of his dreams of a model city, on the broad acres that were once his harvest fields.