Timeline of Columbus, Ohio

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Columbus, Ohio, United States.

18th century

 * 1797: Lucas Sullivant founds Franklinton, Central Ohio's first permanent white settlement and the oldest Columbus neighborhood.

19th century

 * 1803
 * Ohio becomes the first state formed from the Northwest Territory.
 * Franklin County is formed from Ross County.
 * 1805: Postal service is established in Franklinton, and the settlement acquires its first preacher.
 * 1806: The first schoolhouse is built, a 16-foot-square log building.
 * 1811: The first church is constructed, by the present-day Old Franklinton Cemetery.
 * 1812
 * Columbus is founded.
 * Population: 300.
 * Foundations for High Street laid out.
 * 1813: Columbus's first post office is established.
 * 1814
 * William Ludlow is named "director of the town of Columbus" to supervise its construction.
 * The first market house, later known as Central Market, is constructed.
 * The first newspaper is established, The Western Intelligencer, after it moves from Worthington.
 * 1816
 * Columbus becomes the capitol of Ohio and the legislature meets in Columbus's first statehouse.
 * The Village of Columbus is organized, with Jarvis W. Pike elected as the first mayor.
 * 1817
 * James Monroe visits Columbus, the first U.S. President to do so.
 * The Ohio State Library is headquartered in Columbus.
 * 1824: The seat of Franklin County moves from Franklinton to Columbus.
 * 1826: The first public schools are opened in Columbus and Franklinton.
 * 1831: Columbus is connected to the Ohio and Erie Canal through the Columbus Feeder Canal.
 * 1832: The Ohio School for the Deaf is established.
 * 1833
 * National Road in operation.
 * A cholera epidemic kills 100 residents and causes 1,000 to move away.
 * 1834
 * Columbus chartered as a city, population: 3,500.
 * John Brooks becomes mayor.
 * Ohio Penitentiary begins operating.
 * 1837: Ohio State School for the Blind established.
 * 1840: Population: 6,048.
 * 1845: Columbus Public Schools established.
 * 1849
 * State Convention of the Colored Citizen held in city.
 * Green Lawn Cemetery established.
 * 1850
 * The Columbus and Xenia Railroad begins operating, and the first passenger train arrives in the city.
 * Development of Franklin Park began.
 * Population: 17,882.
 * 1851
 * Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad begins operating.
 * Union Station operates from 1851 to 1977.
 * 1853
 * Saint Patrick Church founded.
 * Columbus Athenaeum founded.
 * 1857: The Ohio Statehouse opens to the public and begins use.
 * 1861
 * Ohio Statehouse fully completed.
 * Camp Chase is established (1861).
 * 1862: Fort Hayes is established.
 * 1865: Abraham Lincoln's funeral procession stops in Columbus.
 * 1868
 * St. Mary's of the Springs school opens.
 * Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railway in operation.
 * 1870
 * Columbus annexes 4052 acre, including Franklinton.
 * The Ohio State University is founded, as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College.
 * Columbus Circulating Library organized.
 * 1871
 * The Daily Dispatch newspaper begins publication.
 * Public water system first set-up.
 * Population: 32,000.
 * 1872: Public Library & Reading Room established at Columbus City Hall.
 * 1873: The Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College opens.
 * 1874: The Ohio State Fair is permanently established in Columbus, after being held in cities throughout the state each year.
 * 1875: Union Station rebuilt.
 * 1878
 * St. Joseph Cathedral building completed.
 * Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts and Ohio State University Marching Band established.
 * 1879: Columbus Art School and Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery established.
 * 1880: Population: 51,647.
 * 1887: Franklin County Courthouse built.
 * 1890: Population: 88,150.
 * 1894: "Ugly law" approved.
 * 1895: Franklin Park Conservatory opens.
 * 1898: First Neighborhood Guild organized.
 * 1899
 * Columbus Citizen newspaper begins publication.
 * Masonic Temple built.
 * Hocking Valley Railway operates from 1899 to 1930.
 * 1900
 * Godman Guild House built.
 * Population: 125,560.

20th century

 * 1903: Columbus, Delaware and Marion Railway operated 1903 to 1933.
 * 1904: Governor's Mansion and Franklin County Memorial Hall built.
 * 1905: Indianola Park (amusement park) in business.
 * 1906: Columbus Public Library building constructed.
 * 1910
 * Streetcar strike.
 * Population: 181,511.
 * 1912: Woman Suffrage parade takes place.
 * 1913: The Great Flood of 1913
 * 1914: The Columbus City Charter is adopted.
 * 1917: Women are granted the right to vote in municipal elections.
 * 1919: The Spring Street YMCA opens.
 * 1920
 * Planning begins for buildings in the Columbus Civic Center.
 * Population: 237,031.
 * 1922: Ohio State University's Ohio Stadium built.
 * 1924: Central High School is completed, the first building completed in the new Columbus Civic Center.
 * 1927: The American Insurance Union Citadel is completed, becoming the fifth-tallest building in the world at the time.
 * 1928
 * Columbus City Hall is completed, replacing the Old City Hall destroyed by fire in 1921.
 * Ohio Theatre opens.
 * 1929
 * The present-day John Glenn Columbus International Airport is established.
 * Battelle Memorial Institute founded.
 * 1933: Ohio State Office Building constructed.
 * 1934: U.S. Post Office and Courthouse built.
 * 1936: White Castle restaurant chain headquartered in city.
 * 1937: Spanish–American War Memorial dedicated.
 * 1940: Population: 306,087.
 * 1947: National Auto Theatre (drive-in cinema) in business.
 * 1952: Ohio State University's Mershon Center for International Security Studies established.
 * 1954: Black Baptist Pastors' Conference organized (approximate date).
 * 1954-1958: Columbus annexes numerous parcels, growing from 40 sqmi to 84.9 sqmi.
 * 1955
 * Franklin Heights High School founded.
 * Columbus begins planning its interstate highways along with state and federal agencies.
 * Sister city relationship established with Genoa, Italy.
 * 1959: The Columbus Citizen-Journal newspaper in publication.
 * 1960: Population: 471,316.
 * 1964
 * Northland Mall in business.
 * Bank One Tower built.
 * 1969: First Wendy's founded by Dave Thomas.
 * 1970
 * Columbus Free Press begins publication.
 * Columbus surpasses Cincinnati in population.
 * 1974: Rhodes State Office Tower built.
 * 1975: Columbus Monthly magazine begins publication.
 * 1976
 * Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center established.
 * Union Station demolished.
 * 1977
 * QUBE television begins broadcasting.
 * One Nationwide Plaza built.
 * Clippers begin playing in Columbus.
 * 1978: Community Development Task Force formed.
 * 1980: Sister city relationship established with Tainan City, Taiwan.
 * 1982: Columbus surpasses Cleveland to become the largest city by population in Ohio.
 * 1984
 * Huntington Center built.
 * Ohio Penitentiary closes.
 * 1985: Catco theatre company founded.
 * 1987
 * King Arts Complex active.
 * Union Station mural painted.
 * 1988
 * Vern Riffe State Office Tower and Three Nationwide Plaza built.
 * Sister city relationships established with Hefei, China; Odense, Denmark; and Seville, Spain.
 * 1989: Columbus City Center (shopping mall) in business.
 * 1990
 * The Other Paper begins publication.
 * William Green Building constructed.
 * Population: 632,910.
 * 1991
 * City government computer network begins operating.
 * Carriage Place Movies 12 (cinema) in business.
 * 1992: Sister city relationship established with Dresden, Germany.
 * 1996
 * Columbus Crew begins play with the newly established Major League Soccer.
 * Sister city relationship established with Herzliya, Israel.
 * Chamber of Commerce city portal online.
 * 1998: City government website online (approximate date).
 * 1999
 * The Columbus Crew moves to newly-built Columbus Crew Stadium.
 * Easton Town Center opens.
 * Columbus Ohio Temple built.
 * 2000
 * Michael B. Coleman begins his first term as mayor of Columbus.
 * Nationwide Arena opens, hosting the newly founded Columbus Blue Jackets.
 * Population: 711,470.

21st century

 * 2001
 * Columbus Underground begins publication.
 * Miranova Condominiums built.
 * Arena Grand cinema and Polaris Fashion Place (shopping mall) in business.
 * 2004: The Northland Mall on Morse Road, which closed in 2002, is demolished to make way for a new commercial development, ultimately to be called Northland Village.
 * 2008: Sister city relationship established with Ahmedabad, India.
 * 2009: Huntington Park opens in the Arena District, replacing Cooper Stadium as the home of Columbus Clippers baseball.
 * 2010
 * Population: 787,033.
 * Columbus City Center demolished.
 * 2011
 * Columbus Commons opens.
 * Steve Stivers becomes U.S. representative for Ohio's 15th congressional district.
 * 2013
 * Population: 822,553.
 * Joyce Beatty becomes U.S. representative for Ohio's 3rd congressional district.
 * 2014: Sister city relationship established with Curitiba, Brazil.
 * 2016
 * Columbus surpasses Indianapolis to become the second largest city in the Midwest.
 * Andrew Ginther begins his first term as mayor.
 * 2018: Columbus surpasses San Francisco to become the 14th-largest city in America.
 * 2020
 * The COVID-19 pandemic is introduced to Columbus.
 * George Floyd protests take place in Columbus and most major U.S. cities.
 * Population 905,748.
 * 2021: Lower.com Field, the new Columbus Crew stadium, opens.
 * 2023:Columbus Crew wins its third MLS Cup, its second in four years.