Columbus, Ohio: a Personal Geography

Ohio Journal of Science, The, Dec, 2002 by Heather Guthrie

Henry Hunker. 2000. Ohio State University Press, Columbus, OH. 220 p. $35.00 hardcover.

This book was written to give an account of the past fifty years in Columbus, from the era post World War II through the late 1990s. Columbus is presently the largest city in Ohio, a fact that may be unknown to many people, and is a city that deserves recognition for what it has become, especially given that it is Ohio's state capital. The author, Henry Hunker, gives a history of the city as it has evolved and changed since the first time he visited in 1946. Initially, he shares that he found Columbus to be a city that was relatively unremarkable or memorable. He was pleasantly surprised upon moving there in 1949 after being accepted to OSU for graduate studies in geography. Hunker found Columbus likeable enough to spend the following fifty years of his life there; he is currently a professor emeritus at OSU, and has raised four sons in the city.

Having been born in Columbus and having spent much of my life there, I was excited to review this book. Initially, I saw the word "Geography" in the title and, as I am not a geographer (nor do I have any background in the area), I worried that the book might not be pertinent and helpful to me. However, I quickly found it to be fascinating, especially since Hunker added personal anecdotes in addition to the information he had gathered from others.

The book contains fourteen chapters, beginning with physical setting and demographic background. From there, Hunker continues by sharing information concerning the growth of Columbus, and by looking at city leadership, economic development, cultural diversity, and the quality of life of its residents.

Columbus, founded in 1812, has since expanded to be a city that includes portions of six counties, in addition to the initial county, Franklin. Even more impressive is another fact that Hunker shares--Columbus grew while Ohio's other large cities decreased in population. Hypotheses and rationalizations for the city's manner of growth were given, explaining the history of certain suburbs' growth. Specifically, when growing up in the suburb of Worthington, I always heard that "the Worthington/Dublin areas were the areas to live in around Columbus." Later, I heard the same about Hilliard and then about New Albany. Hunker's history verifies this truly was the growth trend.

One component of the book that I found especially surprising was the fact that Hunker devotes much explanation and history about the growth of "shopping" in Columbus. This includes Columbus' early shopping that was located downtown, and the impact of the growth of larger shopping areas that were not situated downtown. For instance, in the past year, Polaris, a large new mall, has been completed and opened. Although I no longer live in the Columbus area, I have continuously heard, first from those I know who are still in that area, and then from those in other areas of the state, that Columbus is one of the best cities for shopping, especially with the new Polaris, Easton, and relatively new Tuttle, malls. This also coincides with statements and explanations in the book.

However, as Hunker also devotes much time and explanation to the decline of several other once-popular locations in Columbus, I was surprised that the French Market/Continent area was never mentioned. Built in a style that was supposed to feel old-European, this area was popular as I grew up, and continues to be an area that people still mention when discussing Columbus, in regards to both its past popularity and its current decline.

Also interestingly, Hunker provides answers to many rumors that circulated throughout the years. One example is Ameriflora, an international horticulture occurrence which was greatly hyped up, before-hand; enjoyed by Columbus residents, during; and rumored to be known throughout the US as a "bomb." Hunker explains how the event was supposed to bring millions of dollars to Columbus, and that it was positively regarded by residents and businesses, but was deemed by the nation as "An Odd Hybrid Called Ameriflora Struggles in Ohio" (titled in the New York Times). Most Columbus residents heard that it was supposed to be of international and/or national interest, but that it had not succeeded as much as planned. Other big events in Columbus, such as the "Son of Heaven" exhibit, are also explained.

Henry Hunker, a faculty member at The Ohio State University for many years, is known in the department of geography at OSU, as well as in other venues, for his tours of the city and his activity in preserving Columbus' architectural heritage. As he writes of time and change in the city, including a written version of a tour he gave in 1956 and how it differs in 1999, it was fascinating to find out both how much had changed, and how much had remained nearly the same over the years.

I was surprised and mildly disappointed, however, in the lack of information given about the role of The Ohio State University in the development of Columbus, especially since Hunker is a professor emeritus. As the university is one of the largest in the world and is practically located in downtown Columbus, one would speculate that it would be important in shaping the city's history.