🔎 4. How and why did Columbus grow in the 1800s?

A Created Capital

Ohio became a state in 1803. States have capital cities where the government meets and works to make laws. Chillicothe and Zanesville were temporary capitals of Ohio until a new permanent capital was selected. 

On the east bank of the Scioto River, Columbus was chosen to be the capital of Ohio in 1812. There was no town in Columbus at the time. The land was still a forest, so people moved there and began clearing trees. By 1814, Columbus had its first church, school, and newspaper. In 1816, the capital finally moved to Columbus. 

Many people came to Columbus to work for the government. The new town quickly grew. By 1830, there were ​​2,435 people living in Columbus. 

There were many other jobs in Columbus in the early 1800s. There were lawyers, doctors, bankers, teachers, carpenters, shoe makers, wagon makers, blacksmiths, tailors and many other kinds of work. 

Transportation, Immigration, and Migration

Canals first came to Columbus 1831. The National Road came through Columbus in 1833. By 1834, the population grew to 3,500. This meant Columbus had enough people to become an official city. 

With more people arriving, Columbus needed more schools. In 1845, the Columbus Board of Education was created. They hired a superintendent to run the schools. 

The first trains brought people and goods on railroads to Columbus in 1850. New forms of transportation led to a large increase in population. There were 31,274 people in Columbus by 1870. 

People began immigrating or migrating to Columbus. Irish immigrants came to Columbus and worked on canals and railroads. German immigrants came to Columbus and created their own schools, including the first Kindergarten. There were also immigrants from Italy, Hungary, and Romania. 

Before 1865, African Americans moved to Columbus to escape slavery in southern U.S. states. Some people in Columbus helped African Americans find freedom from slavery. They hid them in their homes and helped them move further north to Canada. They could not be captured and returned to slavery from Canada. 

Questions for Review

1. Why did Columbus grow from 1812-1830? 

2. What jobs did people work in Columbus in the early 1800s? 

3. How did new forms of transportation change the city? 

4. How did population growth affect schools? 

5. What are three groups that came to Columbus in the 1800s? 

6. Why did African Americans come to Columbus before 1865?