🔎 5. Why did Columbus boom in the late 1800s and early 1900s?

Technology and Daily Life

Photographs, telegraphs, and telephones became important new methods of communication in the mid to late 1800s. News could travel faster, and people and businesses could communicate more easily. 

There were also improvements in transportation that helped people get around the city. Instead of walking, people could ride the streetcar (trolley) in Columbus by the late 1800s. People could now move further out from the center of the city. By the early 1900s, people could go through the city by automobile (car). 

As new forms of transportation arrived, more people came to Columbus. By 1900, there were 125,560 people in Columbus. 

Population growth required more schools. There were 40 schools in Columbus by 1900. About half of students finished school at age 14. They did not attend high school. The superintendent of Columbus Schools started junior high schools to help students in grades 7-9 be better prepared for high school. 

Many people came to Columbus to work in factories. These are buildings where people use machines to produce goods. Columbus became an industrial city with hundreds of factories by the early 1900s. There were shoe factories, buggy makers, automobile makers, iron works, steel mills, and glass factories. There were also factories that made tools for the railroads and coal mining. 

There were also leisure activities and sports at this time. People could ride on roller coasters and water rides at three amusement parks in Columbus. Football was a new sport then. Ohio State played its first football game in 1890. You could also watch a minor league baseball team in Columbus in the early 1900s. 

Hard Times and Reforms

New people were arriving in Columbus every day in the early 1900s. The population grew to 290,564 by 1930. There were three main groups of people coming to Columbus: European immigrants, Appalachian migrants, and African American migrants. New immigrants and migrants increased the diversity of cultures in Columbus. 

In 1913, the worst natural disaster in Columbus history happened. It rained for several days in March. The Scioto River crashed over its western banks and flooded the Franklinton neighborhood. Many people died and even more had to be rescued. Thousands of people were left homeless. Many local community members helped in the rescue and clean-up efforts. The city also made changes to the river to prevent another flood. 

Although industries were booming, there were still hard times for many people in the early 1900s. Reformers worked to make the city a better place. The Godman Guild provided sports clubs, English classes, community gardens, cooking and sewing classes, and youth camps. They also gave milk to families. 

A Columbus church minister supported many reforms to help people in need. He preached about ending child labor in factories, supporting the rights of workers, and making sure that African Americans had equal rights. He also served on the Columbus City Council to make fair laws to protect the community.

These reformers believed their responsibilities were important for preserving our democracy. They respected the rights of others, stayed informed about local issues, and took action to solve problems.

Questions for Review

1. What were the effects of communication and transportation improvements? 

2. What goods were made in factories in Columbus? 

3. How did school and leisure activities change? 

4. What are three groups that came to Columbus? 

5. What disaster happened in 1913? How did it lead to change?

6. How did reformers work for change in Columbus?