Columbus, Ohio

1913 Great Flood of 1913: Massive flooding along the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers killed over 90 people in Columbus and destroyed thousands of homes in the Franklinton neighborhood. The disaster led to the construction of extensive flood walls and levees.

1812 Columbus Founded as State Capital: The Ohio legislature chose a central location on the Scioto River to build a new state capital from scratch. The city was named after Christopher Columbus and planned on a grid pattern.

1870 Ohio State University Opens: Founded as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, it grew into The Ohio State University — one of the largest and most prominent public research universities in America.

1910 Columbus Becomes Major Industrial Center: The city's central location and rail connections made it a major manufacturing hub, producing everything from buggies and shoes to mining equipment and steel.

1960 Test Market Capital of America: Companies began using Columbus as a test market for new products because the city's demographics closely mirror national averages. Wendy's, White Castle, and countless other brands tested here first.

1977 Blizzard of 1978: The Great Blizzard of January 1978 paralyzed Columbus with record snowfall and wind, shutting down the city for days and causing millions in damage. It remains the benchmark storm in Ohio history.

2002 Ohio State Wins National Championship: The Ohio State Buckeyes defeated Miami in a dramatic double-overtime national championship game, cementing Columbus's identity as a college football capital.

1922 WBAV — One of First Radio Stations: Columbus was among the first American cities with a commercial radio station, reflecting its role as a communications and media testing ground.

1969 Wendy's Founded in Columbus: Dave Thomas opened the first Wendy's restaurant in Columbus, building it into the third-largest hamburger chain in the world and one of Ohio's most iconic brands.

2020 Columbus Surpasses 900,000: The 2020 Census confirmed Columbus as the 14th-largest city in America, the largest city in Ohio, and one of the few Midwestern cities still growing rapidly.