Columbus Historical Society

10/02/2026

Check out this item from our collections! The Columbus Washboard Company has been in business in Ohio since 1895 and continues to make washboards to this day! Here is the Dubl Handl model, handmade with locally sourced materials and used for small, delicate laundry items like silks and handkerchiefs.

10/01/2026

September 11, 2001 — Television sets across our country blared: “America Under Attack”! Twenty-five years later, it may be difficult to imagine a positive story coming out of the events of 9/11.

But in the days immediately following the attacks, the thoughtful actions of a Columbus senior citizen, Shirley Brooks Jones, helped inspire a Broadway play — "Come From Away", an award-winning musical by Irene Sankoff and David Hein that opened on March 12, 2017 and ran for 1669 performances.

"Come From Away" has played in Columbus as recently as last March at the Columbus Short North Theater where local theatergoers were captivated by the powerful Broadway musical of kindness and community in the face of adversity.

The play is based on the events in the Newfoundland town of Gander during the week of September 11, 2001. The immediate response to the horrific attacks that began in New York City at 8:46 a.m., was to close all U.S. airspace and order all aircraft, including incoming passenger planes, to land at the nearest airport. Over the North Atlantic, 38 planes, carrying approximately 7,000 passengers, were ordered to land at Gander International Airport.

Learn more about Shirley Brooks Jones, "Come From Away", and another connection Columbus has with the musical in this free article by Nancy W. Wardwell in our September Newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/422c9e477dad/whats-new-at-chs-september2026

Image credit: Toronto Star

09/30/2026

Check out our September Newsletter! 🍁🍁 https://mailchi.mp/422c9e477dad/whats-new-at-chs-september2026

09/29/2026

"The Columbus Zoo was first opened in 1927. It was called Riverside Park and was located on the O'Shaughnessy Reservoir. The park was set on a 21-acre tract of land with only a handful of species to display."

Article from WOSU Public Media ▶

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is one of the largest zoos in the United States and has an almost century of history. One listener wrote into WOSU's Curious Cbus to ask: When was the Columbus Zoo founded and who started it?

09/28/2026

This beautiful watercolor is from the collection and was generously donated by Connie Davis. The watercolor was painted on the back of a square of wallpaper and is titled "Bridge in Columbus, OH."

09/25/2026

Whatchya got for us? 🧐

09/24/2026

Become a Columbus Historical Society member today and help preserve your local history!
▶ https://www.columbushistory.org/memberships

09/23/2026

The Columbus Historical Society was honored to take part in the Ohio Fire Museum & Learning Center's "Columbus Remembers: A Community Gathers” commemoration event, held at Columbus Firefighters Local 67 Union Hall in observance of the tragedy's 25th anniversary. We were proud to loan the Flag of Heroes from our Mike Lentz Collection, an artifact that carries the weight of that day and the resilience that followed it. Standing alongside fellow stewards of Central Ohio's past, we were reminded why this work matters.

Twenty-five years have passed, yet the memories of that morning, and of the lives lost, remain as vivid as ever. We extend our gratitude to the Central Ohio Fire Museum and Local 67 for creating a space where the community could gather in remembrance. This flag, like the stories it carries, will continue to be preserved and shared so that future generations understand the weight of that day. The Columbus Historical Society remains committed to honoring these memories, now and always.

09/22/2026

Work is continuing with the Columbus Historical Society’s renovation of Engine House No. 6 at 540 West Broad Street it’s exciting to see it transformed!

09/21/2026

In November 2021, Lourdes Barroso de Padilla became the first Latina elected to Columbus City Council. Born to Cuban immigrants, she was raised on Columbus’s East Side and graduated from Eastmoor High School. A longstanding commitment to her community would shape her path into community organizing and, eventually, public office.

During her first term, she helped create Columbus’s first Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Commission, championed pay equity, and helped launch the city’s annual Latino Heritage Month parade.

Photo: https://www.columbus.gov/Government/City-Council/Councilmembers/Lourdes-Barroso-de-Padilla