A special anniversary adds to the special events celebrated in Upper Arlington this holiday season. One hundred years ago, the land that would become Upper Arlington was purchased for development.
On Dec. 25, 1913, Ben and King Thompson bought 840 acres of farmland from James T. Miller. As real estate developers, the brothers envisioned creating a town in close proximity to Columbus, but with sprawling land and a scenic nature. They believed this land would be perfect for their endeavor.
Although the city of Upper Arlington will not be celebrating its centennial event until 2018, 100 years after the incorporation of UA into a village, the Upper Arlington Historical Society will be commemorating the deeding of the land this year. Charlie Groezinger, president of the society, encourages participation from the community.
“I certainly hope that we have residents join us in commemorating and honoring our city and its founders,” says Groezinger. Around Christmas, the society will have a celebration at Miller Park, where the Thompson brothers had their first field office. The society is also planning to publish an updated and refined history of Upper Arlington by 2018.
Plans for the new community suddenly halted in 1916, when the land was appropriated by the National Guard to become Camp Willis, a training camp for more than 8,000 troops. Although the camp disassembled by September of that year, it left behind even more work to be done. Development picked up soon after, and the land was on its way to becoming a community.
Originally, the Thompson brothers had expected the area to be named after the Country Club development in Kansas City, Mo., which had been a key inspiration for the new town. As time went on, it was referred to as Upper Arlington more and more frequently, in reference to the city directly south of the land. In 1917, the name Upper Arlington finally became permanent and Arlington changed its name to Marble Cliff in an effort to avoid confusion.
The Upper Arlington Company was established by the Thompsons that same year. It featured an innovative architect from Rochester, N.Y., William Pitkin Jr., who encouraged construction to take place with the land’s geographical features rather than against them. He proposed a plan that contrasted the rigid and
structured streets of Columbus and incorporated winding roads to highlighted the land’s scenic beauty.
Construction began and, by 1918, a village was established with 200 citizens and Miller as the first mayor. The following years were ones of rapid growth and quick expansion, aided by troops coming home from war who were looking to settle in such suburban areas. What was originally an 840-acre lot became a city by 1941, and by 1950, it held 9,000 residents. The population peaked in 1970 with 38,000 people.
Upper Arlington became a reality and, with houses dating as far back as 1845, remtains today a unique historical aesthetic.
“There are guidelines that need to be followed when homeowners renovate older homes; the goal is to preserve the home’s original integrity,” says Kate Kallmes, executive director of the Upper Arlington Historical Society.
Aamna Aziz is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at laurand@cityscenemediagroup.com.
