The city of Columbus, Ohio is renowned for its namesake, the 15th-century Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. Established in 1812, it is the largest city in the world to bear his name. Recently, the mayor's office declared that it will not celebrate Hispanic Heritage Day, which has been one of the most contentious holidays in recent years. Instead, the city will close its offices on Veterans Day, November 12th. Many Italian-American groups have expressed their disapproval of the protests and have stated that Hispanic Heritage Day is a source of pride for their culture.
These groups usually organize their own marches to commemorate the holiday and their Italian heritage. The mayor's office did not give any prior notice of their decision to these groups. The origin of Columbus' name is quite intriguing. William Mooberry was a soldier from the Revolutionary War who arrived in Ohio after being expelled from a Quaker church in York County, Pennsylvania. Together with his friend Lucas Sullivant, they used their political clout to name a street in honor of their heritage and the Italian community of Columbus. Mooberry was actively involved in local government and served as the municipal treasurer of Mifflin Township, in eastern Columbus, for 12 years.
He was born in Newark in 1844 and, as a child, worked with the editor of The Daily Ohio Statesman, a short-lived Democratic newspaper in Columbus. Columbus was planned in 1812 as a political center by the Ohio legislature and was named after Christopher Columbus. The Ohio House of Representatives (a Doric-style limestone structure, completed in 186) has a monument by sculptor Levi Tucker Scofield. Yes, Sawmill Road is named after a sawmill located in the area just south of I-270 in Dublin. It is situated in the central part of the state, on the relatively flat plain of Ohio, at the junction of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers. The capital of Ohio experienced significant growth after a secondary branch of the Ohio and Erie Canal opened in 1831 and the Cumberland (national) highway from Maryland reached it in 1836. Between 1950 and 2000, its land area increased fivefold and its population nearly doubled. Today, Columbus is home to many higher education institutions such as Franklin University (190), Capital University (1830), Ohio Dominican College (191), Otterbein University (184), Pontifical Josephinum College (188), Columbus College of Art and Design (187), Columbus State Community College (196), and state schools for people with hearing and visual impairment. The captivating story behind how Columbus got its name is one that will be remembered for generations to come. It is a testament to how far this city has come since its humble beginnings as a small settlement founded by William Mooberry and Lucas Sullivant.
