Westerville, Ohio

Westerville is a city in Delaware and Franklin counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is a northeastern suburb of Columbus. The population was 36,120 at the 2010 census. Westerville is the home of Otterbein University.

Westerville, Ohio
City
State Street in Westerville
Location of Westerville in Ohio
Location of Westerville in Franklin County
Coordinates: 40°7′25″N 82°55′17″W
CountryUnited States
StateOhio
CountiesDelaware, Franklin
Incorporated1858
Government
 • MayorPenny Trycle
Area
 • Total12.74 sq mi (33.01 km2)
 • Land12.60 sq mi (32.64 km2)
 • Water0.14 sq mi (0.36 km2)
Elevation875 ft (267 m)
Population
 • Total36,120
 • Estimate 
(2019)[4]
41,103
 • Density3,261.11/sq mi (1,259.14/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
43081, 43082, 43086[5]
Area code(s)614 and 380
FIPS code39-83342
Websitewww.westerville.org
Hanby House, circa 1905

Westerville was once known as "The Dry Capital of the World" for its strict laws prohibiting sales of alcohol.

History

Native Americans

Cultures have inhabited the Westerville area for several millennia. Paleo-Indians and their successor cultures inhabited the area between Big Walnut Creek and Alum Creek. The Wyandot were the primary inhabitants by the time Europeans arrived, living along Alum Creek.[6] They were forced out of Ohio in 1843.[7]

Post-Ohio statehood

The land that is today Westerville was settled by those of European ancestry around 1810. In 1818, Matthew, Peter, and William Westervelt, settlers of Dutch extraction, migrated to the area from New York. Matthew Westervelt donated land for the construction of a Methodist church in 1836, and the settlement was subsequently named in the family's honor.[8] In 1839, the Blendon Young Men's Seminary was chartered in Westerville;[9] Matthew Westervelt was one of its first trustees.[10] The Church of the United Brethren in Christ bought the seminary in 1846,[11] and the next year the seminary was reformed, and renamed Otterbein College after the church's founder Philip William Otterbein. It continues today in Westerville as the private Otterbein University.[12]

Westerville was platted by 1856, and officially incorporated in August 1858. The town's population in that year was 275.[13]

Throughout the Antebellum era, several homes in Westerville were stations on the Underground Railroad. Among these is the Hanby House, located one block from the college. Benjamin Russell Hanby had moved to Westerville in 1849, at the age of sixteen, to enroll at Otterbein University.[14] Hanby went on to write many familiar hymns and songs, among them "Darling Nelly Gray" (inspired by his sympathy for Southern slaves[15]), "Who is He in Yonder Stall?", and the Christmas favorite "Up On The Housetop". His home in Westerville, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was dedicated as a museum in 1937[16] and is now owned by the Ohio Historical Society and managed locally by the Westerville Historical Society. It is the only state memorial to a composer in the state of Ohio.

"Dry Capital of the World"

An 1859 town ordinance prohibited sales of alcohol in Westerville.[17] By the 1870s, a burgeoning conflict between pro- and anti-temperance forces boiled over into the so-called "Westerville Whiskey Wars". Twice, in 1875 and 1879, businessman Henry Corbin opened a saloon in Westerville, and each time the townspeople blew up his establishment with gunpowder. Westerville's reputation for temperance was so significant that in 1909 the Anti-Saloon League moved its national headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Westerville. The League, at the forefront of the Prohibition movement, gained its greatest triumph when the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in 1919. The League printed so many leaflets in support of temperance and prohibition—over 40 tons of mail per month—that Westerville, by then known as "The Dry Capital of the World", was the smallest town in the nation to have a first class post office. The League's Westerville headquarters was given to the Westerville Public Library in 1973 and now serves as a museum attached to the library.[18] After Prohibition ended, Westerville remained dry for most of the twentieth century.[19]

Since 1915

In 1916, Westerville became the first village (and second municipality)[20] in Ohio to adopt a council-manager form of government, in which a city council makes policy but the town's administrative and many of its executive governmental functions are vested in an appointed, professional manager. Westerville retains the council-manager system to the present day. The city elects seven council members at large for four-year terms; the council selects from among its own a member to serve as mayor, vice mayor, chair, and vice chair. Under the City Charter, the mayor is only "the ceremonial head of the government" of the city.[21] The council additionally selects the city manager, who serves indefinitely. In 2007, David Collinsworth replaced David Lindimore as city manager after the latter's tenure of twenty-two years.[22]

In 1995, the city annexed 941 non-dry acres of land to its north, which included several alcohol-selling businesses. Subsequently, voters have approved alcohol sales in old Westerville at a number of establishments through site-specific local options. In 2006 Michael's Pizza served the first beer in Uptown Westerville in over 70 years.[19][23][24]

On October 15, 2019, Westerville hosted the fourth 2020 Democratic Primary Presidential Debate which had over 12 candidates on stage. To date, it still remains the largest primary debate in American history.[25]

Geography

Westerville is located at 40°7′25″N 82°55′17″W (40.123496, -82.921432).[26]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.61 square miles (32.66 km2), of which 12.47 square miles (32.30 km2) is land and 0.14 square miles (0.36 km2) is water.[27]

Demographics
Shops lining State Street in uptown Westerville
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1860668—
187074110.9%
18801,14854.9%
18901,32915.8%
19001,46210.0%
19101,90330.2%
19202,48030.3%
19302,87916.1%
19403,1469.3%
19504,11230.7%
19607,01170.5%
197012,53078.7%
198022,96083.2%
199030,26931.8%
200035,31816.7%
201036,1202.3%
Est. 201941,103[4]13.8%
Sources:[28][29][30][31][32][33][34]

2010 census

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 36,120 people, 13,859 households, and 9,800 families living in the city. The population density was 2,896.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,118.4/km2). There were 14,467 housing units at an average density of 1,160.1 per square mile (447.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 88.6% White, 6.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population.

There were 13,859 households, of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.7% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.3% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.96.

The median age in the city was 41.2 years. 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.2% were from 25 to 44; 31.1% were from 45 to 64; and 14.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.0% male and 53.0% female.

2000 census
Westerville Fire Station 112

As of the census[34] of 2000, there were 35,318 people, 12,663 households, and 9,547 families living in the city. The population density was 2,851.1 people per square mile (1,100.6/km2). There were 13,143 housing units at an average density of 1,061.0 per square mile (409.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.54% White, 3.20% African American, 0.13% Native American, 1.55% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.07% of the population.

There were 12,663 households out of which 39.3% of those had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.8% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $69,135, and the median income for a family was $82,163. Males had a median income of $55,053 versus $36,510 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,401. About 2.5% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under the age of 18 and 5.0% of those ages 65 and older.

Education

Otterbein University, a private four-year liberal arts college, was founded by the United Brethren Church in 1847 and is now home to over 3,000 students. The United Brethren Church has since merged with the Methodist Church and is now the United Methodist Church, with which the college continues to be affiliated.

Other colleges and universities in Westerville Ohio include Hondros College, Franklin University (branch), Dominion University, The Ohio State School of Cosmetology, Columbus State Westerville Center (branch) and Fortis College.

Westerville is served by the Westerville City School District. The district operates three high schools: Westerville South High School, an International Baccalaureate School, which opened in 1960 as Westerville High School; Westerville North High School (opened 1975); and Westerville Central High School (opened 2003). In addition, Westerville has four middle and sixteen elementary schools. The middle schools are Blendon, Genoa, Heritage, and Walnut Springs. The elementary schools are Emerson (a magnet school that opened in 1896 as the Vine Street School), Central College (magnet), Hanby (magnet), Longfellow (magnet), Alcott, Annehurst, Cherrington, Fouse, Hawthorne, Huber Ridge, Mark Twain, McVay, Pointview, Robert Frost, Whittier, and Wilder.

Transportation

In the early days before the town's incorporation, Westerville was connected to Columbus by a plank road with a toll of ten cents.[35] Today, Westerville borders Interstate 71 and Interstate 270 (the Columbus Outerbelt), expressways that connect it with Columbus and other suburbs. Via the interstates, central Westerville is 16 miles (26 km) from downtown Columbus and 12 miles (19 km) from John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Central Ohio's primary terminal for air passengers. State Route 3, the "3-C Highway" which connects Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, is the chief north–south thoroughfare of the old town center, known as Uptown Westerville, through which it is called State Street.

Streetcars plied the avenues of Westerville from the late nineteenth century[36] but service was discontinued in 1929.[37] Today, Westerville offers little in the way of public transportation. The city itself operates no public buses, but the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) serves Westerville with five bus lines.[38]

Economy

T. Marzetti Company and its parent Lancaster Colony Corporation, as well as Mac Tools are headquartered in Westerville.

Top employers

According to Westerville's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[39] the top employers in the city are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 JP Morgan Chase 6,035
2 Mount Carmel Health System 3,428
3 Otterbein University 1,810
4 Westerville City Schools 1,734
5 Alliance Data 1,475
6 OhioHealth 958
7 ESC of Central Ohio 935
8 City of Westerville 863
9 1-800-Flowers (Cheryl's Cookies) 712
10 DHL Supply Chain 668

Notable people

Westerville is mentioned as the home of the fictional Dalton Academy Warblers glee club in the television show Glee.

gollark: It provides silk touch or something. Read the entire book.
gollark: Ask what the third time?
gollark: We use PotatOS Screenshare.
gollark: Well, it depends, but potentially something like: cobalt/sponge/bronze (head/binding/rod) with embossed paper or wood.
gollark: Handle modifier is what the tool's entire durability is multiplied by.

References
  1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  2. City-Data 2009
  3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
  4. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  5. "Westerville Zip Code Search Results". Retrieved 2007-09-19.
  6. https://www.westerville.org/home/showdocument?id=27323
  7. https://ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Wyandot_Indians
  8. Anita Palladino ed., Diary of a Yankee Engineer: The Civil War Diary of John Henry Westervelt x n.5 (1996).
  9. Edward Alanson Miller, The History of Educational Legislation in Ohio from 1803 to 1850, at 83 (1920).
  10. Palladino, supra, at x n.5.
  11. Henry Kiddle & Alexander J. Schem, eds., The Cyclopædia of Education (3d ed.), 1883, p. 823 (at Google Books).
  12. Quentin Charles Lansman, Higher Education in the Evangelical United Brethren Church, 1800–1954, at 18 (1972).
  13. Beth Berning Weinhardt, Westerville, p.13 (2004).
  14. C.B. Galbreath, Song Writers of Ohio, in 14 Ohio Archaeological and Historical Publications 180, 183 (1905).
  15. Id. at 185.
  16. Weinhardt, supra, at 17.
  17. "City of Westerville, Ohio Ordinance List" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 1, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  18. "Westerville Public Library, About Us: Our History". Archived from the original on 2008-06-07. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  19. Archived August 9, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  20. Retrieved on 2008-09-03.
  21. City of Westerville, Ohio Charter, Art. III, § 5 Archived June 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  22. Lin Rice, "Westerville Council set to hire city manager," DispatchPolitics.com, Oct. 23, 2007.. Retrieved on 2008-09-03. Archived July 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  23. Archived January 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  24. Mark Major, "Michael's uncorks Uptown liquor sales," Westerville News & Public Opinion, Jan. 18, 2006, reprinted at "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-09-20. Retrieved 2008-09-03.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  25. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/october-democratic-debate-ohio-what-you-need-know-n1065061
  26. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  27. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
  28. "Population of Civil Divisions Less than Counties". Statistics of the Population of the United States at the Ninth Census. U.S. Census Bureau. 1870. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  29. "Population of Civil Divisions Less than Counties" (PDF). Statistics of the Population of the United States at the Tenth Census. U.S. Census Bureau. 1880. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  30. "Population: Ohio" (PDF). 1910 U.S. Census. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  31. "Population: Ohio" (PDF). 1930 US Census. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  32. "Number of Inhabitants: Ohio" (PDF). 18th Census of the United States. U.S. Census Bureau. 1960. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  33. "Ohio: Population and Housing Unit Counts" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  34. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  35. "Ohio History Central, Westerville". Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  36. "Ohio History Central, Westerville". Archived from the original on February 20, 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-05. (citing the 1890s).
  37. "Columbusrailroads.com, Columbus Electric Railway Chronology" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-09-05.; Robert Vitale, "When streetcars ruled," Columbus Dispatch, Apr. 14, 2008.
  38. "Central Ohio Transit Authority System Map" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-05-06. Retrieved 2014-05-05.
  39. City of Westerville CAFR
  40. Article on The Lambert-Parent House
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