Photos courtesy of WOSU
They share borders and back yards, but these three communities are unique in their own story and character.
A circus legend, an ice cream queen, the patriarch of presidents and the man who taught America how to shop in the suburbs – all of them call the Tri-Village area not just home, but the inspiration for their enduring successes.
The Tri-Village area – Grandview Heights, Marble Cliff and Upper Arlington – will be the focus of WOSU TV’s newest installment of the Columbus Neighborhoods series at 9 p.m. May 18.
While all three communities now have distinct personalities, they share such common history that it makes sense to weave their stories together for the program, says Producer Diana Bergemann.
“It’s a big puzzle,” says Bergemann, who has worked on the project since 2013. “I want people to understand why they are connected and how each community evolved.”
Marble Cliff was one of the first suburbs of Columbus, settled as a community in 1890 and incorporated as the “Hamlet of Marble Cliff” in 1901. It held most of the land on the west side between the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers. Grandview Heights broke away from Marble Cliff in 1906; in 1918, Arlington Place followed, soon becoming Upper Arlington.
As the neighborhoods developed, they grew into very distinct communities due to the visionaries who helped shape them.
Marble Cliff became known for its distinguished residents and beautiful homes along the Scioto Ridge. It was touted as the “Millionaire Suburb” as wealthy industrialists from downtown Columbus escaped the soot and grime of the city and built their homes along a scenic area, high above the river. Columbus icons such as The Ohio State University Stadium and the LeVeque Tower were built with limestone harvested from its legendary quarry.
Grandview established itself as a front porch society, reinventing the way people shopped within their communities. Developer Don Casto Sr. created the Bank Block to lure Columbus residents into the luxury of suburban living and changed the way Americans shopped forever with ample parking space, extended and convenient shop hours, and events such as pie-eating contests and carnivals.
Upper Arlington attracted residents who desired to be part of an exclusive enclave with country clubs in its back yard. King and Ben Thompson were the developers who purchased farmland in 1913 that became Upper Arlington, a place they originally called the “Country Club District.” Golfer Jack Nicklaus learned his trade at the Scioto Country Club.
Early on, folks from all three communities, regardless of social status, attended Grandview Heights Congregational Church. It was a place where leaders and developers intermingled and ideas were hatched that advanced the issues and needs of the day for all three areas.
Bergemann interviewed 25 people on-camera and more than 50 in meetings and community story-telling events in preparation for the documentary. She worked closely with the historical societies and librarians from all three communities, and she and her team have scanned thousands of photographs and collected old films from citizens throughout the area.
WOSU cinematographers Andrew Ina and Ryan Schlagbaum recorded modern-day scenes such as the lush houses in Marble Cliff, Grandview Heights’ unique restaurants and the historic Bank Block, and chronicled events that make each community unique, such as Upper Arlington’s Fourth of July parade. Look for behind-the-scenes footage of the parade as competitors gear up and spend hundreds of man-hours crafting their floats.
One of the most compelling storylines Bergemann has traced is the Italian-American experience. Italian workers served as laborers for the railroad yards and at the Marble Cliff Quarry Company. But Italians weren’t welcome in most social settings.
“People now don’t realize the level of discrimination,” says Bergemann.
Grandview drew its borders to specifically exclude Italian settlements. It’s interesting to note that the Italian influence has persevered, with the many restaurants in Grandview that serve Italian or Northern Italian cuisine.
One of those restaurants is Spagio, a neighborhood icon serving European and Pacific cuisine. Chef Hubert Seifert came from Germany and fought hard in the 1980s for a liquor license – a rare commodity in the bedroom community. Few know that it was his restaurant that spearheaded the transformation of Grandview Avenue into a nightlife hot spot
The Sells Brothers Circus has always been a source of great stories, such as the many escapes the exotic animals made throughout the years, says Doreen Uhas-Sauer, Columbus historian and board member of the Columbus Landmarks Foundation.
Uhas-Sauer, who is featured in the documentary, says elephants and monkeys were spotted many times on major streets and in local back yards. The winter quarters for the circus called Sellsville – near Lane Avenue and North Star Road – was also extraordinary with its saloons, slaughterhouses and the Polka Dot schoolhouse that was an equal mix of white and black students and thrived in a time of great racial discrimination.
Bergemann also traces the great talents and innovators who drew inspiration from the unique Tri-Village area. Such individuals include industrialist Samuel Prescott Bush, co-founder of Scioto Country Club and Columbus Academy and the patriarch of the Bush family that includes two presidents; developers Ben and King Thompson and Don Casto Sr.; businessman Les Wexner, who opened his first Limited Brands store in the Kingsdale Shopping Center; and Jeni Britton Bauer of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, who started her culinary journey in Upper Arlington.
Cindy Gaillard is an Emmy award-winning producer with WOSU Public Media. Learn more about the weekly arts and culture magazine show Broad & High at www.wosu.org/broadandhigh.
Columbus Neighborhoods: Tri-Village
WOSU TV
May 18, 9 p.m.
