The Short North

I was born and raised nestled in the hills of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia, and though I will always love my Almost Heaven, I moved away at the young age of 18 and ventured to Northern California with my high school sweetheart and lived-in the wine country for a time and then settled down in Columbus, Ohio where I have lived for over 30 years.

About five years ago I decided to move into the city rather than living in the suburbs. My children were all out of school, so I wanted to live in the popular artist district area of the city called the Short North because it has a bohemian atmosphere. There are lots of art galleries, unique boutiques, restaurants, bars, breweries and coffee shops. Each month a Gallery Hop brings in street performers making this offbeat, trendy and colorful district even more interesting and a popular place to come to.

The painted murals on the brick buildings and 17 lighted metal archways extend across the main drag, which is called North High Street and is also the street that leads to one of the nation’s largest campuses, The Ohio State University, located a tad further north on the outer edge of the district. This popular area is nestled against the edge of downtown and on summer nights makes a great evening walk going southward toward the beautiful lighted high-rise buildings.

Come Fourth of July we have one of the most unique parades around called The Doo Dah Parade which is the opposite of what most Fourth of July parades are usually like in the city. Political satire floats and marches take place such as The Marching Fidel’s, which are Fidel Castro lookalikes. All in all, the idea of the parade is not taking all things too seriously and is just all-in good fun. At night for the celebration the district offers a perfect viewing of Mid-West’s largest 4th of July fireworks display at our own Goodale Park, a park with serene gardens and beautiful large elephant fountain pond. The free spirit energy of the Short North attracts people of all race and gender, and all are graciously accepted as equal and the park hosts a popular bohemian music and arts festival called Comfest, that brings in people from all around the tri-state area and further.

The district is rather historical as well with area’s like Victorian Village, which are Victorian homes with trees lining the main drag called Neil Avenue, and named after the man who once owned the property William Neil. I should have not been nearly as surprised as I was when one day, I was reading a historical book on Abraham Lincoln, that I had just bought in one of the Short North antique shops. Since being a child, I was always very drawn to anything and everything about Lincoln, so when I was skipping through the book the words Dennison, stood out because I live in an area called Dennison Place. Come to find out the area I lived was called Dennison Place because the once Governor of Ohio, William Dennison, married Mr. Neil’s daughter, Anne Eliza, and it was given to them as a wedding gift.

However, this was the big kicker to me was that after being Governor, Abraham Lincoln, himself appointed Dennison, as the Postmaster General. So, to learn I reside on the property that was owned by someone on Lincoln’s Cabinet was incredibly exciting for me, I figured that was the closest association I would ever have in my life to Lincoln. To me it was one of the coolest things that I still think about from time to time when walking the property. Anne Eliza Dennison, herself designed these circles called "The Circles" with roundabouts on the property that still reside there today, talk about longevity.

I love living in the Short North district that has such deep historic roots. As an artist and creative person, I am inspired daily by the energy the district exudes. The bohemian carefree lifestyle along with the deeply rooted history offers to me a place I am happy to call home and proud to be a part of.