Want UA-centric gifts for the holidays while supporting a local non-profit organization? Stop by Littleton’s Market at Tremont Center and find our table to purchase quality-crafted gifts for any time of year. Cash, credit or Venmo accepted. See all our offerings and prices on our Shop page.

IF YOU ORDERED ONLINE THROUGH DEC 4, your item(s) will be waiting for you at our table if you did not already pick them up at the Dec. 6th Winter Festival event.

Want UA-centric gifts for the holidays while supporting a local non-profit organization? Stop by our table, outside Cover to Cover bookstore — 2116 Arlington Avenue — to purchase quality-crafted gifts for any time of year. Cash, credit or Venmo accepted. See all our offerings and prices on our Shop page.

IF YOU ORDERED ONLINE THROUGH DEC 4, your item(s) will be waiting for you at our table. We also have another pick up date - Saturday, Dec 7 at Littleton’s Market from 10am-noon.

A History Speaks Event. Many thanks to our series lead sponsor, First Merchants Bank, and to a grant from UA’s Community Relations Committee that allows us to video record the event.

Join us as we travel the decades since Upper Arlington formally established a municipal fire department on December 1, 1930. See how the people, the equipment, and the techniques have evolved to meet the challenges faced by today’s emergency responders.

Following the presentation, attendees may cross the road to Fire Station #72 for a tour including the museum room containing this very first UA fire truck.

Parking available in the Bryce Eck lot, in the south lot of Fire Station #72, and along Ritamarie Drive (there’s a walkthrough to the rear of the Bryce Eck Activity Center).

Our presenter, Dan Kochensparger, is the Upper Arlington Fire Division’s volunteer historian. He served as a UA firefighter for 33 years and is a two-time recipient of the Upper Arlington Liberty Mutual Firefighter of the Year Award. He was named grand marshal of the 2015 UA Independence Day parade. While a UA firefighter, he deployed to the World Trade Center collapse as a member of Ohio Task Force One, one of 28 urban search and rescue units that are part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In recognition of his participation in the recovery effort at Ground Zero, he was chosen as a torchbearer for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

Prior to his service at Upper Arlington, he was the EMS coordinator for the Perry County, Ohio EMS in southeast Ohio. He also was an assistant EMS instructor in the emergency medical program at Hocking College in Nelsonville. He began his fire service career in 1976 as a volunteer with the New Lexington, Ohio Fire Department. He has a bachelor’s degree from Kent State University, where he served four years as an emergency medical technician on the campus volunteer ambulance service.

This is a free-to-attend event. Society members will receive an email a few weeks before the event to reserve seats. (Society memberships start for as low at $25 / calendar year.) The general public is welcome on a first-come, first serve basis.

A History Speaks Event. Many thanks to our series lead sponsor, First Merchants Bank, and to a grant from UA’s Community Relations Committee that allows us to video record the event.

Native Nations have called the lands of Ohio home since time immemorial, establishing relationships between each other and living together as neighbors. The beginning of the European colonization of North America did not alter that. French and British colonists were often incorporated into Indigenous communities through marriage, adoption, and economic relationships.

The expansion of the new United States following the American Revolution threatened to change that as American settlers and the Federal Government sought to claim the Ohio Country for themselves. Westward Euro-American immigration into Indian Country, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, brought Ohio Native Nations and the United States to a crossroads. Could they live as side-by-side as neighbors or was Ohio not big enough for the two of them?

Our presenter, Dr. John Bickers, is an assistant professor of History at Case Western Reserve University and a citizen of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. This presentation has been customized specifically for our UA History Speaks series. Dr. Bickers specializes in early American and Native American history. His research focuses on Indigenous constructions of citizenship and race and theories of Native political sovereignty and governance.

His first book project, “The Miami Nation: A Middle Path for Indigenous Nationhood” is an exploration of the political history of the Miami Tribe through the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Dr. Bickers received his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University.

This is a free-to-attend event. Society members will receive an email a few weeks before the event to reserve seats. (Society memberships start for as low at $25 / calendar year.) The general public is welcome on a first-come, first serve basis.

A History Speaks Event. Many thanks to our series lead sponsor, First Merchants Bank, and to a grant from UA’s Community Relations Committee that allows us to video record the event.

In 1954, Upper Arlington High School performed their first musical production — Brigadoon — under the direction of choir director Mr. Herbert Yenser. In the yearbook, it was noted as a “musical that no one can forget.” (Norwester 1954, p. 101.)

Seventy years later, we look back on this and all successive musicals produced by the high school through the years — classics, like Oklahoma and The Sound of Music, to contemporary productions, such as In the Heights and Mean Girls. How has this tradition changed throughout the years? What have previous cast members gone on to accomplish in the world of professional theatre?

Led by UAHS Vocal Music Director, Dr. Brandon Moss. Attendees will also have the rare opportunity to walk on and behind the UAHS stage, learning about the activity spaces that support the fantasy worlds we see onstage.

This is a free-to-attend event. Society members will receive an email a few weeks before the event to reserve seats. (Society memberships start for as low at $25 / calendar year.) The general public is welcome on a first-come, first serve basis. (As we are in the UAHS auditorium, there will be LOTS of seats! And we are NOT recording this event, so please come in person on Sept 15th!)

Look for our table at the UA Farmers Market to:

• Learn about the upcoming August Homes of History celebration and other Society events

• See physical items from our Archives collection (weather permitting)

• Purchase UA-nique gifts (see our Shop for a preview)

• Talk about UA history with Society representatives

Yes, this will be our second consecutive week to be at the market. We can’t wait to talk and learn with you!

Look for our table at the UA Farmers Market to:

• Learn about the upcoming August Homes of History celebration and other Society events

• See physical items from our Archives collection (weather permitting)

• Purchase UA-nique gifts (see our Shop for a preview)

• Talk about UA history with Society representatives

We can’t wait to talk with you!

The Historical Society will be at both Open Houses! Come visit with us and:

• Learn about the history of the Jones Building

• Purchase UA-nique gifts

• Help us identify mystery pictures from our Archives

• Discuss the newly-installed UA History display (at UAHS only)

Current 2024 Society members will receive an invite to this special event at The Daily Growler. In addition to a review of the Society’s year, attendees will hear the history of the two businesses that occupy that space - Colin’s Coffee and The Daily Growler. RSVPs required. Members - watch for an invitation email coming by the last week of May.

Each year, a deceased former Upper Arlington resident who brought honor and recognition to our community is selected for the Wall of Honor, with a memorial plaque installed on the Plaza at the Municipal Services Center, 3600 Tremont Road. Historical Society members will receive an invitation to the event, along with guests of the families. RSVPs are required.

The City of Upper Arlington and the Upper Arlington Historical Society are pleased to announce that Link McKinley Murphy, M.D., and Reed McClelland have been selected for induction onto the Wall of Honor in 2024.

“Dr. Link” Murphy moved to Upper Arlington in 1928 and brought his medical practice to the community in 1961. In his early years as a physician, he could be found most mornings at one of several hospitals practicing his specialty in anesthesia. His afternoons – and often his evenings – were spent as a caring family physician, who routinely made house calls to tend to his patients, exuding a bedside manner that made everyone under his care feel like they were the most important person in the world. He was a founding member of the Upper Arlington Civic Association, formed in 1933, serving as Parade Chairman from 1933-35. He led the creation of and was the Flag Bearer for the Spirit of ’76 Revolutionary Soldiers Parade Troupe with his family members – launching a now fourth-generation tradition that still leads the start of the Fourth of July Parade. Many people referred to Dr. Murphy as Mr. Upper Arlington. When the High School built a new football stadium on Zollinger, he served as fundraising Chair, raising the equivalent of $500,000 to help fund the project. Dr. Link helped conceive of First Community Village and served as its first medical director. He also traveled to Africa and India with friends on several occasions, spending his time visiting with and treating the medically neglected members of local villages.

Reed McClelland believed the sun rose and set in Upper Arlington and dedicated much of his life in support of the community he loved. Encouraged by his friends to run for public office after retiring from his fulltime career at Cottingham Paper, Reed was elected to serve on City Council in 1985 at a time when the City needed experienced, level-headed leadership to restore community confidence, build trust and make good decisions on many critical issues. His calm manner, respect for others, and his business-like approach to solving issues helped him earn the trust of his fellow Council members, the City Administration, and the residents of Upper Arlington at an important time in the community’s history. He ultimately served two terms on Council, with his peers selecting him to serve as both Vice President and President of Council. His service to others began early. As a young man, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, becoming a Lieutenant and serving in the Pacific Arena. In retirement, he not only donated blood to the American Red Cross he delivered blood all over the state and served as President of the Godman Guild, and as a volunteer for the Columbus Literary Council.

To be considered for the Wall of Honor, a person must meet three criteria: He or she must be deceased; must have lived in Upper Arlington for part of his/her life; and must have made a significant contribution to the city, the state and/or the nation. Honorees are recognized via permanent bronze plaques on the “Wall of Honor” located on the plaza in front of the Municipal Services Center.

A History Speaks Event. Many thanks to our series lead sponsor, First Merchants Bank, and to a grant from UA’s Community Relations Committee that allows us to video record the event.

Founded in 1969 and by 1973 headquartered in Upper Arlington, “CompuServe grew through the 1970s and 1980s into the first major online service in the U.S., offering chat and email to tens of thousands of customers, not to mention helping bring newspapers and stock trading into the digital age. It was known for its entrepreneurial and innovative culture, one which co-founder and former CEO Jeff Wilkins helped spark.” (GeekWire, 2015.)

Jeff will discuss CompuServe’s founding and all of the innovations that CompuServe brought to life: the first commercial email product; the first newspapers online; the first airline listings; and the innovation of the GIF graphics format. Learn how and why AOL was able to become the dominant online service of the 90s.

This is a free-to-attend event. Society members will receive an email a few weeks before the event to reserve seats. Others are welcome on a first-come, first serve basis. Memberships start for as low at $25 / calendar year. Attendees with physical limitations may utilize the parking lot off Fishinger Road for drop-off or parking purposes, as this is closer to the theater. Otherwise, please park in the southern portion of the lot off Reed Road and follow signs to enter the building closer to the theater (located in the Fishinger Road-facing building). Please allow for time to park and walk to the theater prior to our 7pm start time.

Jeff Wilkins was the co-founder and first CEO of CompuServe, perhaps the original consumer online service. 

A History Speaks Event. Many thanks to our series lead sponsor, First Merchants Bank, and to a grant from UA’s Community Relations Committee that allows us to video record the event.

What was life like in this area in the 1880s?

The UA Historical Society’s archives contains the transcription of diary, written by a young woman living near today’s Reed and Fishinger roads in 1883 with the Walcutt family. The Society’s two lead Archives researchers, Melanie Brown and Lee Bracken, have spent many months delving into the stories Eva Wareham shares, uncovering the people, places, and events that she describes.

Their presentation will use the diary’s entries as a jumping off point to discuss our pioneers’ way of life, detailed descriptions of their physical community, and traces of Upper Arlington’s past that remain visible today.

This is a free-to-attend event. Society members will receive an email a few weeks before the event to reserve seats. Others are welcome on a first-come, first serve basis. Memberships start for as low at $25 / calendar year.

A History Speaks Event.

In 1971 Lazarus department store opened in Kingsdale Shopping Center. Initially 85,000 square-feet, UA’s Lazarus had expanded to over 100,000 by 1977. The transition to the Macy’s brand occurred in 2005, after two years of marketing the dual name, Lazarus-Macy’s. Macy’s closed the UA store in 2015, and after five years of vacancy, the site became available for development. UA’s community center is now rising in this space. This History Speaks event honors this former blue-brick landmark and the memories of an iconic business.

For more than 150 years, F&R Lazarus & Company was the heart of downtown Columbus. Headed by the "first family of American retailing" with an eye for flair and a devotion to the customer, this uniquely midwestern institution won the hearts and minds of a community. Look to Lazarus draws on the memories of those who worked and shopped in this grand emporium to tell the unlikely story of a love affair between a city and a store. It was a love affair born of the solemn promise "You can always take it back to Lazarus, no questions asked."

Authors & Presenters:

David Meyers--David spent 30 years in the field of adult and juvenile corrections, then another 18 in higher education. He worked at Lazarus one summer and during Christmas vacation. 

Beverly Meyers--Besides stints as a teacher and event planner, Beverly was a professional puppeteer and handled publicity for the Big Apple Circus. During research for the book, she discovered the high regard in which the Lazarus women were held by the wives and daughters of employees.

book signing after the event

Thanks to our partner, Cover to Cover book store, audience members can purchase the Look to Lazarus book before and after the event for future pick up at Cover to Cover, 2116 Arlington Avenue. Bookplates will be given to those who order a book for signing by the authors.

You may also bring your copy of Look to Lazarus for signing. Looking to purchase in advance of the event? Support our local bookstore, Cover to Cover, with your order.

Ten of UA’s century homes have been artistically captured by third graders at Greensview Elementary School under the guidance of art instructor Jana Holland. Stop by to admire both the artists’ skill and the beauty of these grand century homes.

Thank you to all who submitted photos; we are grateful for your willingness to share with the students. The ten homeowners selected for this project have been notified separately.

All are welcome to attend on December 16th. The Society’s Director, Kristin Greenberg, will be there from 4-5pm to answer any UA history questions.

Want UA-centric gifts for the holidays while supporting our community organization? Stop by our table, inside of Cover to Cover bookstore — 2116 Arlington Avenue — to purchase UA-nique gifts. Cash, credit or Venmo accepted. See all our offerings and prices on our Shop page.

All — residents old and new — are invited to join us for this session of the UA Welcome Series!

Go behind-the-scenes to understand why certain prominent features of our community developed into what they are today. Using existing landmarks throughout our city, we will explore the stories every community member should know.

Free to attend; no registration required.

The Newark Earthworks are the largest set of geometric enclosures and mounds in the world. The work of the Hopewell people who lived in Ohio circa A.D. 1-  400, these geometric earthworks covered nearly five square miles, using more than seven million cubic feet of earth. Why did the Hopewell build such monumental works? Were they prehistoric forts or ancient American cathedrals?

Join presenter Brad Lepper, Senior Archaeologist for the Ohio History Connection’s World Heritage Program, soon after his return from the World Heritage Extended Committee meeting in Saudi Arabia!

The Newark Earthworks are part of Ohio’s first World Heritage site (and so close to Upper Arlington!). The site is one of seven Ohio sites in a serial nomination of Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks. In addition to Newark Earthworks, the sites are Fort Ancient Earthworks & Nature Preserve and five sites that make up Hopewell Culture National Historical Park in Chillicothe.”

A special Newark Earthworks Open House event is scheduled for Sunday, October 15 when you can visit these sites with full access!

This program is made possible, in part, by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this (publication/program/exhibition/website) do not necessarily represent those of Ohio Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Registration is required for this History Speaks event.

Presenters:

Dan Tarpy, Tarpy’s Market
Tim Huffman, Huffman’s Market
Rob Littleton, Littleton’s Market

Upper Arlington has a rich history of namesake local grocery stores emphasizing personalized service. As we highly anticipate the opening of Littleton’s at Tremont Center, we honor the beloved markets that once occupied that retail space — Tarpy’s Market and Huffman’s Market.

Tarpy’s was one of the first Tremont Center tenants in the early 1950s, moving from their original Mallway location. Our featured presenter, Dan Tarpy, worked closely with his father, Tom, a master of developing competitive advantages to benefit his customers. Dan will walk us through the forty years of changes, expansions, and “firsts” that are part of Tarpy’s legacy.

Huffman’s is a more recent community mainstay, with Tim Huffman at its helm until selling the market in 2018. Tim will expound on his years of owning the business and its community impact.

Rob Littleton looks to the future, bringing insight as to the hopes and goals for this new generation of market. Attendees will get a special tour of Littleton’s and all it has to offer.

—> Registration required. (Link coming soon.)

—> Free to attend.

—> Please plan on two hours: one for presentation, one to move across the street to Littleton’s and tour.

Our high school opens the doors to alumni (and the public) with special programming and displays.

Come visit the Upper Arlington Historical Society table and:

(1) Look at decades of UA Band images and memorabilia.

(2) Review our growing inventory of stores that were at Kingsdale and add your knowledge!

(3) Purchase a special July 4th bear keepsake to hang for the holidays - only $12 and proceeds benefit the Historical Society.

What are the important architectural features of 50+ year-old homes? How do they enhance the character and style of your historic home?

Join presenter Susan Keeny, Preservation Director at Columbus Landmarks, to learn why taking a preservation approach is important not only for our homes, but also for our neighborhoods. Highlights of local architecture, resources for homeowners, and a lively question/answer session will round out this informative evening. If you own a home built pre-1974 or are interested in historic architecture, this event is for you!

The evening will kick-off with a brief Annual Meeting of the Society. All are welcome; Society members will have the opportunity to vote on issues.

This event is free to attend. Please register here.

Donations at the event from non-members are much appreciated! Thank you to UA’s Community Relations Committee for grant money to support this History Speaks series and to our History Speaks individual contributors.

Columbus Landmarks was founded 45 years ago with a mission "to preserve Columbus landmarks and neighborhoods through advocacy, education, and investment, and to promote design that inspires and endures." We are fully committed to equity, sustainable growth, and design excellence for all. Of special interest to attendees of this event is their Home Preservation Program.

Each year, a deceased former Upper Arlington resident who brought honor and recognition to our community is selected for the Wall of Honor, with a memorial plaque installed on the Plaza at the Municipal Services Center, 3600 Tremont Road.

The City of Upper Arlington and the Upper Arlington Historical Society are pleased to announce that Robin Hess Comfort and Joanie Igel Dugger have been selected for induction onto the Wall of Honor in 2023.

Both women shared a dedication to the betterment of the UA Schools. Robin served on the Board of Education for 11 years and as Board President for two years, playing a pivotal role in the facilities master planning project that led to a monumental transformation of the district’s educational facilities. Joanie served as Executive Director for the UA Education Foundation, growing it into a model for communities across the state.

Society members will receive an invitation to the event, along with guests of the families. RSVPs are required.

To be considered for the Wall of Honor, a person must meet three criteria: He or she must be deceased; must have lived in Upper Arlington for part of his/her life; and must have made a significant contribution to the city, the state and/or the nation. Honorees are recognized via permanent bronze plaques on the “Wall of Honor” located on the plaza in front of the Municipal Services Center.

Free to attend. Limited space. Register today!

The Sells Bros. Circus (1870s-early 1900s) wintered just southeast of today’s Upper Arlington. Bill Moose, buried in UA’s Wyandot Park and recognized as the last full-blooded Wyandot in this region, appeared in their show for nine years. UA’s founders, King and Ben Thompson, are related to the Sells Brothers.

Fred Pfening’s interest in things sawdust began at age five when he rode an elephant in his father’s circus. Since then, he has written over 50 articles on the history of the circus, has appeared on numerous documentaries, and given presentations at many conferences. He is a former president of the Circus Historical Society and at one time edited its journal Bandwagon. He is currently on the board of directors of the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida.

He has extensively studied the history of the Sells Bros. Circus that was headquartered in the Grandview area from the 1870s until 1907. The Sells brothers had one of the most important traveling railroad circuses from the late 1870s to the early 1900s.  He will share his knowledge about the colorful history of this local amusement institution.

In real life Pfening is a life-long resident of Upper Arlington. He is the retired president of a family business that engineers and manufacturers ingredient conveying equipment for the wholesale bakery industry. He characterizes his fascinating with the circus as “a hobby that got out of hand.”

Fred was a valued contributor to the best selling novel, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

Interesting links

Peter Sells’ “circus home” in Victorian Village gets a refresh (2022)

A look inside Peter Sells’ “circus home” (circa 2017)

A HISTORY SPEAKS EVENT

Please register so that we can adequately accommodate all guests. This event is free of charge.

In the 1800s, Reverend James Preston Poindexter was a venerable leader for the African American community in and around Columbus. His dedication to social causes created a solid foundation for future generations.

Reita Smith, a local historian, founding chair of the James Preston Poindexter Foundation, and long-time resident of Upper Arlington, will share with us…

• The story of Rev. Poindexter, a conductor on the Underground Railroad, the first Black member of Columbus City Council, and the first Black member of the Columbus Board of Education. 

• Poindexter’s important connection to Pleasant Litchford, a blacksmith by trade and a formerly enslaved man who migrated around 1830 from Virginia to this area, purchasing 227 acres of land in what is now Upper Arlington. 

• Her own connection to this history, both through her ancestry and through her time living and raising children in what was one of the first New Deal public projects of its time, Columbus’ Poindexter Village. 

• Her decade-long dedication to saving two Poindexter Village buildings which will become a museum and cultural center dedicated to preserving the history of Poindexter and the Black community of Central Ohio.

Come see us at UA’s Winter Festival to talk all-things-UA-history and buy some unique UA-centric gifts for the holidays. See our shop here; we will have the items available to purchase that evening. Cash, credit or Venmo.

** We’ll be located outside of Cover to Cover bookstore!