What We Know about Litchford Road
Pleasant Litchford, an African-American blacksmith and former slave who was granted his freedom, migrated from Virginia to this area of Ohio around 1830. He purchased 227 acres of land in southern Perry Township between 1833 - 1849 which he owned until his death in 1879. His landholdings were in the area of today’s Tremont Center, Northam Park and our high school grounds.
Here are our current research findings about “Litchford Road” and its presence in our area:
Was there ever a road named “Litchford Road?”
Yes.
was “litchford road” ever a part of / within the boundaries of Upper Arlington?
No.
During the time the road was named for the Litchford family, that area was part of Perry Township. As Upper Arlington grew northward and annexed Litchford’s former landholdings — including this road — the road had already been renamed.
What is “litchford road” known as today?
Ridgeview Road. Most likely only the eastern portion of today’s Ridgeview (from Tremont Road east to North Star Road) was known as “Litchford Road.”
how do we know “litchford road” existed?
With no existing map labeling a “Litchford Road,” our knowledge is weaved from other documents of the time:
1910 Perry Township Map. (from UA Archives) Today’s Lane Avenue extends across the bottom of this section of the map as a point of reference.
Property deeds:
Granddaughters of Pleasant Litchford and daughters of Abraham Litchford, Mary and Fannie Litchford are listed on a 1921 property deed which, in describing the property makes reference to “…the center line of the Litchford Road.”(1)Newspaper articles:
From the 1910 Perry Township map, one can see Louisa Miller as owning property along today’s Ridgeview Road. In a short entry from the December 1917 Columbus Dispatch, it is reported that “Mrs. Louisa Miller of the Litchford Road…(is) in Florida for a stay of five or six months.”(2)From the Franklin County Engineer’s Office: In 1914 there is a reference in the Commissioner’s Journal #19 that the section from North Star to Tremont Road was called “Litchford Road.”
Phone Books:
A 1910 Columbus telephone directory lists Fred Litchford as having a residence on Litchford Road.(3) This is consistent with the 1910 map’s designation of “F. A. Litchford” on the easternmost point of today’s Ridgeview Road.
When did “litchford road” change its name to “ridgeview Road?”
Files from the Franklin County Engineer’s Office confirm that it has been known as Ridgeview Road since 1922.
An October 1922 wedding announcement declares that the bride and groom “will be at home with Mr. Spires’ parents on Ridgeview road.” (4) The 1910 map shows the Spires family living just south of today’s Ridgeview Road, and they continue to own that property in 1933 as well. In fact, it is this 1933 Perry Township map that denotes a name to this road — Ridgeview Road.
Excerpt from 1933 Perry Township map. (from UA Archives) Note the bolded / dash lines that represent the borders of Upper Arlington at the time. Ridgeview Road is not included in those borders.
An earlier map from 1927 of the Brandon Heights Addition plat clearly labels Ridgeview Road as sitting atop today’s Andover to Chester (then Elmwood) roads. (5)
It is possible that the change happened over time, as a reference to Litchford Road is last seen in the 1926 Columbus phone book, listing “Bower, C. E.” under “Litchford Road.” (6) One must assume that the middle initial “E” is an error, as the 1933 map lists a “C.A. Bower.”
why did “litchford road” change to “ridgeview road?”
We do not know at this time. According to the Franklin County Engineer’s Office, Ridgeview Road was also previously known as Fairview Road and Glouster Road.
when did this road become part of Upper Arlington?
Sections of the road were annexed into Upper Arlington in 1946, 1948 and finally in 1951.
Annexation Map. (from UA Archives)
Special THANKS to Aaron O’Donovan, Special Collections Supervisor, Local History & Genealogy from the Columbus Metropolitan Library for his superior searching skills and assistance with this question.
References:
(1) Franklin County Recorder online database. Mary Litchford, unmarried to Fannie Litchford, 1921 Feb 25, DB Vol 695, P 266. recorder.franklincountyohio.gov
(2) Columbus Dispatch (published as Columbus Evening Dispatch) - December 21, 1917 - page 28
(3) 1910 Columbus Citizens Telephone Directory, p. 139. digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/digital/collection/citydir/id/3840/rec/16
(4) Columbus Dispatch (published as Columbus Evening Dispatch) - October 29, 1922 - page 66
(5) Franklin County Recorder online database. Brandon Heights Addition, 1927 July 17, PB Book 19, P 30. recorder.franklincountyohio.gov
(6) 1926 Columbus Phone Book, p. 122. digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/digital/collection/citydir/id/2933/rec/19