Newcomers Party: How UA Greeted New Residents for Decades
“Each year the Arlington citizens turn out in full number to give a party as a way of greeting to families who have moved into the community during the previous year.”
As the UACA prepares to host the second annual Neighbors Night Out this September, they could use the quote above to describe their aspirations for the event. The words, however, harken back to 1950, so obviously a community-wide gathering to welcome new residents is not a new idea for Upper Arlington. In fact, the inspiration for the Neighbors Night Out gathering we enjoy today comes from the Newcomers Party which was held annually from 1936-1963.
In 1936 the UACA was only three years young, with one of this year’s Wall of Honor inductees, Dr. Link Murphy, at the helm as Chairman. Upper Arlington was still a “village,” with our northern boundary roughly at Northam Road. It was not until 1941 that our population hit 5,000, and we would earn our designation as a “city.”
Coincidentally the 1941 Newcomers Party was held on February 7th, the day before our city status became official. Of the 400 attendees, over 80 couples were new to the community. One of these was Mr. and Mrs. Paul Brown, new residents of York Road. Brown took over as head coach of the Buckeyes that year and would rise to prominence by leading OSU football to a National Championship in 1942.
The Newcomers Party activities typically included a greeting line, refreshments, a UACA business meeting, an artistic performance, and dancing into the wee hours of the morning. Later parties sported themes, such as “Candlelight Carnival,” “Western Welcome,” “The Crystal Ball,” and “A Night in Old New York.”
At first, the party was held outside of Upper Arlington at venues like the Columbus Athletic Club or the Neil House. By the mid-1940s, UA’s high school was the consistent location. “UAHS” through 1956 would have meant today’s Jones Middle School, and from 1957 on, the then-new Ridgeview Road building (today’s southern portion of the high school’s property).
As Upper Arlington’s boundaries exploded northward in the 1950s and 1960s, the Newcomers Party grew in both organization and attendance. One thousand people attended the 1959 event, according to the February 4, 1960 Dispatch. By 1955, a couple was selected as “Newcomers of the Year” to represent all the new-to-UA residents and accept a ceremonious welcome on their behalf. The organizing group expanded to include a general chairman, an assistant chairman, and committees for facilities, door prizes, entertainment, decorations & arrangements, tickets, awards, registration, welcoming, and printing.
The later years added a “Flowers for the Living” award presented at the event. This honor was bestowed to a person who had given outstanding service to the community. In 1962, for example, the award went to UAHS teacher and coach Richard Larkin for his dedication to and success with multiple football and track teams.
It is not clear what caused the end of the Newcomers parties. According to the February 11, 1958 Dispatch in describing the event, “The Civic Association of Upper Arlington sponsors a party each year to welcome newcomers to the community and to greet “old timers,” the name given to anyone who has lived in Upper Arlington for a year or more.” By 1963, UA’s northern boundary had pushed northward to roughly Lane Road, and perhaps the number of people “new-to-UA” was simply overwhelming at the time.
Thankfully, the UACA has picked up this thread and spun it into an updated version of the event. This year’s 2024 Neighbors Night Out is September 14th with all UA residents, new and old, welcome to attend. See uaca.org for upcoming details and ticket sales.