Columbus Neighborhoods: Columbus' High Street in 1973

In 1973, five photographers spent one year documenting High Street, from the Scioto Downs area south of I-270 to north of the Pontifical College in Worthington. What can we learn from the photos today about the forces that change some areas while leaving others virtually untouched?
Historic photos: Courtesy of Ohio History Connection

[jvladcliff]

Going down to Lazarus on the # 8 bus with my grandma to pick up her paycheck in the 1970's and seeing all of the different people is one of my fondest memories of what is now a bloodless shopping mall of a city.

[CharlieTechie]

Capturing our living history is so important. It’s a snapshot of the times we live in for future generations. Love this series on YouTube.

[KeithFox]

I was raised in Columbus and was fascinated with High Street in particular. I would wander up and down the street, sometimes on a bicycle, motorcycle, walking, or skateboard from the 90's to early 2000s. It's an interesting place to be.

[loufancelli]

As a kid in the '70s and '80s I would get to go downtown maybe 2-3 times per year and it was always a memorable trip for a kid living on the North Side. I've been living downtown now for almost 10 years and while it is different, High St is still a great place with plenty of diversity and activity. Times keep changing, so for those who bemoan the changes, remember that the people who came before you probably didn't like your ideal version of High St (or pick a place). I prefer to enjoy the present, remember the past, and look forward to the future.

[trae_seymourmotivationalsp]

I was born in 1973, and recognize some of this. I’m now a Realtor here in Columbus, and it’s amazing driving around and seeing how things are different.

[jackzimmer]

Neat little documentary! I’m from Dayton, Ohio and in 1975 I was attending a small junior college pursuing an associates in accounting degree. Our school played another junior college in Columbus in basketball. The basketball team and students took a bus to the game…one bus! Afterwards we ended up near the OSU student Union on high street. I was floored by the number of bars and little businesses up and down the street. Crossed over to the east side of the street and entered a multi story lounge with loud music and I believe a dance floor in the middle which everyone could look down on from upper floors.

I suppose that building is no longer there…just curious to know more about it.

Magical experience.

[dinaj]

7:17 Jerry Gordon. I loved that man when I was a kid, he was so nice. I used to go to his shop almost everyday for lunch. My elementary school was a couple of doors down. He and his mother would be working and I loved to buy a little block of chocolate that they made. Thank you for bringing back the good memories I had as a kid. It was good seeing Jerry Gordon again.

[williamburdon]

I grew up on the west side of columbus, spent lots of time downtown as a kid going to movies leveque tower etc. I worked at a printing company 1 block west of high street across from Union Station. I used to see a few hobos down there drinking wine waiting for the next ride and I was all up and down High street from Campus to Clintonville, my half brothers lived off Como avenue, I just looked and saw a house for sale for 415, 000 dollars,
In 1973 you could have bought a whole block of houses for that much up there. There was no 1000 homeless old people living in the streets back then, that's crazy. There were probably 50 or 100 hippies living in the alleys and doorways down by campus but they didn't stay long. As the guy said, the police enjoyed practicing their night stick moves, on anybody that couldn't complain. I remembered both those guys, The guy in the dark outfit I always saw down by great southern shopping center, I'm pretty sure he lived down there somewhere. and there was a guy with no legs that was downtown all the time, on a wooden paper cart from a printing press. He wore rags on his hands to propel himself, . I "m pretty sure I knew his name back then but can't get it now.

[dg]

My parents moved to Columbus for work shortly after WW2 and lived around Goodale Park for several years. I was born in the '50s at old White Cross Hospital, which overlooked Goodale Park. White Cross built a new hospital on West North Broadway on what was then the north edge of town in 1961 (I think) and changed their name to Riverside Methodist Hospital. By the time of my earliest memories we had moved to the Grandview area and that's where I grew up, but we still came back to the old area around Goodale to visit people and/or ride the CTC (later COTA) bus downtown to shop. I remember the early '70s in that area very well and was half expecting to see a familiar face in these photos.

[whazzuphere]

I remember back around 1977-78, when I was a student at OSU, some friends and I used to enjoy going to the White Castle at Hudson & High around 2AM to watch what we called The Freak Show. There were some strange people to be seen, especially on the weekends.

[spreadlovenothate]

I remember catching the bus with my siblings and my mom to Woolworths to get our family photos taken. Every year in the basement. 😭😢

[Lemlem]

My favorite store Lazarus it's gone now!

[richardlott]

The short north has changed so much since my grandmother lived on Lincoln in the 70s and 80s.

[Davett]

I moved to Columbus in 1977, and worked in the deteriorating (old) Short North, for a couple of years in a non-profit art gallery. Back then the building was referred to as "the Functional Furnishings" building, as they held/occupied several store fronts on the southern end. The building is called The Yukon Building and it is still there in 2019, and has been totally restored, including the apartments on the upper floors. Back then, in the mid to late 1970s the Short North was occupied by many, (x-rated) adult "men's books stores, ..where pornography could be purchased, in magazines and books. Winos and bums outnumbered the regular folks and workers. (Nudie Bar) strip joints were also present. Store front rental was so devalued, at that time, it was common for a bunch of artists to create a collective, & share the rent costs and put some money into fixing the space up, into art studios and a gallery. Many of my friends did this. I was and still am an artist, ....having received my MFA from OSU, in 1979.

[devans]

thanks for posting! i miss that era of columbus! we had so much fun in those days!

[stevelenores]

My mom, little brother, and I lived about a block from High Street in the early 60's. Never thought we were poor at the time because kids could still play on the streets and alleys and crime was tiny compared to today. I used to make money by collecting pop bottles under the newspaper shacks (small wooden shacks built on stilts at the base) where the newspaper boys would get their papers and turn in their subscription money. Used my wagon to carry the bottles to High Street to cash them in at the local IGA grocery store (Independent Grocery Association). Keep me in comic books and candy bars very comfortably.

[hankaustin]

Absolutely WOSU you've done it again, this is my NEW favorite video of all your collection on YouTube (til the next even greater one comes out LOL)!

[chrispeterson]

More younger kids need to watch. Real history

[dennisengland]

I Grew up on Hudson and high .and in72 I was 12 and was All over high st The Short North well I went to prison in 82 until 2001 and was completely shocked to see what happened to Columbus

[ethandicks]

We moved to E 12th Ave just off High St in 1970, then a few years later, moved up to Northwood Ave by High St, then Oakland Ave, almost on top of Pearl Alley. I spent a lot of my childhood riding the #2 Bus and walking up and down the OSU Campus Area. I saw Star Wars at the theater next to the McDonalds at 16th and High. So much of my old neighborhood gone with the Gateway Center and all the demolition between 14th and 18th.