Our Neighbors To The North

[ music ] [ music ] >>> YOU CAN'T REALLY SAY MOUNT VERNON, OHIO, IS A COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOOD, SINCE IT'S ACTUALLY ABOUT AN HOUR AWAY FROM COLUMBUS.

BUT AS YOU WILL SEE IT'S WORTH MAKING A TRIP FOR A LOT OF REASONS.

>> MOUNT VERNON HAS A FASCINATING HISTORY AND LIKE A LOT OF SMALL MIDWEST TOWNS, IT'S FACING MANY CHALLENGES N FACT, YOU MIGHT SAY THAT MOUNT VERNON IS ALL ABOUT HISTORY, HOPE AND RENEWAL.

HERE IS THEIR STORY.

[ music ] >> MOUNT VERNON WAS FOUNDED IN 1805 AND THEY NEEDED A COUNTY SEAT IN 1808.

SOME INSPECTORS WERE SENT UP FROM THE STATE GOVERNMENT TO CHOOSE A SITE AND IT WAS BETWEEN MOUNT VERNON AND A TOWN CALLED CLINTON WHICH WAS JUST NORTH OF HERE.

THE STORY GOES THAT THE INSPECTORS CAME TO MOUNT VERNON TO CHECK IT OUT AND IT WAS A GREAT LITTLE TOWN AND THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE TENDING TO GARDENS AND PULLING UP STUMPS AND IMPROVING THE CITY TO MAKE IT A NICE PLACE, AND OF COURSE THEY MARKED ALL THAT DOWN, THOUGHT, WHAT A GREAT LITTLE TOWN.

THEN THEY VENTURED ON TO CLINTON TO LOOK THERE AND THE STORY GOES THAT THOSE SAME PEOPLE RODE NORTH AHEAD OF THE INSPECTORS AND GOT IN A FIGHT ON PURPOSE TO MAKE CLINTON LOOK LIKE THIS ROWDY FRONTIER TOWN THAT WAS UNCIVILIZED.

SO MOUNT VERNON NATURALLY WAS AWARDED THE COUNTY SEAT.

THERES A CLINTON ROAD AND THAT'S ALL THAT'S LEFT OF CLINTON.

MOUNT VERNON GREW VERY RAPIDLY IN THE EARLY YEARS.

>> SETTLERS CAME WHERE THEY COULD PRODUCE FARMS, ONCE THEY PRODUCED AGRICULTURE THEY NEEDED TO GET THAT TO MARKET, ONCE THAT HAPPENED WE HAD TRANSPORTATION CENTERS BUILDING UP AND THAT ATTRACTED MORE POPULATION THAT NEEDED CONSUMER GOODS.

>> MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER AND HIS BROTHER, WE SAY WE STARTED OUT SELLING FLOUR AND SUGARS OUT OF BARRELS AND WHISKEY AND DYNAMITE.

THEN THEY OPENED A COMPANY IN TOLEDO AND ALSO OPENED SEVERAL RETAIL STORES.

THIS STORE WAS OPENED IN 1897 AND IT'S REMAINED HERE IN THIS BLOCK THAT WHOLE TIME.

BACK AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY THE SPICES WERE LIKE MONEY, THEY WERE REALLY RARE AND HARD TO FIND.

THE WILSON SPICE COMPANY AT ONE TIME WAS THE LARGEST WHOLESALERS OF TEA AND SPICES IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> BY THE LATE 1800s IT REALLY GREW INTO AN INDUSTRIAL CITY.

THE INDUSTRY WAS EARLY ON MILLS NEAR THE RIVER, THERE WERE SOMETHING LIKE 13 OIL AND GAS COMPANIES.

THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF SILICA SAND WHICH IS GREAT FOR MAKING GLASS SO WE HAD SIX GLASS COMPANIES HERE IN THE CITY.

>> THE GLASS INDUSTRY HERE DATES TO THE EARLY 20th CENTURY.

JACOB COXEY RETRIEVED CARLOADS OF STEEL FROM THE 1893 WORLD'S FAIR IN CHICAGO WITH THE INTENTION OF BUILDING A STEEL CASTING COMPANY IN MOUNT VERNON.

WORKED THAT THROUGH ABOUT 1905 WHEN HE HIT UPON HARD TIMES AND POOR QUALITY AND ULTIMATELY SOLD HIS CONCERN TO AN UPSTART GLASS ORGANIZATION THAT HAD SOME TIES TO PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS.

BY 1908 THE COMPANY HAD TOTALLY BECOME OWNED BY THE PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS COMPANY.

ONE OF THE INNOVATIONS WAS THE PEN VERNON GLASS PROCESS.

GLASS WAS DRAWN AS A RIBBON OF GLASS OUT OF A VAT OF MOLTEN STEEL, COOLING AS IT ROSE AND VERY SKILLED CUTTERS, MOST OF THEM OF BELGIAN ORIGIN WOULD CUT THIS GLASS AT THE TOP OF THESE TOWERS, THESE FACTORIES RAN OBVIOUSLY 24/7.

IT WAS THE LARGEST SHEET GLASS FACTORY IN THE WORLD, MORE THAN A MILLION SQUARE FEET OF FACTORY SPACE, SHIPPING SHEET GLASS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

>> MOUNT VERNON BRIDGE COMPANY WAS FOUNDED IN THE LATE 1800s, LASTED UNTIL ABOUT 1960.

THEY BUILT BRIDGES THAT THEY SHIPPED ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY, THERE'S BRIDGES THAT SPAN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

STEEL FROM THE MOUNT VERNON BRIDGE COMPANY WAS USED IN CONSTRUCTION OF OHIO STADIUM, ST. JOHN ARENA AND THE NEIL HOUSE HOTEL, ALL IN COLUMBUS.

>> CERTAINLY THE PRESENCE OF TWO MAJOR RAILROAD LINES IN OUR COMMUNITY WERE IMPORTANT, NOT ONLY TO THE GLASS INDUSTRY, BUT CERTAINLY TO AGRICULTURE, WHICH IS A MAJOR INDUSTRY THEN AND NOW IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I THINK THEY TELL A GREAT STORY OF THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSPORTATION IN A REMOTE RURAL COMMUNITY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE NOT ONLY A GLASS INDUSTRY, BUT HEAVY INDUSTRY AND AGRICULTURE SIDE-BY-SIDE.

AT THE TIME THAT THOSE DEVELOPED IN THE EARLY 19th CENTURY WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT OHIO AND MOUNT VERNON WAS REALLY A GATEWAY TO THE DEVELOPING, YOU KNOW, WESTERN REGIONS OF OUR COUNTRY.

>> COOPER STARTS WITH TWO BROTHERS IN 1833.

THEY HAD THREE HORSES AND THEY SOLD TWO OF THEM IN ORDER TO OPEN THEIR FIRST PRELIMINARY.

SO IT WAS A ONE-HORSE OPERATION.

OVER TIME THEY EXPAND AND GET INTO ENGINES AND BECOME ONE OF THE PREMIERE ENGINE MAKERS IN THE COUNTRY.

THEY PIONEER THE TRACTION GEAR IN 1875 WHICH BASICALLY INVENTED THE TRACTOR.

>> THEY BUILT ENGINES BIGGER AND BIGGER, I HAVE HAD PEOPLE TELL ME SOME OF THOSE A MAN COULD STAND INSIDE THE PISTONS THEY WERE THAT LARGE.

OF COURSE, THERE WERE LOTS OF USES FOR BIG ENGINES, THE GREATEST ONE OF COURSE BEING LOCOMOTIVES.

STEAM POWER.

PEOPLE REALIZED THAT STEAM POWER COULD THEN BE USED FOR EQUIPMENT ON FARMS, THE MOST IMPORTANT OF WHICH WAS THE THRESHING MACHINE.

THE BIG THING WAS COME PRESSER ENGINES FOR PROS COUNTRY PIPELINES.

>> THEY MOVED THEIR HEADQUARTERS TO HOUSTON, TEXAS, UNFORTUNATELY AND WERE SOLD TO ROLLS ROYCE AND SIEMENS AND UNFORTUNATELY AFTER 215 YEARS IN BUSINESS IN MOUNT VERNON THEY'RE CLOSING DOWN.

MOUNT VERNON HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THIS OLD INDUSTRIAL SITE THAT'S -- I THINK IT'S ABOUT 50 ACRES OR SO, AND WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GET THE LARGE COMPANY THAT MOVES IN AND MOVES 1,000 WORKERS HERE, BUT WE COULD GET 20 SMALLER COMPANIES.

IT'S ON A RAIL LINE, IT'S GOT ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE READY, IT'S CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN.

THIS IS A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO KEEP ADAPTING LIKE IT'S DONE OVER TIME TO AVOID SOME OF THOSE RUST BELT-TYPE TROUBLES THAT CITIES UNDERGO.

>> THE COST OF OLD BUILDINGS IN DOWNTOWN MOUNT VERNON IS RELATIVELY SMALL COMPARED TO THE COST OF RENOVATING.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND IN A CITY OF THIS SIZE A GOOD COMMERCIAL USE FOR THE BUILDINGS AND TO RENOVATE THE BUILDINGS TO GET A RETURN ON INVESTMENT, BUT FOR THE COLLEGES AND FOR THE MOST PART IT WAS CHEAPER TO RENOVATE BUILDINGS AND UTILIZE THOSE BUILDINGS FOR THEIR PURPOSES THAN PERHAPS IF THEY BUILT NEW BUILDINGS ON THEIR CAMPUSES AND ALSO I THINK THAT EACH OF THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WANTED TO BE A PART OF DOWNTOWN MOUNT VERNON.

>> WE ARE NOW SEEING RESTAURANTS AND TAP ROOMS AND RETAIL OF ALL SORTS DEVELOPING JUST WHAT EVERYBODY IS LOOKING FOR NOW, THEY'RE COMING BACK TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY'RE BUILDING CITIES SO THAT EVERYBODY HAS A CORNER STORE AND A CORNER PUB AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE.

WE DON'T HAVE TO BUILD IT, WE JUST HAVE TO RESTORE IT AND GET IT UP AND RUNNING.

>> THIS COMMUNITY IS RICH IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

YOU THINK OF GREEN SPACE DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT WITH AERIAL FOUNDATION PARK, THE OLD GRAVEL PITS WE'RE SEEING ALONG WITH THE PITTSBURGH PLATE GLASS COMPANY, OLD FACTORY SITE.

WE'RE SEEING IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY AND TO REALLY THINK ABOUT INTENTIONAL REPURPOSING OFF THE SITE OF DOWNTOWN.

>> THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF THE AERIAL CORPORATION WE WERE ABLE TO ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY AND THAT WAS REALLY THE BEGINNING OF UNLEASHING A GREAT CREATIVE ENERGY.

WE DECIDED THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE AREA WHERE WE WERE GOING TO CELEBRATE OUR INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE.

SO AS YOU WALK THROUGH THIS PARK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE GIRDERS FROM THE ORIGINAL COXEY STEEL PLANT.

>> THERE'S HIKING TRAILS, EVENT SPACE, WE HAVE COMMUNITY CONCERTS THERE, THERE'S A RIVER OF GLASS MADE FROM THE CASTOFFS OF GLASS.

>> THIS 250-ACRE PARK IS AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING EXAMPLE OF WHAT A LOCAL COMMUNITY CAN DO WHEN IT PULLS TOGETHER TO CREATE A VISION FOR ECONOMIC VITALITY.

>> THIS IS A VERY EXCITING TIME IN DOWNTOWN MOUNT VERNON.

[ music ] >>> CENTRAL OHIO IS MORE OF A FASHION HUB THAN YOU MIGHT REALIZE AND MANY LOCAL DESIGNERS ARE MAKING NATIONAL NEWS.

>> ONE OF THOSE RISING FASHION STARS IS ANGELI WHOSE DESIGNS ARE INSPIRED BY NATURE AND INDIAN CULTURE AND THEY HAVE FOUND AN AUDIENCE WITH LOCAL COLUMBUS BRIDES AND MISS UNIVERSE CONTESTANTS ALIKE.

>> SHE SHARES HOW HER COMPANY SERVES THE COLUMBUS COMMUNITY AND BEYOND.

[ music ] >> FASHION BEGINS AS STORIES.

IT'S A GREAT WAY TO PRESENT YOU, YOUR CULTURE, WHO YOU ARE WITHOUT EVEN SPEAKING.

I STARTED DESIGNING FOR MY CLOSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

I HAD NO CLUE THAT I WOULD GO SHOWCASE MY COLLECTION IN CANNES FILM FESTIVAL, NEW YORK FASHION WEEK OR MISS UNIVERSE.

>> I'M A SOFTWARE ENGINEER BY PROFESSION BUT THIS IS MY SIDE HUSTLE.

I'M BORN IN INDIA.

MY MOM, SHE HAD A SMALL BOUTIQUE AND I USED TO HELP HER IN HER BOUTIQUE MAKING SKETCHES, LOOKING AT BEAUTIFUL CLOTHING AND I STARTED DESIGNING AT THE AGE OF 16 WHEN I TOOK PART IN A STATE LEVEL BEAUTY PAGEANT I DECIDED TO DESIGN MY OUTFIT MYSELF.

THAT GOT ATTENTION AND I TOOK IT VERY SERIOUSLY.

ALL THE COMPLIMENTS I GOT.

I WAS A STATE LEVEL WINNER ALONG WITH BEST DRESSED CONTESTANT AND I STARTED DESIGNING FOR MY CLOSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

WHEN I DESIGN MY FIRST COLLECTION DURING THE PANDEMIC I HAD A LOT OF FREE TIME IN HAND AND MY DAUGHTER SHE STARTED SUPPORTING ME IN DESIGNING BECAUSE SHE IS VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT DESIGNING, TOO, AND I FEEL IT HAS LED OUR FAMILY.

THIS WAS FROM MY FIRST COLLECTION IN FASHION WEEK AND WORN BY ONE OF THE MISS UNIVERSE DELEGATES AS WELL.

INDIA IS ALL ABOUT COLORS.

EVERYBODY THEY LAUNCH FROM INDIAN ORIGIN WHEN THEY LAUNCH NEW COLLECTIONS ON RUNWAY THEY GO WITH RED, PINK, FUCHSIA.

I TOOK THE CHANCE AND I LAUNCHED A NEUTRAL COLLECTION AND WE ADDED SOME RED CRYSTALS JUST TO ADD THAT INDIAN TOUCH AND HAND CRAFTSMANSHIP, BUT THIS COLLECTION WAS SUPER HIP.

MY DAUGHTER, SHE IS BORN HERE AND SHE LIKES A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT AMERICAN CULTURE AND A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT INDIAN CULTURE.

SO THE IDEA BEHIND THIS COMING UP WITH A COLLECTION WHICH HAS SOME FUSION FROM AMERICA, BUT HAS INDIAN ROOTS AS WELL.

THERE IS A STRONG INDIAN COMMUNITY, BUT I HAVE VERY MIXED CULTURE OF CLIENTELE.

I WANT TO CREATE A COLLECTION THAT IS LOVED BY EVERYONE, THAT IS NOT JUST SPECIFIC FOR INDIAN PEOPLE.

AMERICA IS LAND OF OPPORTUNITY AND IT HAS ACCEPTED US SO WELL THAT I WANTED TO GIVE BACK IN TERMS OF CREATING BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS THAT ARE VERSATILE AND USABLE FOR ALL THE CULTURES.

[ music ] INDIANS LIKE TO WEAR RED COLOR, BUT HERE A LOT OF MIXED CULTURE WEDDINGS ARE HAPPENING, GIRLS WANT A WHITE DRESS BUT THEY WANT A TOUCH OF INDIA IN THAT, SO I ADDED SOME GOLD DETAILING AND CREATED THIS BEAUTIFUL DRESS.

I LAUNCHED MY COLLECTION IN NEW YORK FASHION WEEK DURING THE PANDEMIC AND IT GOT HUGE, HUGE ATTENTION.

I CREATED MORE THAN 50 LOOKS, JEWELRY, OUTFITS, DRESSES FOR MISS UNIVERSE LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR I EXPANDED EVEN MORE.

I STYLED AND DESIGNED OUTFITS FOR DIFFERENT DELEGATES FROM MISS UNIVERSE SUCH AS MISS UNIVERSE ROMANIA, MISS UNIVERSE CHILE, MISS UNIVERSE BOLIVIA, THEY WALKED FOR ME IN NEW YORK FASHION WEEK, WHICH IS ANOTHER FEATHER IN MY CAP.

IT WAS UNREAL FOR ME COMING FROM NOWHERE TO SHOWCASING MY DESIGNS ON BIGGER PLATFORMS IN THE WORLD AND I'VE BEEN SO EMOTIONAL AND PROUD TO BE INDIAN AND PROUD OF WHERE I COME FROM AND I'M TAKING MINUS, SPREADING THINGS ABOUT MY CULTURE AROUND THE GLOBE.

[ music ] AND HERE COMES THE COLOR OF THE INDIAN BRIDE.

SO THIS IS A BRIDAL OUTFIT FOR AN INDIAN BRIDAL LOOK.

IT'S A ONE-PIECE DRESS, IT'S A FLOOR-LENGTH DRESS, A LOT OF GOLD, HEAVY EMBROIDERY, IT'S MADE ON VELVET FABRIC.

THIS PIECE IS NOT AS HEAVY AS IT LOOKS, WE ADDED TULLE, ADDED SOME IN THE BODICE AND SWAROVSKI AND ALL OF THE GOLD DECORATIONS AND EMBROIDERY ON THE BOTTOM.

FOR AN ARTIST PASSION IS SOMETHING ABOVE ALL THE MONEY AND EVERYTHING.

YOU KNOW, NOTHING MATTERS WHEN YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT SOMETHING.

IT'S A SELFLESS LOVE AND YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET OUT OF IT.

WHEN I'M INTO A CREATIVE PROCESS IT BRINGS THAT HAPPINESS IN MY LIFE.

SO HAPPINESS WAS THE ONLY GOAL IN THIS NEW COUNTRY WHERE I DO NOT HAVE MUCH FRIENDS AND FAMILY AROUND.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN THIS FEELING IN WORDS.

IT'S SO EMOTIONAL TO ME.

WHEN I USED TO SPEND TIME MORE AND MORE ON MY HOBBY IT WAS SO PEACEFUL FOR ME AND IT FELT LIKE MEDITATION TO ME AND NOW -- NOW THINGS ARE WORKING, YOU KNOW, I'M NOW DESIGNING FOR SOME CONTESTANTS FROM MISS SUPER NATIONAL PAGEANT AS WELL, MISS UNIVERSE, AND BIG THINGS AND DESIGNING OUTFITS FOR CELEBRITIES.

THIS YEAR, AGAIN, THIS WILL BE MY THIRD YEAR SHOWCASING MY DESIGNS IN CANNES RED CARPET, CANNES FILM FESTIVAL.

A LOT OF GOOD THINGS.

I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT DOING ALL OF THAT.

IT WAS JUST THE PASSION THAT KEPT ME GOING.

I TRY TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING MEN'S CLOTHING, WOMEN'S CLOTHING AND JUVENILE AS WELL.

THIS IS APART INTEREST MY RED CARPET CANNES FILM FESTIVAL COLLECTION.

ONE OF THE MODELS SHE WORE ON THE RED CARPET APPEARANCE, IT'S MADE IN 18 CARAT GOLD STUDDED WITH PURE PEARL AND SOME EMERALDS.

IT'S VERY LIGHTWEIGHT.

YOU CAN SEE THE BACK IT'S VERY LIGHT AND CHIC.

DESIGNERS KEEP ON LAUNCHING NEW COLLECTION, THERE IS A FASHION WEEK, L.A.

FASHION WEEK, L.A., PARIS, MIAMI, YOU JUST NAME IT AND WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THAT, 70% OF CLOTHING GOODS GOES TO LANDFILL.

IT'S A VERY SAD FACT.

I LIKE TO REUSE MY OLD PIECES SO I LIKE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BUY LESS.

BE MINDFUL.

BUY GOOD QUALITY CLOTHES.

WEAR IT OVER AND OVER.

RETRIAL IT.

THERE CAN BE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO RESTYLE ONE SIMPLE OUTFIT.

MAKE A DIFFERENT HAIRSTYLE AND I REPEAT MY PIECES EVERY TIME I GO ON EVENTS I WEAR THAT PIECE ON THE NEXT EVENT, STYLE IT A DIFFERENT WAY TO GET THIS MESSAGE OUT.

IF A DESIGNER CAN WEAR ONE PIECE THREE TIMES, FOUR TIMES, YOU SHOULD ALSO KEEP THAT IN MIND AND BE MINDFUL ABOUT YOUR FASHION PRACTICES.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

IT'S LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE MOMENT FOR ME.

THAT'S WHY IT'S A DESIGNER DREAM COLLECTION.

AND WITH MY DREAM I AM FULFILLING SO MANY MORE DREAMS, CREATING A PLATFORM FOR STUDENTS, FOR THE SOUTH ASIAN COMMUNITY, WOMEN LIKE ME WHO DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START.

CREATING A PLATFORM FOR FASHION WEEKS, GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO WALK FOR ME, IT'S TRULY OPENING SO MANY MORE DREAMS.

IT'S 17 YEARS IN AMERICA AND IT TOOK ME THAT LONG TO COME FROM NOWHERE TO HERE.

AND I FEEL I HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

>>> THE CITY OF BELLEFONTAINE JUST NORTH OF COLUMBUS WAS FOUNDED IN 1817 AND BECAME A RAILROADING TOWN WHEN THE MAD RIVER AND LAKE ERIE RAILROAD FIRST BUILT THERE IN 1837.

>> BUT PERHAPS ITS BIGGEST CLAIM TO FAME, BEING THE FIRST TOWN IN AMERICA TO HAVE A CONCRETE STREET.

>> AND HERE IS THE COOLEST PART, ONE OF OUR VERY OWN WOSU HOSTS IS RELATED TO THE MAN WHO INVENTED THAT PAVING PROCESS.

>> WAIT, IS IT YOU, CHARLENE?

>> NOT THIS TIME, BUT YOU WILL FIND OUT.

[ music ] >> OH, HEY.

THAT'S MY GREAT, GREAT-GRANDFATHER, HE BUILT THE FIRST CONCRETE STREET IN AMERICA.

[ music ] >> GEORGE WELLS BARTHOLOMEW JR. IS MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER.

I THINK THAT HE HAD A BIG VISION IN TERMS OF COMMERCE IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE WHOLE COUNTRY, AND IF HE COULD MAKE A ROAD THAT WOULD ALLOW FARMERS AND MERCHANTS TO GET THEIR GOODS TO MARKET WITHOUT HAVING THEIR WHEELS OF THEIR WAGONS AND THEIR HORSES' HOOVES GET STUCK IN THE DIRT AND CRUD AND MUD, THERE COULD BE SOME REAL PROGRESS IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> NOW, THE BRICK PAVERS AT THAT TIME WERE EXPENSIVE AND THEY WERE VERY LOUD AND NOISY AS WELL.

SO THEY ACTUALLY BID THIS CONCRETE PAVEMENT AS AN OPTION TO THE BRICK PAVERS.

AND OF COURSE THE CONCRETE PAVEMENT WON OVER.

MR. BARTHOLOMEW HE STARTED OUT AS A TOOL SALESMAN, IN HIS TRAVELS CAME ACROSS A PERSON IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

THIS PERSON WAS GERMAN TRAINED IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF CEMENT AND ACTUALLY GEORGE BARTHOLOMEW WENT TO GERMANY FOR A TIME PERIOD TO LEARN THAT PROCESS.

THEN THE NEXT STEP WAS TO FIND A LOCAL AREA THAT HAD THE CORRECT PROPORTIONS OF LIMESTONE AND CLAY.

>> AND ONE OF THE KEY INGREDIENTS IN CONCRETE IS MARL.

IT IS KIND OF LIKE SAND.

HE FOUND THAT THE BEST MARL WAS IN BELLEFONTAINE, OHIO, WAS THIS LOGAN COUNTY.

>> THE SUPPORTER AND FRIEND AND BACKER THAT HE HAD OF SAN ANTONIO WAS THE TEXAS STATE PHARMACIST.

WHILE THIS CHEMIST HE HAD A CONNECTION WITH THE BELLEFONTAINE BUTLER PHARMACY, SO HE SET UP SHOP FOR GEORGE BARTHOLOMEW TO DO HIS EXPERIMENTATION IN THE BACK ROOM OF HIS SHOP.

>> I HAD THIS IDEA OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR.

HIDE BECAUSE HE WAS DOWN THERE WITH HIS BEAKERS AND WHAT HAVE.

>> YOU HIS GRINDING MILL WAS VERY RUSTIC, IT WAS ROUND FLINTSTONES IMPORTED FROM ICELAND.

THEY WERE VERY AFFORDABLE BECAUSE SHIPS TRAVELING ACROSS THE ATLANTIC WOULD HAUL THESE IN THE HULL OF THEIR VESSELS FOR BALLAST.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC DID NOT TRUST AMERICAN MADE CEMENT, THEY WANTED GERMAN MADE CEMENT.

THEY ACTUALLY STAMPED SOME BARRELS OF HIS BUCKEYE PORTMAN CEMENT COMPANY PRODUCT WITH NUREMBERG.

ONCE HE DID THAT HE SOLD IT RIGHT OFF.

IT WAS ACTUALLY A TEST SECTION THAT THE CITY AT THAT TIME THE VILLAGE OF BELLEFONTAINE COUNCIL APPROVED AS A CEMENT-PAVED GUTTER THEY CALLED THAT AT THE TIME BUT IT ACTUALLY WAS A HITCHING POST FOR THE HORSES ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE.

>> AND THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE COMMEMORATING LAST SUMMER >> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO BE HERE.

>> IT'S KIND OF -- EVEN FOR A FAMILY THAT'S OUT OF TOWN TO SAY, OH, COME ON TO OHIO, IT'S THE FIRST CONCRETE STREET IN THE UNITED STATES.

REALLY?

YEAH, IT REALLY IS.

>> THE CITY HAD A PERFORMANCE BOND REQUIRED BY GEORGE BARTHOLOMEW.

THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE IT COULD HOLD UP TO THE HORSE HOOVES AND THE WAGON WHEELS, BUT IT WAS, IN FACT, VERY SUCCESSFUL.

IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR COUNCIL WAS PETITIONED BY THE PROPERTY OWNERS AROUND THE CITY BLOCK OF THE COURTHOUSE THAT THEY WANTED CONCRETE ON THEIR STREETS AS WELL.

THE STREETS AROUND THE LOGAN COUNTY COURTHOUSE BEGAN TO BE PAVED IN CONCRETE.

>> AND HE WAS SMART, HE WAS INNOVATIVE, HE WAS CREATIVE AND HE HAD A LOT OF GUTS, AND HE HAD TO CONVINCE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA.

AND NOW LOOK AROUND, HERE YOU ARE, EVERYWHERE YOU GO THERE'S CONCRETE STREETS.

AND I THINK THAT HE HAD TO HAVE BEEN A VERY PERSUASIVE GUY, BUT I THINK HE ALSO WAS A VERY CARING PERSON.

ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF THE FACT THAT HE WANTED TO HELP OTHERS AND HE SAW THIS AS A WAY TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR EVERYBODY.

>> A SECTION OF THE CONCRETE WAS TAKEN TO THE CHICAGO WORLD'S FAIR IN 1893 AND AT THAT WORLD'S FAIR IT WAS DISPLAYED AS A NEW PAVEMENT AND WON FIRST PLACE PRIZE FOR TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT.

SO THAT KIND OF BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTENTION OF NOT ONLY THE COUNTRY, BUT THE ENTIRE WORLD.

>> THIS WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF PROGRESS FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY.

THE VANDERBILTS AND THE ROCKEFELLERS, YOU DON'T HEAR ABOUT THE BARTHOLOMEWS, BUT WE'RE STILL THERE, WE'RE STILL PART OF THAT WHOLE MOVEMENT OF PROGRESS IN THE EARLY 20th CENTURY.

AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF IT.

PEOPLE LOOK AT ME LIKE ARE YOU MAKING THIS UP?

THIS IS JUST CRAZY.

EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE IN A CROSS WORD PUZZLE OR IN SOME HISTORICAL THING ON TV THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE FIRST CONCRETE STREET.

IT'S ABOUT BARTHOLOMEW.

WHOA, WAIT A MINUTE.

THAT'S US.

[ music ] >> THANKS FOR BEING WITH US AND REMEMBER YOU CAN CATCH ALL OUR EPISODES ON COLUMBUSNEIGHBORHOODS.ORG.

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WE WILL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK ON "COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOODS."

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