Columbus Neighborhoods
Why Did Ohio Keep Changing Its Capital City So Much?
Special | 1m 17sVideo has Closed Captions
See the intriguing history behind why Ohio's capital city frequently relocated in its early years
See the intriguing history behind why Ohio's capital city was frequently relocated in its early years, drawing insights from a 1840s pamphlet. It sheds light on the political motivations for a centralized capital and the intense competition among central Ohio towns. Discover this fascinating chapter of American history and how it shaped the state's geography.
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Columbus Neighborhoods is a local public television program presented by WOSU
Columbus Neighborhoods
Why Did Ohio Keep Changing Its Capital City So Much?
Special | 1m 17sVideo has Closed Captions
See the intriguing history behind why Ohio's capital city was frequently relocated in its early years, drawing insights from a 1840s pamphlet. It sheds light on the political motivations for a centralized capital and the intense competition among central Ohio towns. Discover this fascinating chapter of American history and how it shaped the state's geography.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipWhy did Ohio keep moving its capital around?
Well, we have this pamphlet from the 1840s here at the library that tells us a little bit about the different capitals.
Our first one was Chillicothe, and then in 1809, there is political will to kind of have a centralized capital in terms of location in the state.
So lots of central Ohio towns really, really wanted to be the capital.
In fact, there's a direct quote here in the pamphlets that says, the committee named in 1808 by the legislature to select a site What's up?
Beleaguered, cajoled, and harassed, farm settlers looked over their stumping field and envisioned a majestic capital arising from them.
Zanesville was successful for a little bit.
They were the capital for less than two years.
But in 1812, the committee said, thou shalt be Columbus, and created our new capital city that we have today.
The capital officially was incorporated in 1816 when Columbus became a city.
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