A New Chapter . . . my move to Columbus OH
Following our eight-week stay at the family farmhouse in northern Michigan, we decided our next adventure would be spent exploring the greater Columbus, Ohio, area. Over the years, we have often passed through Columbus and have always enjoyed our time there. I was especially drawn to the city’s historic architectural charm, found in both its homes and civic buildings. Below is a sampling of pen-and-watercolor house portraits featuring some of my favorite homes I have painted in Columbus itself, as well as in two historic communities that are part of the broader metropolitan area: Grandview Heights and Upper Arlington.
This exquisite home found in Marble Cliff, a city north west of Grandview Heights, was built in 1990. In this house painting one can see both Victorian and Craftman architectural elements, which were typical in that era. It is one of my all time favorite homes in the greater Columbus area.
Columbus, Ohio, may be best known today as a growing, modern city, but its streets and neighborhoods reveal a rich architectural history stretching back to the city’s founding in 1812. As the capital of Ohio grew from a small settlement into a thriving commercial and industrial center, its architecture evolved with it. The city’s historic buildings reflect the changing tastes, prosperity and cultural influences of the 19th and early 20th centuries, with examples of Greek Revival, Italianate, Gothic Revival, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Craftsman and other architectural styles. I have captured most of these . Much of this historic character developed as Columbus expanded outward from its downtown core, particularly with the arrival of streetcars and other forms of transportation that encouraged the creation of residential neighborhoods beyond the original city center.
North of downtown, neighborhoods such as Victorian Village emerged as Columbus expanded during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Once farmland, Victorian Village developed rapidly after the arrival of streetcar service, becoming a fashionable residential suburb filled with houses reflecting the architectural styles of the Victorian era. Today, these neighborhoods form an extraordinary architectural tapestry, allowing visitors to see how Columbus grew and changed one house, street and neighborhood at a time. What makes the city’s historic architecture particularly meaningful is not simply the beauty of individual buildings, but the stories they collectively tell—of immigration, commerce, transportation, changing lifestyles and the generations of Columbus residents who shaped the city. The preservation movement that emerged in the mid-20th century, particularly in places such as German Village, helped ensure that much of this architectural legacy would survive rather than disappear beneath modern development. I am grateful for their dedication in saving these historie beauties, allowing me to create this series of greater Columbus house portraits today.
Perhaps no cultural influence is more visibly preserved in Columbus than that of its large German immigrant population. During the 19th century, German immigrants settled south of downtown in what became known as German Village, creating a distinctive neighborhood of modest brick houses, narrow lots, brick sidewalks and streets, churches, shops and gathering places. By 1865, Germans represented approximately one-third of Columbus’s population, and their influence extended beyond residential architecture into the city’s brewing and commercial life. Nearby Italian Village and the Brewery District also preserve important examples of late-19th-century architecture, including Italianate, Gothic Revival and Second Empire buildings.
Grandview Heights
West of Columbus, Grandview Heights developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as one of the growing communities surrounding the city. Its location on elevated ground overlooking the Scioto River valley, combined with the arrival of the streetcar in 1901, helped transform the area from farmland into a desirable residential suburb. Grandview’s early neighborhoods feature an appealing mix of late-19th- and early-20th-century homes, reflecting architectural styles popular during the period, while its commercial heart developed along the streetcar route on West First Avenue. Incorporated as a village in 1906 and a city in 1931, Grandview Heights retains much of the intimate character of an early streetcar suburb, where historic homes, mature streetscapes and small-scale commercial buildings reflect the community’s close connection to the growth of Columbus.
Upper Arlington
Just northwest of Columbus, Upper Arlington grew from farmland into one of the city’s early planned suburbs. Brothers King and Ben Thompson purchased 840 acres in 1913 and envisioned a residential community inspired by the Country Club District of Kansas City. Landscape architect William Pitkin Jr. designed curving streets that followed the natural contours of the land, with generous setbacks, open spaces and homes surrounded by mature trees. Early development was encouraged by streetcar access to downtown, and the community’s architecture reflects the popular revival styles of the early 20th century, particularly English Revival, Colonial Revival and Arts and Crafts. Today, the original area south of Lane Avenue—known as “Old Arlington”—is recognized for its exceptional collection of historic homes and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
These few home portraits offer just a taste of the unique and eclectic architecture found throughout the Greater Columbus area. I am now working to expand my Greater Columbus series, continuing to explore not only the communities featured in this post, but also the many neighborhoods and cities that surround the heart of Columbus. I have already begun selecting new homes to paint—and who knows? I may just find myself creating a Greater Columbus book featuring these paintings, much like my nationwide journey in Hand-Painted Homes: An Artist’s Pen and Watercolor Journey Across America, telling the story of this wonderful region one hand-painted home at a time.
I will keep you updated,
Cheers, Leisa
