Appalachians in Columbus (Westerville, Dublin, Kent: apartments, rent, houses)

[Empidonax]

The other day I was talking with someone about Columbus (I lived there in 1994-1996), and the topic turned to the city's demographics. When I lived there, Franklinton and the Parsons Avenue area both had a significant population of Appalachians and Appalachian-descended people. Is that still the case? I'm just curious. I taught at OSU for a couple of years and had a few students from those areas, and they were very committed to those neighborhoods.

[ColumbusNEWb]

I'm an Appalachain, East Kentucky is where I grew up before moving off to Florida and such when i was 18. Most of my family in Columbus that migrated from East Kentucky settled in an area chock full of Appalachains just south of the 104 freeway off Groveport rd. I myself also moved here not long ago and settled on the southern side of the metro because of my relatives and the south side of Columbus is closer to KY than living on the north side adding 30 minutes on a trip home.

Parsons south of the 104 is still full of Appalachians of all generations

[streetcreed]

Yes you pinpointed it correctly the near west side and the near SE side, Parsons Ave/Groveport Rd, both have Appalachian pasts.

However, many of these previous immigrants have moved out to "newer" areas of Columbus or the subursb. Following general decentralized migration patterns, ala urban sprawl.

It appears that many of those who are left in these areas tend be poorer and both areas are full of factories (especially 104/parsons) that have closed and resulted in many lost jobs.

Today the SE side has seen many white collar workers rent out apartments due to the cheaper rents or young professionals/gay couples rehabbing the homes. The "bottoms", near west side, is the only section of Columbus that has seen little gentrification. Though even some of the warehouses there have been fixed up by artists and a few LGBT people.

I would say the Columbus you knew when working at OSU, years ago, is now more diverse and the Appalachian population is more dispersed but still generally concentrated on the entire west side of the metro, SW side of the metro, and SE side of the metro, just not solely in the inner city as much.

[Empidonax]

Thanks for these responses, both of you. I only lived in Columbus for two years, but absolutely loved it. I hope the Appalachians aren't losing their heritage as they blend in with the larger population. One of these days a return visit to Columbus will be in order.

[bgo]

Plenty of Appalachians everywhere in Columbus. The southern accent is very apparent. I saw a documentary on TV about the migration of Appalachians to Ohio. It's pretty dominant.

[HuskerDu]

Appalachians who live in areas surrounding their natural element are not the same as those who have populated impoverished urban areas to the north for generations. I will bite my tongue in not simply painting them all with a broad brush but for the most part we all know what has become of the unskilled laborors who migrated north into Ohio from West Virginia over the course of the past several decades. Not pretty.

[NorthPoleMarathoner]

I'm an Appalachain American that used to live in Columbus.

Matter of fact, many Appys I grew up with ended up in Dublin.

I lived in the Little Turtle area of Westerville.

You couldn't pay me a million dollars a year to live in Dublin.

If I end up moving back I hope to live in either Victorian Village or UA.

[ColumbusNEWb]

Originally Posted by NorthPoleMarathoner

I'm an Appalachain American that used to live in Columbus.

Matter of fact, many Appys I grew up with ended up in Dublin.

I lived in the Little Turtle area of Westerville.

You couldn't pay me a million dollars a year to live in Dublin.

If I end up moving back I hope to live in either Victorian Village or UA.

pssshh amen to Dublin....

[NorthPoleMarathoner]

Originally Posted by ColumbusNEWb

pssshh amen to Dublin....

LOLs. I don't care for suburbia.

[otters21]

Originally Posted by NorthPoleMarathoner

LOLs. I don't care for suburbia.

I echo the feeling but everyone has their preference.