THE NEWARK EARTHWORKS: ONE OF THE WORLD’S ANCIENT WONDERS — OCTOBER 11, 2023

Presenter: Brad Lepper, Senior Archaeologist for the Ohio History Connection’s World Heritage Program. The Newark Earthworks are the largest set of geometric enclosures and mounds in the world. The work of the Hopewell people who lived in Ohio circa A.D. 1-  400, these geometric earthworks covered nearly five square miles, using more than seven million cubic feet of earth. Why did the Hopewell build such monumental works? Were they prehistoric forts or ancient American cathedrals?

A HISTORY OF TREMONT CENTER’ S NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERS — SEPTEMBER 17, 2023

Dan Tarpy, Tarpy’s Market
Tim Huffman, Huffman’s Market
Rob Littleton, Littleton’s Market

Upper Arlington has a rich history of namesake local grocery stores emphasizing personalized service. As we highly anticipate the opening of Littleton’s at Tremont Center, we honor the beloved markets that once occupied that retail space — Tarpy’s Market and Huffman’s Market.

THE SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING PRESENTS: WHY PRESERVATION? — JUNE 7, 2023

Presenter: Susan Keeny, Preservation Director, Columbus Landmarks. What are the important architectural features of older homes? How do they enhance the character and style of your historic home?

This program looks at why taking a preservation approach is important not only for our homes, but also for our neighborhoods.

THE SELLS BROS. CIRCUS — APRIL 25, 2023

Presenter: Fred Pfening III, past President of Fred D. Pfening Co. and lifelong UA resident and circus enthusiast.

The Sells Bros. Circus (1870s-early 1900s) wintered just southeast of today’s Upper Arlington. Bill Moose, buried in UA’s Wyandot Park and recognized as the last full-blooded Wyandot in this region, appeared in their show for nine years.

October 2, 2022 - Howard Dwight Smith’s best-known architectural work — Ohio Stadium — celebrates its century mark in 2022. But did you know he was an almost 40 year resident of Upper Arlington and was the architect for many of our iconic buildings — Fire Station #71, Jones Middle School, and Barrington Elementary School to name a few… He also designed the UA homes in which he lived, and as OSU's University Architect from 1929 to 1956, numerous campus buildings including the OSU Golf Clubhouse here in our community. His body of work extends beyond the UA and OSU borders and has been recognized with local, state and national awards. This program includes both family members’ insight into the man himself, his passions and pursuits; and an in-depth look at Smith’s architecture in our community and surrounding area, including Ohio Stadium.

October 25, 2022 - Legendary OSU football coach Woody Hayes resided on Cardiff Road in Upper Arlington and was inducted to the UA Wall of Honor in 1991. Author and former sports columnist Bob Hunter will share his personal experiences with Woody, discuss why Woody was a great coach (and why he wasn’t), and explain why it is so difficult to pull him out of his era (50s, 60s and 70s) and judge him by today’s standards. Included a book signing for Saint Woody: The History and Fanaticism of OSU Football.

Upper Arlington Historical Society's Annual Meeting - June 8, 2022. Board member Mark Abell, a former UACA President, shared his shared passions for history and the UACA organization. A culmination of four years of research, here are some key moments in the Upper Arlington Civic Association's organizational life. Each slide plays for 20 seconds; please Pause to read more.

“tour” of robert russel royce homes in UA

Who was Robert Russel Royce, and why do current-day real estate ads promote "Royce-built" homes? Find out more about the man who designed over 100 homes in Upper Arlington, the homes' architecture, the first owners...and a little UA history to set the context. 

Originally set as an in-person walking tour, now available in video! Presented as part of our HistorySpeaks series, with thanks to our Lead Sponsor - First Merchants Bank, and our Supporting Sponsors - Veterans Plaza Committee and The Wellington School

History of the Miller Family & Livingston Seed Company

Our second HistorySpeaks 2020 event!

Photos are courtesy of the Upper Arlington Historical Society, UA Archives and Martha Livingston.

This presentation is two-part: (1) A brief history of the Miller Family (James T. Miller was UA's first mayor, and he sold the land that became the original Upper Arlington). (2) An overview of the Livingston Seed Company and its ties to UA.

The original Zoom online presentation was August 11, 2020. This was intended to be an in-person event at First Community Village, but COVID-19 forced a switch to an online format.

As part of our HIstorySpeaks 2020 series, the Upper Arlington Historical Society was pleased to present author Richard Rothstein discussing themes from his 2018 book The Color of Law.

Racial segregation characterizes every metropolitan area in the U.S. and bears responsibility for our most serious social and economic problems – it corrupts our criminal justice system, exacerbates economic inequality, and produces large academic gaps between white and African American schoolchildren.

We’ve taken no serious steps to desegregate neighborhoods, however, because we are hobbled by a national myth that residential segregation is de facto—the result of private discrimination or personal choices that do not violate constitutional rights. 

The Color of Law demonstrates, however, that residential segregation was created by racially explicit and unconstitutional government policy in the mid-twentieth century that openly subsidized whites-only suburbanization in which African Americans were prohibited from participating. Only after learning the history of this policy can we be prepared to undertake the national conversation necessary to remedy our unconstitutional racial landscape.

Watch the video of the presentation here on our YouTube channel.