Village Green

Intersection of High St. and Dublin–Granville Rd.

Images: (1) Village Green intersection with trolley car, c. 1895; (2) Southeast quadrant of the Village Green looking north toward St. John's Church c. 1900; (3) Trees lining the sidewalks, c. 1900

The most striking evidence of Worthington's New England heritage is the Village Green.The Scioto Company planned for this “Public Square” two years before migrating west to Ohio. It symbolized the center of community, government, education, religion and commerce and played an important role in Worthington's history.

These four acres were covered with trees upon the pioneers’ arrival. The first recorded celebration on the square was July 4, 1804 when seventeen trees were felled to celebrate Ohio’s becoming the seventeenth state the previous year. The first well in the village was dug on the Village Green and pioneers walked from their temporary cabins to get their water. In the days before the War of 1812 the militia drilled on the Green.

Animals were allowed to graze freely in Worthington, even on the public ground, until an ordinance in 1836 prevented sheep and swine from grazing at-large within the village limits. At a later date horses, mules, cattle, goats, and geese were also restricted.

Late in the 19th century the Village Green began to acquire the look of the park that we see today, complete with grass and trees. 1841 brought sidewalks, and in 1863 62 trees were planted. In 1893 the Columbus Electric Street Railway laid tracks from downtown Columbus to the Village Green allowing Worthington residents to travel to and from the capital city every half hour.