New Albany; A Community Hub of Fitness, Growth, and The Arts

New Albany, the community that I have called "home" since I was 5 years old and a place that I will always be quite fond of, is an exquisite and ever-expanding location to put down your roots and stay for awhile. You may never want to leave the vibrant, bustling community once you see and experience what it has to offer.

In 1796, Plain Township became a part of the Military District set side for veterans of the Revolutionary War; however, due to the extensive time veterans had to wait to claim this land, they sold their parcels to land speculators. It was then realized that they portioned off a greater amount of land than was necessary, leading to the land being sold to Dudley Woodbridge who then resold his 4,000 acres to John Huffman, a Pennsylvanian farmer. German Farmers in Pennsylvania  turned their grain into whiskey to make it more transportable in order to deliver it further East. Troops were sent out in 1794 to bring an end to the "Whiskey Rebellion", as the farmers were refusing to pay taxes on the whiskey. Daniel Swickard, a name that most locals relate to Swickard Woods, was also known for having a whiskey distillery. Other pieces of land were offered for sale for $2.00 an acre in 1812. One of the early settlers, Archibald Smith, wrote in his autobiography, "In the year 1814 Ohio was creating a great excitement and hundreds were moving to the new country." (www.newalbanyplaintownshiphistoricalsociety.org/history.html) As his family members, and himself, had moved to the township in 1813 from New Jersey.


In all, there are six historical sites that are sponsored by the historical society in Plain Township:

Smith's burying ground, a pioneer cemetery that honors John Clouse and John Smith, two Revolutionary War veterans that are known to be buried in the township.

Wagnor Cemetery, a pioneer burial ground and the site of the first Plain Township school which has  been demolished located off of Central College Rd. The cemetery is a grave site for veterans from both the War of 1812 and the Civil War.

Archibald's Mill is located on Kitzmiller Rd, where the site of his sawmill remains on Blacklick Creek; it brought to life the era of the water-powered sawmill around the year 1853.

Founders of New Albany, a site located at the intersection of Route 605 and Route 62, which contains a marker honoring the Noble Landon and William Yantis whom laid out the plans for New Albany in 1837.

Disposal of Land in Plain Township, the marker describes Federal surveys of the township and disposal of lands when Ohio became a State; it is located on Swickard Woods Blvd. close to Plain Township Aquatic Center and Swickard Woods Park.

George and Christina Ealy House and Land which sits across from the Church of the Resurrection. It describes the history of the Ealy Family along with the construction of the house by local craftsmen.

A spike in growth occurred around the 1990's, partly in response to Les Wexner's expansion of his "clothing empire", The Limited, along with the commencement of building his mansion. Since this time, the town has had a steady climb in population and with more people coming in, more housing developments sprang up, and businesses hustled in to be a part of this blossoming community. Part of the communities uniqueness is the economy that makes up the area; New Albany ranks 12th out of 1,065 places in Ohio in regards to per capita income. Market Square, the gathering place in the heart of New Albany, is in a growth phase all it's own; new businesses and health centers have been established, including the Wexner Medical Center's Health and Fitness Center that is implementing programs such as community gardening and a walking club, along with hosting the Farmer's Market throughout the Spring season leading into fall. Local restaurants that have been welcomed into the square are Mellow Mushroom (open now) and the much anticipated Hudson 29, Cameron Mitchell restaurant(which will make it's appearance this Spring). Already established businesses within the square include: Starbucks, The Rusty Bucket Corner Tavern, The New Albany Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, Learning Express, and Huntington.

New Albany has seen a 12.2% increase in the average price per square foot, which is currently $147, in comparison to last year's statistics. The median sales price has increased by 11.3%, which equates to $35,400, as it is now $349,900 based on the sale of 53 homes. Some of the popular neighborhoods, according to Trulia data, are The New Albany Country Club, Windsor, New Albany Links, Tidewater at New Albany, and Plain View Country Estates. [Other popular neighborhoods include: Upper Clarenton, Pickett Place, Hampstead Heath, Hampstead Village, and Hampstead Green.]

New Albany prides itself on it's plethora of performing arts venues and studios. The Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the arts has multiple uses as it has a recording studio, dance studio, and classrooms for the performing arts. Located nearby are the New Albany Ballet Company and the New Albany Symphony Orchestra. They definitely do not lack arenas for the fine arts.

Events to check out in the area include: Founders Day in May, with a parade, rides, vendors, and more; The Taste of New Albany, a culinary event for sampling food from a variety of restaurants, which gives its proceeds to the New Albany Chamber of Commerce; The New Albany Classic, an equestrian event sanctioned by the USEF/FEI and founded by the Wexner's, raises money for the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence and draws a diverse crowd out to enjoy rides, face painting, live music, food vendors, animals from rescues, as well as zoo animals; The New Albany Walking Classic, which takes place in September along with the New Albany Classic, is a 10k event and known to be the country's largest walk-only race.

There is a strong sense of community established here that is very welcoming and united; if you're looking for a place to call home that you can walk around the block and all the neighbors wave and spark conversation, New Albany may be calling your name. You can't walk into the neighborhood Kroger or Giant Eagle without running into someone that you know, or of course the local Starbucks on the corner of Market Street. (So you'll want to save some extra time on your regular errand running days). Even as it expands, the charm and the "culture of New Albany" is truly a source of pride for everyone that resides here. It is a very youthful and active area with people walking the paths around the golf course that loop through the neighborhoods or around the preserved wetlands, groups of friends catching up on the patio of market square's restaurant and coffee shop, friendly neighbors walking their dogs, or kids hanging out by the local library after school lets out. There is never a dull moment in this busy suburban lifestyle.