Railroad Service Comes To Columbus

Columbus first got railway service early in 1850 creating a boom for business up and down High Street, bringing immigrants to the city and teachers and students to the new Ohio State University. The first line was the Columbus and Xenia Railroad. In Xenia, the railroad connected with the Little Miami Railroad which provided service to Cincinnati.

Because of the railroad’s potential, city leaders took over a piece of land north of Columbus in what is now the Short North. The first Union Station, pictured below, was built a little too close to High Street and caused blockages of the street as well as crossing accidents as more trains came through Columbus.

The trains brought immigrants at first mostly Irish and then teachers and students to the new Ohio State University.