Clintonville the Farming Community

Mary Rathke
Columbus Neighborhoods: Clintonville producer

When I first started researching Clintonville I thought I knew what to expect. We know the neighborhood by its ravines and quaint houses, The Park of Roses and the memories of Olentangy Park amusement rides. What surprised me was that every historian and every old-timer told me to make sure to tell the tale of the land.

Clintonville was, above all, a farming community.   And the more I researched, the more intrigued I became.

Farmers grew clover seeds, plums, apples, pears, hay and wheat and dozens of other crops.  They raised pigs and cows then churned butter and cheese.  Vegetables of every variety sprouted east and west of High Street.  Barges came down the Olentangy River and were loaded with fresh produce at the end streets like West Como Avenue, bound for markets downtown and beyond.

Mostly though, the food fed the people and families who lived in the neighborhood.

Then there are the stories of power.  Seems that those who owned the biggest swaths of land had back-stories involving the most notorious vice operation in the city.  I’ll leave it to the documentary to surprise you as to whom Graceland is named after.

I wouldn’t want to ruin the joy of discovering that little nugget.

The time we spent filming at the Clintonville Community Market also made me realize how history repeats itself.  The market was established in 2003 and it echoes the values this farming community had for generations – eating locally grown food not only ensures survival, but ultimately ties a community together.

So, I decided to tell the story of Clintonville by telling you the story of its land.  From the Native Americans who used it to worship, through the acres of farms that nourish body and soul, to the horse farm that is now Graceland – it’s been an unexpected, and fascinating story.