City of Upper Arlington history

With adoption of a village charter in 1919, the form of government transitioned to a commission.

The commission established its first police force in 1921, hiring one day and two nighttime officers.

Mykrantz Pharmacy was the first store to open in the village on December 5, 1925, followed by a Piggly Wiggly grocery next door.

The convenient location on Arlington Avenue prospered, as Phil C. Houston built an adjacent two-story building at Arlington Avenue and South Mallway in 1926.

Don M. Casto began work on a similar building at the corner of Arlington Avenue and North Mallway in 1927.

In 1928, the first swimming pool opened its doors, at a reported cost of $16,500.

The first phase of Lane Avenue Shopping Center opened in 1949—when completed, it was the largest shopping center in the city.

Tremont Center was developed by the King Thompson Company and had its grand opening in December 1951.

One section of this newly-acquired property was designated for the new high school (at 1650 Ridgeview Road), and our community approved the corresponding bond issue in 1954.

In 1956, citizens voted to amend the City Charter, adopting a council-manager form of government—which remains in place today—with the first two women elected to serve on a seven-member City Council.

Thompson Park (formally Lane Road Park) was created in 1960, on acreage that that had been purchased by the Board of Education for a proposed second high school.

While growth represented progress, City leaders understood it should be a thoughtful process, creating the City’s first Master Plan in 1962.

And in 1973, the City purchased farmland from Benn Blinn along Kioka Avenue that became Fancyburg Park, named after his wife’s pet name for Upper Arlington.

Columbus Monthly (1975 - present)

Founded in 1976 as a not-for-profit volunteer organization, the Upper Arlington Historical Society collects archival materials, shares historical information, conducts educational programs, sponsors commemorative activities, promotes historic preservation, and serves as a community resource.

Ohio Magazine (1978 - present)

With few opportunities remaining to expand the city’s footprint and a population experiencing a slight decline, 40 years on the City embarked on a major Master Plan update process, with the new plan adopted in 2001.

16 "History Speaks Volume 2" event at Jones Middle School featuring stories about Ohio’s Underground Railroad network, led by Ann Hagedorn, author of the book “Beyond the River.” It was hailed by the American Library Association as one of the “25 most notable nonfiction books in America” in 2004.

Most recently, in 2010 the City created Sunny 95 Park, thanks to a gift/purchase agreement with a neighboring radio station of the same name.

Subsequently, in 2011 the City accepted a gift of the Amelita Mirolo Barn rental facility at the park, the result of a signature fundraising effort of the Upper Arlington Community Foundation.

In November 2014, voters approved an income tax increase of 1/2%, with the resulting revenues dedicated to addressing the backlog of capital needs.

16 after volunteering for the organization since 2015 and spending the past three years as assistant director.

Over the years, as the population grew, Upper Arlington annexed surrounding land to reach its current boundaries of 9.67 square miles and a population estimate of 35,366 (reported July 1, 2019 by the United States Census).