Before and After Historic Streetscapes




Unlike the other historic buildings pages, this one will focus not on looking at photos of individual buildings, but rather on before and after historic streetscapes and scenes.

The same concept will apply, however. You can look at historic photos of street scenes and compare them to the modern day view.

**Last Updated: 12/10/2024- Added new series to the West Side for 1950-1959 and 1970-1979.

Downtown

1880-1889

Before: Jefferson Avenue beginning at #39, looking north in 1889.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2019

1890-1899

Before: South 4th Street from Broad Street, looking south in 1897.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2019

Before: South High Street at State Street, looking east in 1898.
Before and after historic streetscapes High and State 1898
After: 2017
High and State, Columbus, Ohio

1900-1909

Before: North 4th Street between Broad and Lynn, looking north in 1900.

before and after historic streetscapes

North 4th Street in Columbus, Ohio in 1900.

After: 2021

Before: South 3rd Street, looking north from E. State Street in 1906.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2020

Before: East Spring Street, looking east from N. 5th Street in 1906.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2021

Before: North High Street, looking north just south of Gay Street in 1906.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2020

Before: East State Street just east of 3rd Street, looking east in 1906.

before and after historic streetscapes

East State Street in Columbus, Ohio in 1906.

After: 2016

1910-1919

Before: North High Street, looking southeast from the railroad tracks around 1910.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2021

Before: South 3rd Street, looking southwest in August, 1910.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2021

Before: South High Street, looking north from Cherry Street in 1915.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2021

1930-1939

Before: The Scioto Riverfront, looking south near the Broad Street Bridge in 1930.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2020

1950-1959

Before: Civic Center Drive, looking south in 1951.
Before and After Historic Streetscapes Columbus, Ohio
After: 2017

1960-1969

Before: 167-195 East Main Street, looking east from South 4th Street in 1960.
Before and after historic streetscapes 167-195 E. Main Street
After: 2020
167-195 E. Main Street Columbus, Ohio
Before: 235-239 East Main Street looking east from South 5th Street in 1960.
Before and after historic streetscapes Main Street and 5th Street
After: 2021
235 E. Main Street Columbus, Ohio

Before: North High Street just north of Chestnut, looking south around 1965.
Before and after historic streetscapes High and Chestnut 1965
After: 2023
High and Chestnut Columbus, Ohio

1970-1979

Before: Civic Center Drive at West Broad Street, looking southwest, in 1971.
Before and after historic streetscapes Civic Center Drive
After: 2019
Civic Center Drive Columbus, Ohio

Before: South 4th Street, just south of East Mound, looking north in May, 1976.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2019

South Side

1890-1899

Before: South City Park Avenue at Lansing Street, looking north around 1899.
Before and After Historic Streetscapes City Park Avenue in 1899
After: 2020
Before and After Historic Streetscapes City Park Avenue in 2020

1900-1909

Before: South High Street, looking southwest just north of Beck Street in September, 1907.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2018

1920-1929

Before: Parsons Avenue and Groveport Road, looking east in 1922.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2015

Before: Jaeger Street and Thurman Avenue, looking southwest in 1922.
Before and after historic streetscapes Jaeger and Thurman in 1922
After: 2021
Jaeger and Thurman Columbus, Ohio

West Side

1910-1919

Before: Columbus Railway, Power & Light Company at 1111 W. Broad Street, looking southeast in 1910.

After: 2021

1920-1929

Before: West Broad Street and Hague Avenue, looking west in 1922.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2019

1940-1949

Before: West Broad Street, looking northwest from Hague Avenue in 1945.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2020

1950-1959

Before: West Broad Street at Dana Avenue, looking southeast in 1950.
Before and after historic streetscapes 1370 W. Broad Street
After: 2022
1370 W. Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio

Before: West Goodale Street in Flytown, looking east from Michigan Avenue in November, 1956.
Before and after historic streetscapes West Goodale Street
After: 2021
West Goodale Street Columbus, Ohio

1970-1979

Before: Near 2840 W. Broad Street, looking west in May, 1976.
Before and after historic streetscapes 2840 W. Broad Street
After: 2024
2840 W. Broad Street Columbus, Ohio

East Side

1880-1889

Before: East Broad Street, looking east from Garfield Avenue in 1889.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2021

1930-1939

Before: East Long Street, looking west from 21st Street in 1939.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2017

1940-1949

Before: East Broad Street, looking west from Napoleon Avenue in 1945.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2016

1970-1979

Before: East Main Street, looking east just west of Miller Avenue during and Elks parade on June 14, 1970.
Before and after historic streetscapes East Main Street in 1970
After: 2022
East Main Street in 2022.

Before: Mt. Vernon Avenue, looking northeast from 19th (Miami) Avenue in 1974.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2020

North Side

1900-1909

Before: Chittenden Avenue, facing east from about #400 in 1906
Before and after historic streetscapes Chittenden Avenue
After: 2021

1910-1919

Before: N. High and Goodale, looking north around 1910.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2021

Before: N. 4th Street, looking north at Warren Street in August, 1926
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2021

1940-1949

Before: North High Street, looking east along 13th Avenue in November, 1948.
Before and after historic streetscapes High Street and 13th Avenue
After: 2022
N. High Street and 13th Avenue Columbus, Ohio

Before: North High Street, looking northeast at Oakland Park Avenue in 1945.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2021

1960-1969

Before: North High Street, looking north from 3rd Street in 1966.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2021

1970-1979

Before: North High Street, looking north from Milay Alley in 1972.
Before and After Historic Streetscapes Short North
After: 2022
Short North in 2022

1980-1989

Before: 1960 N. High Street, looking south in 1980.
before and after historic streetscapes
After: 2019

Historic before and after images for other neighborhoods can be found at the Historic Building Database