Category Archives: Columbus Maps

Immigrant Place of Birth Map

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Columbus has a rapidly-growing immigrant population, with nearly 13% of the total population being foreign-born in 2020. But where exactly are these immigrant coming from, and where are they settling down in Columbus and Franklin County? To answer these questions, I visited the US Census and made this immigrant place of birth map from the raw data.

Click on any census tract to see the total immigrant population in 2020, a percentage breakdown by continent of origin and the top 5 nations of origin for each tract.

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From the map, we can see that the Northwest and Northeast parts of Columbus and Franklin County are dominated by immigrants of Asian origin. Hilltop, Linden and parts of the Southeast are much more North American in origin, with the 161/Morse corridors and the Far East largely have African origins. There are relatively few South American or European dominated areas, but they do exist scattered about.
Some common misconceptions are debunked, however. Hilltop through Lincoln Village has long been thought to be the hub of the Mexican immigrant population, but several Latin American nations have significant populations there, including Honduras, El Salvador and Colombia. Many Mexicans seem to be settling in the Linden area now, instead. Meanwhile, Somalia is often considered as the origin of many immigrants in the Morse/161 corridors, and while that population does exist there, these corridors are far more diverse than common thinking.

2020 census tract maps are currently available for all sorts of other demographic and population data. This information in tract format is generally available for Columbus going back to 1930.



Strange Columbus Atomic Bomb Evacuation Routes

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In this short edition of Strange Columbus Things, we look at Ohio’s atomic bomb evacuation routes.
Back in the 1950s, many were still grappling with the implications of the birth of the Atomic Age. The US was busily testing bombs both on and outside of US soil, and souring relationships with international adversaries presented the threat of nuclear war. In March, 1955, the director of Ohio’s Civil Defense, Major General Leo M. Kreber, release evacuation routes for Ohio’s major cities should an attack take place.

Strange Columbus Atomic Bomb Evacuation Routes

For Columbus, it was either north or south. In the description of why these directions are preferred, it was suggested that it was to prevent conflict with evacuees from the Dayton area to the west, but in reality, the truth is much darker.
In the event of a nuclear attack, it wouldn’t just be Columbus. Dayton and Cincinnati would also be hit, and due to prevailing winds in this part of the world, fallout would generally move eastward. Therefore, the safest routes were thought to be up towards Morrow County or south and southeast towards Hocking County.
The logic hasn’t changed much in the past 70 years. North and south would still be the safest evacuation routes. However, evacuation from targeted locations would only offer temporary refuge. The cruel reality is that in the event of a true, global nuclear war, few places anywhere on the planet would be left unscathed. If not destroyed by bombs or irradiated by fallout, nuclear winter would bring incredibly devastation to most of the planet, even those completely untouched by bombs.
As true today as it was in 1955, the only way to really be safe is for no one to ever push the button.

To continue looking into local history, visit the history links page or Ohio’s role in the atomic bomb’s creation, Ohio History Central offers additional information.