Most Liberal and Conservative Areas




Most liberal and conservative areas Columbus, Ohio

The most liberal and conservative areas of Columbus and Franklin County are somewhat debatable because the definitions of the terms are subjective to a degree. That said, to simplify things, I am basically just using Republican as conservative and Democratic as liberal/progressive. From there, I looked at the past 3 presidential election results for all of Franklin County down to the precinct level. I compared overall voting margins, trends and other factors. So what were the results?

In the rankings, green places are those that moved up versus the previous election, and red are those that moved down. Black and blue did not change.

Total Democratic Votes by Area by Election

Rank

2008

2012

2016

2020

1

Columbus: 232,494

Columbus: 240,983

Columbus: 241,243

Columbus: 271,782

2

Upper Arlington: 10,738

Upper Arlington: 10,409

Upper Arlington: 12,414

Upper Arlington: 15,022

3

Gahanna: 9,645

Gahanna: 9,813

Gahanna: 10,449

Dublin: 13,302

4

Dublin: 7,945

Westerville: 7,959

Dublin: 9,557

Gahanna: 13,121

5

Westerville: 7,740

Dublin: 7,892

Hilliard: 8,709

Hilliard: 11,976

6

Reynoldsburg: 7,233

Grove City: 7,843

Westerville: 8,412

Westerville: 10,705

7

Grove City: 7,133

Reynoldsburg: 7,746

Reynoldsburg: 7,430

Grove City: 9,370

8

Hilliard: 6,908

Hilliard: 7,653

Grove City: 7,315

Reynoldsburg: 8,635

9

Worthington: 5,100

Worthington: 5,197

Worthington: 5,876

Worthington: 7,145

10

Bexley: 4,929

Whitehall: 4,960

Bexley: 5,532

Bexley: 6,179

11

Whitehall: 4,449

Bexley: 4,737

Whitehall: 4,446

Whitehall: 4,660

12

Prairie Township: 3,503

Prairie Township: 3,611

Grandview Heights: 3,165

Jefferson Township: 4,383

13

Grandview Heights: 2,798

Grandview Heights: 2,817

Jefferson Township: 2,983

Grandview Heights: 3,977

14

Jefferson Township: 2,503

Jefferson Township: 2,618

Prairie Township: 2,835

New Albany: 3,607

15

Madison Township: 2,405

Madison Township: 2,608

New Albany: 2,535

Prairie Township: 3,196

16

Blendon Township: 1,792

Blendon Township: 1,899

Madison Township: 2,187

Madison Township: 2,489

17

New Albany: 1,557

Franklin Township: 1,648

Blendon Township: 1,818

Blendon Township: 2,370

18

Franklin Township: 1,461

New Albany: 1,633

Canal Winchester: 1,437

Canal Winchester: 1,973

19

Pleasant Township: 1,362

Canal Winchester: 1,507

Perry Township: 1,340

Perry Township: 1,685

20

Canal Winchester: 1,355

Groveport: 1,387

Franklin Township: 1,246

Groveport: 1,572

21

Groveport: 1,250

Pleasant Township: 1,365

Groveport: 1,246

Franklin Township: 1,323

22

Perry Township: 1,180

Perry Township: 1,168

Norwich Township: 1,067

Norwich Township: 1,283

23

Norwich Township: 1,037

Norwich Township: 1,030

Pleasant Township: 1,026

Pleasant Township: 1,130

24

Clinton Township: 1,033

Clinton Township: 1,028

Clinton Township: 938

Clinton Township: 1,032

25

Hamilton Township: 942

Hamilton Township: 992

Obetz: 780

Obetz: 948

26

Obetz: 820

Obetz: 924

Sharon Township: 674

Minerva Park: 869

27

Jackson Township: 772

Jackson Township: 792

Hamilton Township: 606

Sharon Township: 812

28

Mifflin Township: 660

Mifflin Township: 690

Jackson Township: 600

Jackson Township: 685

29

Sharon Township: 643

Sharon Township: 643

Mifflin Township: 554

Brown Township: 630

30

Brown Township: 525

Brown Township: 504

Brown Township: 497

Hamilton Township: 596

31

Minerva Park: 441

Minerva Park: 432

Minerva Park: 455

Mifflin Township: 544

32

Plain Township: 383

Plain Township: 392

Plain Township: 379

Plain Township: 517

33

Truro Township: 339

Truro Township: 351

Truro Township: 340

Truro Township: 360

34

Urbancrest: 257

Urbancrest: 299

Marble Cliff: 293

Riverlea: 343

35

Riverlea: 215

Riverlea: 251

Riverlea: 273

Marble Cliff: 341

36

Marble Cliff: 213

Marble Cliff: 244

Urbancrest: 271

Urbancrest: 247

37

Washington Township: 209

Washington Township: 206

Washington Township: 168

Washington Township: 199

38

Valleyview: 134

Valleyview: 142

Valleyview: 102

Valleyview: 136

Total Republican Votes by Area by Election

Rank

2008

2012

2016

2020

1

Columbus: 107,574

Columbus: 105,050

Columbus: 99,575

Columbus: 104,835

2

Upper Arlington: 11,595

Upper Arlington: 12,225

Grove City: 11,750

Grove City: 13,275

3

Dublin: 10,925

Dublin: 11,804

Dublin: 9,145
Dublin: 10,175

4

Grove City: 10,733

Grove City: 10,762

Upper Arlington: 8,997

Upper Arlington: 8,978

5

Gahanna: 9,488

Gahanna: 9,470

Gahanna: 8,353

Hilliard: 8,877

6

Westerville: 9,129

Westerville: 8,965

Hilliard: 8,057

Gahanna: 8,316

7

Hilliard: 8,273

Hilliard: 8,731

Westerville: 7,366

Westerville: 7,458

8

Reynoldsburg: 6,164

Reynoldsburg: 5,636

Reynoldsburg: 5,264

Reynoldsburg: 5,218

9

Worthington: 4,030

Worthington: 4,110

Prairie Township: 4,078

Prairie Township: 4,448

10

Prairie Township: 4,010

Prairie Township: 3,597

Jefferson Township: 3,057

Jefferson Township: 3,516

11

Jefferson Township: 3,117

Jefferson Township: 3,396

Worthington: 2,931

New Albany: 2,996

12

Bexley: 2,834

New Albany: 3,222

Madison Township: 2,666

Worthington: 2,899

13

Madison Township: 2,803

Bexley: 2,963

New Albany: 2,620

Madison Township: 2,833

14

Whitehall: 2,701

Madison Township: 2,437

Pleasant Township: 2,384

Pleasant Township: 2,765

15

New Albany: 2,495

Pleasant Township: 2,202

Canal Winchester: 2,240

Canal Winchester: 2,404

16

Pleasant Township: 2,281

Canal Winchester: 2,189

Whitehall: 2,163

Whitehall: 2,252

17

Canal Winchester: 2,163

Whitehall: 2,114

Bexley: 1,919

Bexley: 1,891

18

Blendon Township: 1,914

Blendon Township: 1,836

Jackson Township: 1,673

Jackson Township: 1,810

19

Jackson Township: 1,602

Jackson Township: 1,538

Blendon Township: 1,669

Franklin Township: 1,781

20

Franklin Township: 1,598

Groveport: 1,506

Franklin Township: 1,616

Blendon Township: 1,749

21

Groveport: 1,586

Perry Township: 1,495

Groveport: 1,580

Groveport: 1,747

22

Perry Township: 1,459

Grandview Heights: 1,440

Hamilton Township: 1,362

Hamilton Township: 1,582

23

Grandview Heights: 1,428

Norwich Township: 1,430

Obetz: 1,223

Obetz: 1,439

24

Norwich Township: 1,420

Franklin Township: 1,375

Norwich Township: 1,221

Grandview Heights: 1,339

25

Hamilton Township: 1,342

Hamilton Township: 1,138

Grandview Heights: 1,155

Norwich Township: 1,262

26

Obetz: 992

Brown Township: 947

Perry Township: 1,116

Perry Township: 1,076

27

Brown Township: 907

Obetz: 937

Brown Township: 897

Brown Township: 923

28

Plain Township: 768

Plain Township: 762

Plain Township: 716

Plain Township: 713

29

Sharon Township: 593

Sharon Township: 557

Clinton Township: 490

Clinton Township: 521

30

Clinton Township: 580

Clinton Township: 496

Sharon Township: 463

Sharon Township: 455

31

Minerva Park: 416

Minerva Park: 387

Mifflin Township: 313

Minerva Park: 378

32

Truro Township: 288

Washington Township: 269

Minerva Park: 306

Mifflin Township: 299

33

Washington Township: 273

Truro Township: 256

Washington Township: 283

Washington Township: 295

34

Valleyview: 180

Mifflin Township: 252

Riverlea: 273

Truro Township: 250

35

Marble Cliff: 178

Marble Cliff: 200

Truro Township: 238

Valleyview: 178

36

Riverlea: 150

Riverlea: 147

Valleyview: 164

Marble Cliff: 144

37

Urbancrest: 36

Valleyview: 135

Marble Cliff: 159

Riverlea: 93

38

Mifflin Township: 32

Urbancrest: 21

Urbancrest: 35

Urbancrest: 62

Areas by % of Total Votes that were Democratic

Rank

2008

2012

2016

2020

1

Urbancrest: 86.53

Urbancrest: 92.0

Urbancrest: 86.03

Urbancrest: 76.95

2

Columbus: 66.93

Mifflin Township: 71.5

Riverlea: 68.77

Riverlea: 76.05

3

Mifflin Township: 65.09

Whitehall: 68.54

Bexley: 68.5

Bexley: 74.98

4

Grandview Heights: 64.99

Columbus: 68.12

Grandview Heights: 67.95

Grandview Heights: 73.27

5

Bexley: 62.54

Clinton Township: 65.56

Columbus: 65.93

Columbus: 70.35

6

Clinton Township: 61.38

Grandview Heights: 64.49

Whitehall: 62.98

Worthington: 69.5

7

Whitehall: 60.04

Riverlea: 62.59

Mifflin Township: 61.01

Marble Cliff: 68.89

8

Riverlea: 57.95

Bexley: 60.65

Worthington: 60.62

Minerva Park: 68.26

9

Worthington: 54.8

Reynoldsburg: 56.73

Clinton Township: 60.32

Whitehall: 65.39

10

Marble Cliff: 53.79

Truro Township: 56.52

Marble Cliff: 60.29

Clinton Township: 64.91

11

Reynoldsburg: 52.74

Worthington: 54.69

Sharon Township: 54.8

Sharon Township: 62.7

12

Truro Township: 52.56

Marble Cliff: 54.1

Truro Township: 54.75

Mifflin Township: 62.67

13

Sharon Township: 50.87

Franklin Township: 52.82

Minerva Park: 54.69

Upper Arlington: 61.01

14

Minerva Park: 50.34

Sharon Township: 52.62

Reynoldsburg: 54.59

Reynoldsburg: 60.8

15

Gahanna: 49.45

Minerva Park: 51.31

Upper Arlington: 53.26

Gahanna: 59.69

16

Upper Arlington: 47.25

Madison Township: 50.4

Gahanna: 51.07

Perry Township: 59.23

17

Blendon Township: 47.24

Gahanna: 49.9

Perry Township: 49.94

Truro Township: 57.6

18

Franklin Township: 45.56

Valleyview: 49.82

Westerville: 48.19

Westerville: 57.5

19

Prairie Township: 45.29

Blendon Township: 49.58

Hilliard: 47.38

Hilliard: 55.99

20

Westerville: 45.02

Prairie Township: 48.54

Dublin: 46.95

Blendon Township: 55.82

21

Madison Township: 44.88

Obetz: 48.23

Blendon Township: 46.86

Dublin: 55.37

22

Hilliard: 44.61

Groveport: 46.99

New Albany: 46.12

Jefferson Township: 54.25

23

Perry Township: 43.85

Westerville: 45.96

Jefferson Township: 45.63

New Albany: 53.67

24

Jefferson Township: 43.79

Hilliard: 45.81

Norwich Township: 42.9

Norwich Township: 49.03

25

Obetz: 43.76

Upper Arlington: 45.17

Madison Township: 42.09

Groveport: 46.63

26

Groveport: 42.78

Hamilton Township: 45.11

Groveport: 40.97

Madison Township: 45.57

27

Washington Township: 42.39

Perry Township: 42.99

Franklin Township: 40.91

Canal Wincheseter: 44.1

28

Valleyview: 41.88

Jefferson Township: 42.78

Prairie Township: 38.02

Valleyview: 42.77

29

Dublin: 41.54

Washington Township: 42.65

Canal Winchester: 36.39

Plain Township: 41.1

30

Norwich Township: 41.41

Grove City: 41.19

Obetz: 36.38

Franklin Township: 41.58

31

Hamilton Township: 39.68

Norwich Township: 41.15

Grove City: 35.57

Prairie Township: 40.84

32

Grove City: 38.93

Canal Winchester: 40.14

Valleyview: 35.29

Grove City: 40.4

33

New Albany: 37.97

Dublin: 39.43

Washington Township: 34.57

Washington Township: 39.41

34

Canal Winchester: 37.7

Pleasant Township: 37.41

Brown Township: 33.0

Brown Township: 39.23

35

Pleasant Township: 36.24

Brown Township: 34.03

Plain Township: 32.34

Obetz: 38.65

36

Brown Township: 35.93

New Albany: 33.2

Hamilton Township: 28.61

Pleasant Township: 28.41

37

Plain Township: 32.46

Jackson Township: 33.19

Pleasant Township: 28.09

Jackson Township: 26.9

38

Jackson Township: 31.59

Plain Township: 33.19

Jackson Township: 24.71

Hamilton Township: 26.82

Areas by % of Total Votes that were Republican

Rank

2008

2012

2016

2020

1

Jackson Township: 65.55

New Albany: 65.51

Jackson Township: 68.9

Hamilton Township: 71.2

2

Plain Township: 65.08

Plain Township: 64.52

Pleasant Township: 65.28

Jackson Township: 71.09

3

Brown Township: 62.08

Jackson Township: 64.46

Hamilton Township: 64.31

Pleasant Township: 69.52

4

New Albany: 60.84

Brown Township: 63.94

Plain Township: 61.09

Obetz: 58.66

5

Pleasant Township: 60.7

Pleasant Township: 60.35

Brown Township: 59.56

Washington Township: 58.42

6

Canal Winchester: 60.18

Dublin: 58.98

Washington Township: 58.23

Brown Township: 57.47

7

Grove City: 58.58

Canal Winchester: 58.31

Grove City: 57.14

Grove City: 57.24

8

Dublin: 57.12

Norwich Township: 57.13

Obetz: 57.04

Prairie Township: 56.84

9

Norwich Township: 56.71

Grove City: 56.52

Valleyview: 56.75

Plain Township: 56.68

10

Hamilton Township: 56.53

Washington Township: 55.69

Canal Winchester: 56.72

Franklin Township: 55.97

11

Valleyview: 56.25

Jefferson Township: 55.5

Prairie Township: 54.69

Valleyview: 55.97

12

Washington Township: 55.38

Perry Township: 55.02

Franklin Township: 53.05

Canal Winchester: 53.73

13

Jefferson Township: 54.53

Upper Arlington: 53.05

Groveport: 51.96

Madison Township: 51.87

14

Groveport: 54.28

Hilliard: 52.26

Madison Township: 51.31

Groveport: 51.82

15

Perry Township: 54.22

Westerville: 51.77

Norwich Township: 49.1

Norwich Township: 48.22

16

Hilliard: 53.42

Hamilton Township: 51.75

New Albany: 47.66

New Albany: 44.58

17

Westerville: 53.1

Groveport: 51.02

Jefferson Township: 46.76

Jefferson Township: 43.52

18

Obetz: 52.93

Obetz: 48.9

Dublin: 44.93

Dublin: 42.35

19

Madison Township: 52.3

Prairie Township: 48.35

Hilliard: 43.83

Hilliard: 41.5

20

Prairie Township: 51.85

Gahanna: 48.15

Blendon Township: 43.02

Blendon Township: 41.19

21

Upper Arlington: 51.02

Blendon Township: 47.94

Westerville: 42.2

Westerville: 40.06

22

Blendon Township: 50.46

Valleyview: 47.37

Perry Township: 41.6

Truro Township: 40.0

23

Franklin Township: 49.83

Madison Township: 47.09

Gahanna: 40.82

Gahanna: 37.83

24

Gahanna: 48.65

Minerva Park: 45.96

Reynoldsburg: 38.68

Perry Township: 37.82

25

Minerva Park: 47.49

Sharon Township: 45.58

Upper Arlington: 38.6

Reynoldsburg: 36.74

26

Sharon Township: 46.91

Marble Cliff: 44.35

Truro Township: 38.33

Upper Arlington: 36.46

27

Marble Cliff: 44.95

Franklin Township: 44.07

Sharon Township: 37.64

Sharon Township: 35.14

28

Reynoldsburg: 44.95

Worthington: 43.25

Minerva Park: 36.78

Mifflin Township: 34.45

29

Truro Township: 44.65

Reynoldsburg: 41.28

Mifflin Township: 34.47

Clinton Township: 32.77

30

Worthington: 43.31

Truro Township: 41.22

Marble Cliff: 32.72

Whitehall: 31.6

31

Riverlea: 40.43

Bexley: 37.94

Clinton Township: 31.51

Minerva Park: 29.69

32

Whitehall: 36.45

Riverlea: 36.66

Whitehall: 30.64

Marble Cliff: 29.09

33

Bexley: 35.96

Grandview Heights: 32.97

Worthington: 30.24

Worthington: 28.2

34

Clinton Township: 34.46

Clinton Township: 31.63

Columbus: 27.21

Columbus: 27.14

35

Grandview Heights: 33.17

Columbus: 29.7

Grandview Heights: 24.8

Grandview Heights: 24.67

36

Mifflin Township: 31.76

Whitehall: 29.21

Bexley: 23.76

Bexley: 22.95

37

Columbus: 30.97

Mifflin Township: 26.11

Riverlea: 21.91

Riverlea: 20.62

38

Urbancrest: 12.12

Urbancrest: 6.46

Urbancrest: 11.11

Urbancrest: 19.31

Areas Ranked by Margin between Democratic and Republican Votes
Negative numbers are Democratic leads, positive are Republican

Rank

2008

2012

2016

2020

1

Urbancrest: -74.41

Urbancrest: -85.54

Urbancrest: -74.92

Urbancrest: -57.63

2

Columbus: -35.96

Mifflin Township: -45.39

Riverlea: -46.85

Riverlea: -55.43

3

Mifflin Township: -33.33

Whitehall: -39.33

Bexley: -44.74

Bexley: -52.03

4

Grandview Heights: -31.82

Columbus: -38.43

Grandview Heights: -43.15

Grandview Heights: -48.6

5

Clinton Tonwship: -26.92

Clinton Township: -33.93

Columbus: -38.72

Columbus: -43.21

6

Bexley: -26.58

Grandview Heights: -31.52

Whitehall: -32.34

Worthington: -41.3

7

Whitehall: -23.59

Riverlea: -25.94

Worthington: -30.38

Marble Cliff: -39.8

8

Riverlea: -17.52

Bexley: -22.71

Clinton Township: -28.81

Minerva Park: -38.57

9

Worthington: -11.49

Reynoldsburg: -15.45

Marble Cliff: -27.57

Whitehall: -33.79

10

Marble Cliff: -8.84

Truro Township: -15.3

Mifflin Township: -26.54

Clinton Township: -32.14

11

Truro Township: -7.91

Worthington: -11.44

Minerva Park: -17.91

Mifflin Township: -28.23

12

Reynoldsburg: -7.79

Marble Cliff: -9.76

Sharon Township: -17.15

Sharon Township: -27.57

13

Sharon Township: -3.96

Franklin Township: -8.75

Truro Township: -16.43

Upper Arlington: -24.55

14

Minerva Park: -2.85

Sharon Township: -7.04

Reynoldsburg: -15.91

Reynoldsburg: -24.06

15

Gahanna: -0.8

Minerva Park: -5.34

Upper Arlington: -14.66

Gahanna: -21.86

16

Blendon Township: 3.22

Madison Township: -3.3

Gahanna: -10.24

Perry Township: -21.41

17

Upper Arlington: 3.77

Valleyview: -2.46

Perry Township: -8.35

Truro Township: -17.6

18

Franklin Township: 4.27

Gahanna: -1.74

Westerville: -5.99

Westerville: -17.44

19

Prairie Township: 6.56

Blendon Township: -1.64

Blendon Township: -3.84

Blendon Township: -14.63

20

Madison Township: 7.42

Prairie Township: -0.19

Hilliard: -3.55

Hilliard: -14.49

21

Westerville: 8.08

Obetz: 0.68

Dublin: -2.02

Dublin: -13.02

22

Hilliard: 8.81

Groveport: 4.03

Jefferson Township: 1.13

Jefferson Township: -10.73

23

Obetz: 9.17

Westerville: 5.81

New Albany: 1.55

New Albany: -9.09

24

Perry Township: 10.37

Hilliard: 6.45

Norwich Township: 6.19

Norwich Township: -0.8

25

Jefferson Township: 10.74

Hamilton Township: 6.64

Madison Township: 9.22

Groveport: 5.19

26

Groveport: 11.5

Upper Arlington: 7.88

Groveport: 10.98

Madison Township: 6.3

27

Washington Township: 12.99

Perry Township: 12.04

Franklin Township: 12.15

Canal Winchester: 9.63

28

Valleyview: 14.37

Jefferson Township: 12.71

Prairie Township: 16.67

Valleyview: 13.21

29

Norwich Township: 15.3

Washington Township: 13.04

Canal Winchester: 20.33

Franklin Township: 14.39

30

Dublin: 15.58

Grove City: 15.33

Obetz: 20.66

Plain Township: 15.58

31

Hamilton Township: 16.85

Norwich Township: 15.98

Valleyview: 21.45

Prairie Township: 16.0

32

Grove City: 19.65

Canal Winchester: 18.17

Grove City: 21.57

Grove City: 16.84

33

Canal Winchester: 22.48

Dublin: 19.55

Washington Township: 23.66

Brown Township: 18.24

34

New Albany: 22.87

Pleasant Township: 22.94

Brown Township: 26.56

Washington Township: 19.01

35

Pleasant Township: 24.46

Brown Township: 29.91

Plain Township: 28.75

Obetz: 20.02

36

Brown Township: 26.15

Jackson Township: 31.27

Hamilton Township: 35.69

Pleasant Township: 41.11

37

Plain Township: 32.62

Plain Township: 31.33

Pleasant Township: 37.19

Jackson Township: 44.19

38

Jackson Township: 33.96

New Albany: 32.31

Jackson Township: 44.19

Hamilton Township: 44.37

Overall, most places in Franklin County have moved strongly left in the past 3 elections. The few areas that did not tended to be more rural towns and townships. Most of Columbus’ major suburbs now vote strongly Democratic, with the notable exceptions of Grove City and Canal Winchester.

The most conservative place in Franklin County as recently as 2020 was Hamilton Township, with the most liberal being Urbancrest. Urbancrest is a tiny, diverse neighborhood north of Grove City. In recent years, it’s been becoming less diverse, though, which may explain why its Democratic margins have been getting smaller.

Finally, the overall margin change from 2008-2020.

Rank

2008-2020

1

Riverlea: -37.91

2

Minerva Park: -35.72

3

New Albany: -31.96

4

Perry Township: -31.78

5

Marble Cliff: -30.96

6

Worthington: -29.81

7

Dublin: -28.6

8

Upper Alrington: -28.32

9

Westerville: -25.52

10

Bexley: -25.45

11

Sharon Township: -23.61

12

Hilliard: -23.3

13

Jefferson Township: -21.47

14

Gahanna: -21.06

15

Blendon Township: -17.85

16

Plain Township: -17.05

17

Grandview Heights: -16.78

18

Reynoldsburg: -16.27

19

Norwich Township: -16.1

20

Canal Winchester: -12.85

21

Whitehall: -10.2

22

Truro Township: -9.69

23

Brown Township: -7.91

24

Columbus: -7.25

25

Groveport: -6.31

26

Clinton Township: -5.22

27

Grove City: -2.81

28

Valleyview: -11.16

29

Madison Township: -1.13

30

Mifflin Township: 5.1

31

Washington Township: 6.02

32

Prairie Township: 9.44

33

Franklin Township: 10.12

34

Jackson Township: 10.23

35

Obetz: 10.85

36

Pleasant Township: 16.66

37

Urbancrest: 16.78

38

Hamilton Township: 27.52

Past election maps for past elections in Ohio are also available. And if you are interested in where these places are, here is a voting district map for Franklin County.



Strange Columbus The 1955 OSU Explosion




the 1955 OSU explosion Columbus, Ohio

In this short installment of Strange Columbus, we talk about the 1955 OSU Explosion that occurred early on the morning of Thursday, January 6th. The event happened at the War Research Building on Ohio State’s main campus. Half a pound of pyridine exploded during an experiment, though there were no injuries as the lab was unoccupied at the time of the explosion.
The blast shattered four windows on the 2nd floor of the building, and generally caused a mess in the lab itself. However, because no fire occurred during the event, damage was described as light. Several pieces of lab equipment were sent to the Columbus Fire Department to be checked out for further danger, but the event was labeled a freak accident. It went unmentioned in the local news as to the nature of the experiment and why explosive materials were being used.
The exact building this occurred in seems unclear, as old articles do not mention the location.
Unfortunately, this event would be far from the last in terms of university lab accidents.

Columbus has far less explosive history to discover.