German Village dates back to the early 19th Century, when it was sometimes called called Germantown. Unsurprisingly, by the middle of the 20th Century, the neighborhood had declined significantly, yet still retained the vast majority of its historic buildings. The city of Columbus had it in mind to bulldoze a large part of the neighborhood in the 1950s for public housing, but activists organized against those plans. Instead, in what was one of the first major success stories of Columbus preservation, German Village was saved. The entire area was eventually added onto the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and today it is still the largest historic district on the registry anywhere in the United States. Here are just a few before and after photos around the neighborhood.

Before: Stewart Avenue Elementary School, looking northeast, in 1920.

After: 2017

The school was constructed in 1873 and remains in use today, one of the oldest continuous schools remaining in the city.

Before: City Park Avenue at Lansing Street, looking south, in 1898.

After: 2016

Before: The Max Neugebauer Tailor Shop at 764 Mohawk Street in 1897.

After: 2016

Neugebauer arrived in Columbus in 1887, but it’s unclear when he opened this business.

Before: Beck Street and Mohawk, looking east, in 1950.

After: 2017

German Village was considered a “slum” by 1950, so the before photo would’ve been around the time of the neighborhood’s low point.

Before: Third Street and Beck, looking east, in 1981.

After: 2016

The photo shows a German Village “Haus and Garten Tour” through the neighborhood.