Ohio History Journal

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THE ORIGIN OF THE NAME OF THE TOWN OF

THE ORIGIN OF THE NAME OF THE TOWN OF

WORTHINGTON

 

BY HELEN M. DUDLEY

 

The lovely village of Worthington, Ohio, is a charming bit

of old New England set down in the heart of Ohio's Scioto coun-

try, near the pleasant slopes of the Olentangy. Its atmosphere

having been preserved intact by the careful protection of the many

original features attesting its exceptional history, and by the

adaptation of new things to the old, it has the distinction of

being one of the rarest, most precious possessions of the State.

For as years see the continuous destruction of old landmarks

by the ruthless--too often ugly--innovations of "progress," this

village stands out as a community that, from the first, discerned

the value of its heritage, maintained it and built upon it.

Its intrinsic, century-and-a-half-old charm, strangely enough,

is largely due to its having been singularly protected, at crises in

its development, by its failure to secure certain industrial and

political "advantages to its progress"; through losing such ear-

nestly solicited things as the "through East-West road"; and later,

through barely failing to become the state's capital. Such losses,

regarded at the time as calamities, have long since proved especial

blessings; for time has proved that the independence and pro-

tection thus secured to the little incorporated village, by giving

it incentive and opportunity to preserve its individual distinction,

has made it increasingly desirable as a place of residence, until

it may be said to have no rival as "the most attractive suburb of

Columbus."

Several things beside its being the one-hundred-and-fortieth

anniversary of its founding and of the publication of its name,

bring this village to the especial attention of its admirers in this

year of 1943. One is, the re-discovery of a document which sup-

plies direct, decisive evidence as to the naming of the town, along

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