Worthington is a city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States. It is a northern suburb of Columbus. In 2020, about 14,786 people lived there. The city was started in 1803 by a group called the Scioto Company. Their leader was James Kilbourne, who later became a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The city was named after Thomas Worthington, who became the governor of Ohio.

History of Worthington
Geography and Location
Population Information
Local Library
Transportation in Worthington
Education in Worthington
Notable People from Worthington
Images for kids
See also

History of Worthington

Early Settlement

In 1802, a group of people from Connecticut formed the Scioto Company. They wanted to create a new town in Ohio. James Kilbourne was chosen as their president.

They first looked at land near the Scioto River. But on October 5, 1802, they decided to buy land about 30 kilometers (19 miles) north instead. They bought 16,000 acres (about 65 square kilometers) of land for $1.50 an acre. This land was along the Whetstone River, which is now called the Olentangy River.

Organizing the New Town

On May 7, 1803, James Kilbourne arrived at the future site of Worthington. He hired seven workers to start clearing the forest.

On August 10, 1803, the Scioto Company decided to name the village after Thomas Worthington. He was one of Ohio's first senators. They also decided that each member would give $2 to start a library.

The first settlers left Connecticut in September 1803. Ezra Griswold was the first to arrive, traveling by oxcart. By December 1803, Worthington was planned out. It had 160 city lots and a large public green in the center.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1840	440	—
1850	484	10.0%
1860	356	−26.4%
1880	459	—
1890	341	−25.7%
1900	443	29.9%
1910	547	23.5%
1920	705	28.9%
1930	1,239	75.7%
1940	1,569	26.6%
1950	2,141	36.5%
1960	9,239	331.5%
1970	15,326	65.9%
1980	14,956	−2.4%
1990	14,869	−0.6%
2000	14,125	−5.0%
2010	13,575	−3.9%
2015 (est.)	14,498	6.8%
Sources:

Company Ends and Town Grows

By 1804, all the land was divided and deeds were ready. On January 28, 1805, the Scioto Company finished its work and was officially closed.

In 1808, the Worthington Academy was started. A brick building was built for it. Its bell is now at Kilbourne Middle School. That same year, James Kilbourne built a commercial building for a newspaper. This building is still in use today at 679-681 High Street. It is the oldest commercial building in Ohio that has been used continuously.

In 1811, Ezra Griswold built a large brick tavern. The Orange Johnson house was also built that year.

Worthington During the War of 1812

During the War of 1812, some Worthington soldiers joined General William Hull's army. They were surrendered in Detroit in 1812. General William Henry Harrison used Worthington as a headquarters in October 1812. Two Worthington men, Zophar Topping and Luther Palmer, died during the war.

Aurora Buttles House in Worthington, built in 1818

Continued Growth and Development

On May 24, 1813, James Kilbourne became a member of the United States House of Representatives.

In 1817, President James Monroe visited Worthington. Also in 1817, Philander Chase moved to Worthington. He became the first leader of St. John's Episcopal Church. He also led churches in Columbus and Delaware. In 1818, Rev. Chase became the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio. He started Kenyon College in Worthington.

From the 1820s until the Civil War, Worthington grew slowly. In 1820, Aurora Buttles built a Masonic hall. In 1826, the Columbus and Sandusky Turnpike was built. This road, now U.S. Route 23, connected the center of Ohio to Lake Erie. This made High Street even more important.

Louis Noble House, built in 1863

The Civil War Era

In September 1861, Captain William Piney and 14 men from Worthington joined the 46th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. This group trained at Camp Lyon, southwest of the village. They suffered many losses at the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862.

Post-War Expansion

After the Civil War, Worthington continued to develop. In 1866, the Bishop House became the Union Hotel, now known as the Worthington Inn. In 1873, the Worthington School was finished. The first class from Worthington High School graduated in 1880.

In 1931, the Pontifical College Josephinum, a Roman Catholic college, moved just north of Worthington. It is still there today.

High Street in 1948

Geography and Location

Worthington is located at 40°5′29″N 83°1′15″W / 40.09139°N 83.02083°W / 40.09139; -83.02083.

The city covers about 14.58 square kilometers (5.63 square miles). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.

Worthington and the nearby city of Riverlea are surrounded by Columbus. This means they are like islands within Columbus.

Major roads that go through or near Worthington include Interstate 270, United States Route 23, Ohio State Route 161, and Ohio State Route 315. Interstate 71 passes just east of the city.

Worthington is almost completely surrounded by Columbus, except for a small part that borders Perry Township to the west.

Population Information

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1840	440	—
1850	484	10.0%
1860	356	−26.4%
1880	459	—
1890	341	−25.7%
1900	443	29.9%
1910	547	23.5%
1920	705	28.9%
1930	1,239	75.7%
1940	1,569	26.6%
1950	2,141	36.5%
1960	9,239	331.5%
1970	15,326	65.9%
1980	14,956	−2.4%
1990	14,869	−0.6%
2000	14,125	−5.0%
2010	13,575	−3.9%
2020	14,786	8.9%
Sources: 2020

According to the 2010 census, Worthington had 13,575 people living there. There were 5,691 households.

About 93% of the people were White, 2.2% were African American, and 2.3% were Asian. About 1.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in the city was 44.9 years old. About 23.2% of residents were under 18.

Local Library

The Worthington Public Library serves the community. It has three different branches. In 2015, the library loaned out over 3.2 million items. It had 79,500 people with library cards. This makes it one of the busiest libraries in Ohio. The library has more than 473,000 books and other materials.

Transportation in Worthington

Worthington's downtown area is centered around the crossing of Ohio State Route 161 and U.S. Route 23. The 315 expressway is to the west, and Interstate 71 is to the east. Interstate 270, a highway that goes around Columbus, also passes through the northern part of Worthington.

Public transportation in Worthington is limited. The Central Ohio Transit Authority has one bus line, 102, that runs along High Street. The only train line near Worthington is a Norfolk Southern Railway line.

The Ohio State University Airport is the closest airport for small planes. For bigger flights, people use John Glenn Columbus International Airport or Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus.

Education in Worthington

Worthington Kilbourne High School

Worthington Schools runs the public schools in the city.

The two main high schools are Thomas Worthington High School and Worthington Kilbourne High School. The Linworth Alternative Program is also located in the city.

The office for the Columbus Japanese Language School is in Worthington. This school helps Japanese-speaking students learn on weekends. The classes are held in Marysville.

The Ohio Contemporary Chinese School (OCCS) also holds classes at Worthington Kilbourne. It helps Chinese American students learn.

St. Michael's is a private Roman Catholic school. It was started in Worthington in 1954.

Notable People from Worthington

Gary Berry, a defensive back for the Green Bay Packers.
Earle Bruce, a football coach for Ohio State University.
Casey Close, a Sports agent.
Susan Diol, an actress.
Colin Gawel, lead singer and guitarist of the band Watershed.
Maggie Grace, an actress.
Rachael Harris, an actress and comedian.
John Wesley Hoyt, the third Governor of Wyoming Territory.
Pat McCrory, a long-serving mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Eldon Miller, an OSU basketball coach.
Betty Montgomery, a former Ohio Attorney General and Auditor.
J. R. Niklos, an NFL fullback.
Danny O'Rourke, an MLS soccer player.
Troy Perkins, a former professional soccer goalkeeper.
Michael R. Perry, an Emmy Award-winning television and film writer.
Jack Plotnick, an actor.
Roswell S. Ripley, a Confederate brigadier general during the Civil War.
Claire Shipman, an ABC news correspondent.
J. K. Simmons, an Academy Award-winning actor.
Jeff Smith, a Cartoonist known for the Bone comics.
Nick Swisher, a former MLB baseball player.
Dana Tyler, a New York City CBS news anchor.

Images for kids

High Street in 2010
Flag of Worthington, Ohio
Logo of Worthington, Ohio
High Street in 1948

Worthington, Ohio facts for kids

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