Hilltop, Columbus, Ohio
| Hilltop, Columbus | |
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| Neighborhood of Columbus | |
Hilltop, USA sign welcoming visitors to area
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 Hilltop, Columbus
Hilltop, Columbus
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| Coordinates: 39°57′0″N 83°5′0″W / 39.95000°N 83.08333°WCoordinates: 39°57′0″N 83°5′0″W / 39.95000°N 83.08333°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Ohio |
| County | Franklin |
| City | Columbus |
Hilltop is one of the largest neighborhoods in Columbus, Ohio which is located west of the Franklinton area. The Greater Hilltop area contains newer and historic neighborhoods, schools, various stores, industrial areas, and recreational facilities. The development pattern is considered a distinct suburb. The majority of the area is predominantly single family residential.
The name of this area derives from Lucas Sullivant, who was first deeded this land. For a time the area was known as “Sullivant’s Hill” and as time went on, the ownership of the land was transferred and the name was changed to the Hilltop. As the area is an assortment of smaller neighborhoods, the Greater Hilltop is used in some publications to describe this neighborhood, while Hilltop is also used and is a name that helped combine them all.
The first inhabitants of this area were Native Americans, whose remains are scattered throughout the area. This area was vital due to its geographical characteristics, as the hill which became its namesake as well as its surrounding fertile land.Lucas Sullivant came to this land in 1795 and became the first man to be granted a deed. Sullivant chose to reside in the Franklinton area while giving 1600 acres of land to his sons, making them the first landowners in Hilltop. The land stayed within the family for over a hundred years, as the land was transferred from heir to heir.
During this early period, Hilltop remained a largely rural area, with a number of farmers producing corn, cloverseed and hay as well as raising livestock. The National Road or Route 40 was the first major development in the area. This road, which later became known as Broad Street, was built in the 1830s and become home to various landmarks such as the Four-Mile House and the Jaybird Hotel. One of the most important establishments of this era was Camp Chase, a staging and training ground for the Union during the Civil War. It was also known as the largest prisoner camp in the north, with over 9,000 prisoners in 1865. Upon the camp's closing, a small portion became a cemetery and memorial for Confederate soldiers.
The Hilltop Area was once home to the Columbus State Hospital for the Insane. Built towards the end of the 19th century in 1870, this hospital was a staple of the neighborhood and its impact has been felt ever since. Bordered by Broad St. to the south and Wheatland Ave. to the west, this site served as a gateway into the community. The style of this hospital was very similar to a hospital in Athens, Ohio, yet significantly larger. This building followed the Kirkbride Plan, a system established to provide "air and sunlight" in order to cure its patients. The building was closed in the 1980s, in which it was torn down and replaced bt offices of the Ohio Department of Public Safety and Ohio Department of Transportation. This hospital as well as the Columbus State Institute employed nearly 450 people, many of which lived in Hilltop.
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Wikipedia