Columbus

Capital of Ohio, on the Scioto and Olentangy rivers; seat of Franklin County; population (2000 est) 711,500. There are coalfields and natural gas resources nearby, and local industries include the manufacture of cars, aircraft, space equipment, missiles, and electrical goods; it is also a centre for government, banking, and insurance. Columbus was founded in 1812, became the state capital in 1816, and was incorporated as a city in 1834.

Columbus developed in the 19th century as an important transport centre: it was connected to the Ohio and Erie Canal in 1831, and the railroad arrived in 1850; later on it became known for the manufacture of horse-drawn carriages and wagons. During the American Civil War it was the largest prisoner-of-war camp in the North.