Whitehall is a southeastern suburb of Columbus very close to the Port Columbus International Airport which makes it an ideal place to live if you are a person who travels a lot for work or pleasure. Founded in the late 19th century, Whitehall became a village in 1947. When World War II ended, residential buildings were built in Whitehall because of the demand for housing from returning veterans. Much of this construction consisted of townhouses and twin singles in English Village, Parklawn Manor and the Norton Field subdivision's single-family prefabricated homes. Today, these residential units are still affordable for families and young couples looking for Whitehall real estate.
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Movoto has named Whitehall one of the top ten most affordable Columbus suburbs to live in. Housing is cheaper than the national average with the median home value of $90,000. Whitehall is immediately adjacent to Columbus which gives it an urban/suburban atmosphere. It is not far from Interstate 270 which circles the city of Columbus, making it easy to access other roads for traveling by car. It is also easy to commute by public transportation especially if you are going towards downtown Columbus. Residents can easily get to the Port Columbus Airport or Defense Supply Center for work if they live in Whitehall.
The Defense Supply Center in Whitehall, founded in 1918, was built in that location because of access to three railroad lines. Warehouses built in 1918 are still being used today to store and send supplies to the U.S. armed forces around the world. Shipments from Columbus can easily go out in all directions by truck or train, and can also be shipped by air from the nearby Port Columbus International Airport.
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Whitehall is a diverse community with 57 percent of the population married, 43 percent single with a median age of 34. An ideal suburb for young singles, young couples and families with children, the suburb has concentrations of Latino, Somali and Ethiopian populations as well as other ethnic groups. Some interesting ethnic shops and restaurants in the neighborhood include La Michoacana Mexican Market, King Gyro Greek Restaurant, Indochine Cafe, Asian Supermarket & Gifts, Dire Dawa Grocery Store, Resch’s Bakery and TAT Ristorante di Famiglia. Several of these establishments have been in business for over 15 years. If you are in Whitehall, you can visit several of these shops or restaurants on the same day because of their proximity to each other.
The community also has an active Senior Center that runs activities such as billiards, shuffleboard and electronic bowling leagues, arts and crafts, Tai Chi and ceramics classes and other programs, giving local seniors interesting ways of meeting new people.
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Whitehall has several parks for its residents to use for fun and recreation. All five of the city parks have trails and bike paths, playgrounds and sports fields for family or school outings. You can reserve picnic areas in the parks by contacting the Parks and Recreation Department during warm weather months. Big Walnut Creek flows through Whitehall on its way toward the Scioto River which is pleasant to walk along and listen to the water. The suburb has a vibrant Music in the Park Series that runs weekly in June and July presenting a variety of live music performances in a wide range of musical genres.
Whitehall has a community garden, first planted in 2009, which is sponsored by the East Baptist Church. The garden opens in early May and has 5200 square feet of raised beds for planting. For only a $5.00 fee for the entire growing season, residents can participate and grow their own fresh produce and take classes on gardening and cooking.
Since 2003, Whitehall has hosted a yearly Food Truck & Fun Fest which is a one-day festival that is designed for families. Food trucks from around the Columbus area gather in Whitehall to sell great eats to everyone from toddlers to grandparents. There is live music playing in more than one location at the festival as well as lots of activities for children such as face painting, bounce houses, rock climbing wall and a petting zoo. Besides the food trucks, you can browse craft vendors or just relax with your family and listen to the different bands. Whitehall closes down part of South Yearling Street to host the event. The festival runs from noon to 10 p.m. on a Saturday in July.
