Only about 20 minutes commute from downtown Columbus, Worthington is a suburb that sits north of the city with a sizeable population of 13,575 as of the 2010 census. Worthington real estate is a mix of styles including many Craftsman and Colonial homes. Originally founded in 1803 by families from New England, Worthington became one of the Midwest's first planned neighborhoods. Founder James Kilbourne planned a New England-style village layout surrounding a central village square for community gatherings. Worthington officially became a suburb of Columbus in 1893 when they were connected by electric street railway.
The suburb is easy to access due to its location at the intersection of U.S. State Routes 23 and 161, just off of the Interstate 270 which circles around the Columbus metro area. These roads make it a breeze to drive downtown or further north for work or events.
Worthington has very active City Council and business organizations. There is an impressive Worthington Historical Society which is housed in the Old Rectory and also contains the Doll Museum. The Doll Museum has a permanent collection of nineteenth-century dolls and toys, featuring German china's, Milliners’ models, French fashions and French bébés. The building built in 1845 in the classic Greek Revival style is just one of the historic buildings still standing in Worthington. The historical society works to maintain the New England atmosphere of the city. One of the other historic properties run by the society is the Orange Johnson House Museum. Tours are available in both locations.
While retaining its history, Worthington is a modern suburb with an active school system with one of the top ratings in the state, making it an ideal location for families with children. Additionally, residents can enjoy the nationally recognized library system for Worthington for any pleasure reading or research for work or school.
The city also promotes healthy living to its residents using the 72,000-square-foot Worthington Community Center with a state-of-the-art fitness center and aquatic complex. The center is designed for families to use with a basketball courts, two pools and camps.
Worthington also has an active arts community. The Peggy R. McConnell Art Center of Worthington provides programming in the arts as well as cultural events for the community. Residents can participate as a hobby or become more serious artists through classes in the visual, performing and literary arts. Other arts groups include the Worthington Area Art League, Worthington Community Theatre and the Worthington Chorus. The community chorus group has members of all ages and performs twice a year with a Fall Concert and June Show.
Worthington is the home of the American Whistle Corporation which is the only manufacturer of metal whistles in the U.S. Residents and visitors can tour the manufacturer to learn how whistles are made. Whistles made in Worthington are used by Super Bowl referees yearly. If you have a group of 15 or more people for your tour, you get a free whistle as a souvenir when you leave.
Jeffers Mound is another interesting place to visit in Worthington. Located on Plesenton Drive, Jeffers Mound is what remains of a large complex of prehistoric earthworks on a bluff 60 feet above the Olentangy River. Believed to have been built by the Hopewell people, the earthworks date back to between 100 BC and AD 400. Signs of human habitation have been found from as early as 8000 BC by archeologists.
The city of Worthington has a large park system with more than 200 acres of land to traverse. Godown Park is a designated dog park, and several of the parks have playgrounds for children. The Olentangy River Parklands is a 100-acre resource for the community with spring wildflowers and lovely fall colors which you can observe on trees along the river. Animals such as deer and beaver can be seen when visiting.
This park is a great place for residents to bike along the Olentangy River under the sycamore trees, although you can also jog, walk or even roller skate along the scenic trail. The park also has an access point for boaters and kayakers off the gravel path between the tennis courts and lower parking lot. You can also find the Winding Adventures Skate Park inside the Olentangy River Parklands.
Downtown Worthington offers both summer and winter farmer’s markets showcasing local produce and other foods. There are several specialty shops and an array of delicious local restaurants for browsing and relaxing. One of the most notable is the Worthington Inn which sources fresh ingredients from local farmers and serves a French and Italian cuisine. The Inn is open seven days a week with options for private dining rooms and a ballroom for events.
Other restaurants include The Whitney House, J Liu of Worthington, Natalie's Coal Fired Pizza & Live Music and the Pub Out Back.
