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A JOINT RESOLUTION AND PROCLAMATION COMMEMORATING THE 175TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF GAHANNA
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WHEREAS, in 1849, John Clark of Ross County founded “Gahanna,” which consisted of roughly 800 acres located south of Granville Street and extending to the area known today as St. Matthew the Apostle Church that his father, Joseph Clark, had purchased from Governor Worthington in 1814 and which he named “Gahanna Farm” or “Gahanna Plantation”; and
WHEREAS, Clark took the name “Gahanna” from a Native American word meaning “three into one,” which represented the confluence of the Gahanna River (which later became known as the Big Walnut Creek), Sycamore Run, and Rocky Fork Creek; and
WHEREAS, in 1853, Jesse Baughman platted a town which he christened as “Bridgeport,” and which included 45 lots, each 50 feet wide and 150 feet long, along the streets of Walnut, High, Front and Town; and
WHEREAS, when Baughman and Clark could not come to an agreement to use the other’s name to join the villages of Gahanna and Bridgeport, the United State Post office eventually decided the matter and chose the name “Gahanna” as there already was another village in Ohio called Bridgeport; and
WHEREAS, what began as “Gahanna Farm” 175 years ago has grown into a suburban community today that comprises 12.6 square miles with a population of more than 35,000 residents; and
WHEREAS, throughout the last 175 years, Gahanna has played an integral role in the cultural growth of the Columbus Region, including serving as the home of the Big Walnut Country Club, one of the first country clubs in the Nation to serve the Black community as a place to gather to socialize, hold conferences and have recreational opportunities; and
WHEREAS, 175 years after John Clark declared its founding, Gahanna remains a community that is known for its diverse and welcoming environment, strong quality of life, abundance of parks and green space, and healthy local economy; and
WHEREAS, through the growth of the last 175 years, the heart of Gahanna has remained its residents and businesses, who continue to embrace the spirit of “three in one” by weaving together the elements of diversity, compassion and collaboration into a community unified by its caring and giving nature.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR OF THE CITY OF GAHANNA, COUNTY OF FRANKLIN, STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That the City of Gahanna proudly recognizes our history, community and future in the celebration of the 175th anniversary of the founding of “Gahanna” and urges Gahanna citizens and businesses to join honoring our past as we look ahead to our future together.