Springfield has the only Prairie style Frank Lloyd Wright house in Ohio, but that was not what spurred me to visit (nor was I even aware of it until right as I was about to leave). Rather, I was drawn to its size and proximity to Columbus. Springfield had a much different atmosphere than Newark and Sidney, the two other towns I had seen at that point. Additionally, I needed to make two trips on different days, due to the cloudy weather and being crunched for time on my first visit. This explains why some of my photos are in diffuse lighting and others aren't.
Springfield, the "Champion City," is a city in western Ohio which is the county seat of Clark County. It has a population of 58,600 people as of 2020.
The land Springfield occupies today was first occupied by the Shawnee tribe. It was founded in 1801 by Kentucky teamster James Demint, who named it after the town in Massachusetts. Clark County was established in 1818, and Springfield won the vote for county seat over New Boston by two votes.
Springfield's early growth was spurred by the construction of the National Road (US-40 today), where it served as the western end of the route beginning in 1838 while politicians debated its future path. Springfield became a prominent manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution, some of the largest employers being Champion Farm Equipment (later International Harvester) and the Crowell-Collier Publishing Company.
By the 20th century, Springfield was also known as the "Home City" due to its level of activity from fraternal organizations. This is reflected in several notable buildings across the city, such as the Masonic Temple, Lagonda Club, and IOOF Home. With the advent of the automobile, Springfield was home to ten auto manufacturers, including Burton Westcott's eponymous company.
Springfield was heavily impacted by the effects of corporate disinvestment and outsourcing, and it is a typical "Rust Belt" city today. Crowell-Collier closed in 1957, and the city's population peaked at 82,700 people in the 1960 census. A bright spot in this area of history was the appointment of Robert C. Henry as mayor, who became the first Black Ohio mayor. Urban renewal efforts saw the demolition of historic buildings in downtown Springfield.
Springfield has attempted to revitalize the city center in recent years, including the demolition of abandoned factory buildings and preservation of significant structures. In 2014, it started a "Welcome Springfield" initiative to attract immigrants, which humorously resulted in Donald Trump's baseless claim that Haitian immigrants are "eating cats and dogs." With his reelection in 2024, these immigrants have begun to leave the city.
A ★ denotes a building with its own article.