5 Facts About Ohio's Capital: How Well Do You Know Columbus?

Most people know Columbus simply as Ohio's state capital. But there are other facts about Columbus. It has a remarkable history and culture going back more than 200 years.

These five facts about Columbus will give you greater insight into what molds and shapes the identity of Ohio's capital:

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1. High intelligence

Columbus was named the most intelligent city in the United States in a 2013 list released by the Intelligent Community Forum, according to The Columbus Dispatch. It ranked as the 15th most literate city and the 19th most educated city in a 2008 study by Central Connecticut State University.

2. Population epicenter

Columbus holds distinction as Ohio's largest city ahead of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Additionally, the state capital is the15th largest city in the United States with a population of 711,470, according to the 2000 census. Half of the residents of the United States live within 500 miles of Columbus.

3. First solo flight

Columbus has played an important role in Ohio's rich aviation legacy. Ohio resident Geraldine Fredritz Mock became the first woman to fly solo around the world in 1964, starting and ending in Columbus. Her trip lasted 29 days and covered 22,860 miles in a single engine Cessna 180 that was christened the "Spirit of Columbus."

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4. Arch City

Columbus earned the nickname "Arch City" from dozens of wooden and metal arches that spanned multiple streets at the turn of the 20th century, according to This Week Community News. The arches were used to power streetcars and provide electricity for streetlights until they were torn down in 1914. Columbus restored metal facsimiles of the historical arches in the city's Short North district in 2002.

5. The Columbus Experiment

In 1908, Columbus became the site of the world's first water filtration plant. The plant was designed by Clarence and Charles Hoover with the purpose of filtering and softening city water to combat typhoid. The plant drastically reduced the number of deaths related to typhoid in the Columbus area, and the design created by the Hoovers is still in use today.

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