Ghost Neighborhoods: Experiencing History Through 3D Models
Poindexter Village of 1940
The Ghost Neighborhoods of Columbus project uses detailed research and 3D modeling to virtually reconstruct historic Black communities like Poindexter Village, Mt. Vernon Avenue, and Hanford Village. These immersive experiences honor the legacy and resilience of neighborhoods disrupted by policies such as redlining, urban renewal, and the 1956 Interstate Highway Act. Led by OSU’s Center for Urban and Regional Analysis, the project highlights how highway construction divided or destroyed thriving communities like Bronzeville and Hanford Village. The interactive models will be featured in the upcoming Poindexter Village African American Museum, opening in 2028, offering a powerful tool for education, reflection, and remembrance.
Mt. Vernon Avenue in 1951
Mt. Vernon Ave was the commercial heart of the Black community in Columbus in the mid-20th century; the construction of the I-71 highway severed this corridor from Columbus downtown. We are initially focusing on a three-block stretch (from present-day Monroe St. to 20th St.) that had the highest concentration of commercial activity in 1951. The buildings in this area were demolished and some streets removed as part of an urban renewal project in the early 1970s.
Handford Village in 1961
Hanford Village, founded in the early 1900s, became a haven for Black families during the Great Migration and later housed Black WWII veterans in the George Washington Carver Addition. By the 1960s, much of the neighborhood was destroyed to build I-70, displacing dozens of families and dividing the community. The Ghost Neighborhoods project uses historic Sanborn maps, archival data, and 3D modeling to digitally reconstruct these lost spaces, preserving the stories of neighborhoods erased by urban development.
