📸 The Past Lives of Gay & High Streets In Photos

Plus: 🍦 Old Grist Mill? How About A One-Of-A-Kind Ice Cream Parlor

Author

Chelsea Wiley
July 21, 2025

Sponsored by the Greater Columbus Arts Council 🖼️
From neighborhood block parties to music, food, and cultural festivals, there’s something happening almost every weekend in Columbus. Don’t miss your chance to explore the city through art, creativity, and a whole lot of fun. Find your next summer favorite at columbusmakesart.com/events.

Hello, Monday! Chelsea here.

Downtown has changed a lot, but Gay and High has always been a crossroads. In the early 1900s, it was a hub for streetcars and storefronts. Decades later, it weathered fires, demolition, and near misses with preservation. Today, it’s home to floating art and outdoor festivals, but you can still feel the history in the architecture. Take a scroll back through time at one of Columbus’ most iconic corners, told in historic photos dating back to the late 1800s.

🦽 A Central Ohio Park System Is Offering Free All-Terrain Wheelchair Rentals
Licking Park District is now offering free rentals of all-terrain wheelchairs that can be used on trails anywhere, not just in their parks. It’s a game-changing way to make nature more accessible for everyone.

🍦 This Old Grist Mill Is Home To A One-Of-A-Kind Ice Cream Parlor And Museum
A Central Ohio summer classic, Ye Olde Mill in Utica is home to Velvet Ice Cream’s headquarters, an ice cream museum, and 20 scenic acres to explore. From old-school sundaes to fishing ponds and family events, it’s a sweet little getaway just 45 minutes from Columbus.

Headlines 📰 

🌧️ Columbus has seen over 15 inches of rain since May (double last year’s totals) causing flash floods and road closures. It’s part of a nationwide spike in extreme rain, driven by warming temps and moisture-heavy skies. (NBC4)

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The Ohio Scottish Games & Celtic Festival brings highland games, bagpipes, dancers, and jousting to Berea each summer, no ancestry required. It’s part cultural celebration, part strongman competition, and fully open to anyone who wants in on the fun. (WOSU)

📚 One of the oldest kids’ bookstores in the country is right here in Columbus—and it just got national love. Cover to Cover in Upper Arlington has been building generations of young readers since 1980, and it’s still the coziest, most magical spot in town. (USA Today)

☀️ Weather: 84 and mostly sunny

Sponsored by North Market 🍴
North Market is calling your name! Whether you're exploring the original downtown location for its classic market charm or the Bridge Park spot in Dublin for a modern twist, there's no better place to eat, shop, and discover the best of Columbus. For more info, head over to northmarket.org.

Coming Up 📆

Today's Photo 🤳

🌸 Looking for a moment of zen? I highly suggest planning a visit to Inniswood Metro Gardens. It’s so beautiful, quiet, and fragrant!

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- Chelsea