Much of the city has been built in the last three decades, having been one of the fastest growing cities in the United States during that time period. Columbus was founded in 1812 as the intended state capital; however, it hasn’t been the largest city until recent years. Immigration to the United States in the late 18th to early 19th century brought many settlers to the area and their remnants can still be seen in German Village, Italian Village, and the Arena District, which was once the center of the Irish community in Columbus. The area began as a major industrial sector, but gradually changed to focus on the service and sales industries, now defined by companies such as The Limited, Victoria Secret, Wendy’s, and Nationwide Insurance. The booming urban development of the past decade has lead to the growth of commercial/entertainment complexes such as Easton, the Polaris Fashion Mall, the Gateway Center, nearly the entire downtown area, and the country’s first major league soccer stadium. Famous natives have included author/humorist James Thurber, Rapper/actor Bow Wow, the grandfather of President Bush Prescott Bush, painter George Bellows, and golfer Jack Nicklaus.
