News Details (Posted: July 28, 2008):

Gahanna History: Did you know?

Full Description:

Gahanna Plantation was founded by John Clark of Ross County, Ohio as an 800 acre (3.2 km) farm. Its population grew over time, and it was incorporated in 1881. The first mayor of Gahanna was L. John Neiswander. According to the Gahanna Historical Society, the community was not named for the Biblical Gehenna, but from a local Native American word describing the meeting of three creeks, as the community is located at the confluence of branches of Big Walnut Creek, once called Gahanna Creek. Gahanna is also known as a bedroom community, with most of its residents living in Gahanna and traveling to neighboring Columbus or other suburbs of Columbus to work. In 1970 most of northern Gahanna was still unannexed portions of Mifflin and Jefferson Townships.