Hungarian Village
Encyclopedia
The Hungarian Village is a neighborhood south of downtown Columbus
between the Merion Village and Reeb-Hosack/Steelton Village, encompassing the area between Woodrow and Hinman avenues between High Street and Parsons Avenue. At the turn of the 20th century, the village became home to Hungarian, Croatian
, and Italian immigrants, as well as refugees fleeing the failed Hungarian Revolution of 1956.
, Croatia
, and Italy
moved into the neighborhood to work for Buckeye Steel Casings. At one point, the Foreign Grocery in the neighborhood employed staff which spoke 12 different languages, and commercial establishments thrived on Parsons Avenue. New architecture sprang up, which included Queen Anne
and Dutch Colonial styles. The 104-year-old Hungarian Reformed Church served as the neighborhood hub, while many also attended the St. Ladislas Roman Catholic Church in the area.
Following the failed Hungarian Revolution in 1956 the village became home to several refugees, including current city resident Alex Huber of the Hungarian Cultural Association of Columbus.
. By the mid-1970s it had become one of six restoration projects the city was engaged in.
In 1991, Hungarian President Árpád Göncz
visited the village on a seven-day U.S. trip, stopping at the Hungarian Reformed Church.
The village is home to the Hungarian Village Society and hosted a Columbus Landmarks tour in 2009.
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
between the Merion Village and Reeb-Hosack/Steelton Village, encompassing the area between Woodrow and Hinman avenues between High Street and Parsons Avenue. At the turn of the 20th century, the village became home to Hungarian, Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
, and Italian immigrants, as well as refugees fleeing the failed Hungarian Revolution of 1956.
Origins
At the turn of the 20th century, many immigrants from HungariaHungaria
Hungaria may refer to:*Kingdom of Hungary*Hungary, a European country*Hungaria , a symphonic poem by Franz Liszt*Hungaria, a former New Zealand association football team, now part of Wellington United*434 Hungaria, an asteroid...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
moved into the neighborhood to work for Buckeye Steel Casings. At one point, the Foreign Grocery in the neighborhood employed staff which spoke 12 different languages, and commercial establishments thrived on Parsons Avenue. New architecture sprang up, which included Queen Anne
Queen Anne Style architecture (United States)
In America, the Queen Anne style of architecture, furniture and decorative arts was popular in the United States from 1880 to 1910. In American usage "Queen Anne" is loosely used of a wide range of picturesque buildings with "free Renaissance" details rather than of a specific formulaic style in...
and Dutch Colonial styles. The 104-year-old Hungarian Reformed Church served as the neighborhood hub, while many also attended the St. Ladislas Roman Catholic Church in the area.
Hungarian Revolution
Decline and Renewal
The neighborhood flourished through 1930s, 40s, and into the 60s before falling victim to decline. In 1973, Rev. Zoltan Szabo of the Hungarian Reformed Church proposed that the area become known as the "Hungarian Village" in the spirit of nearby German VillageGerman Village
German Village is a historic neighborhood just south of downtown Columbus. It was settled by a large number of German immigrants in the early-to-mid-19th century, who at one time comprised as much as a third of the population of the entire city...
. By the mid-1970s it had become one of six restoration projects the city was engaged in.
In 1991, Hungarian President Árpád Göncz
Árpád Göncz
Árpád Göncz is a Hungarian liberal politician and former President of Hungary . Göncz played a role in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956...
visited the village on a seven-day U.S. trip, stopping at the Hungarian Reformed Church.
Present
Today the village still has Hungarian-descended residents and the Hungarian flag is flown from porches of homes. However, many of the families have moved on to other neighborhoods and cities. The neighborhood has suffered as a result of the foreclosure crisis, but recently Hungarian Village has had an influx of residents from the LGBT community, generally a good sign real estate wise. The average home value is $60,500.The village is home to the Hungarian Village Society and hosted a Columbus Landmarks tour in 2009.