DELAWARE COUNTY, Ohio — Photos spanning four decades illustrate how much Delaware County has changed.
This aerial photo shows the intersection of Polaris Parkway and Olde Worthington Road as it appeared in the 1990s. There are commercial buildings at 2000 Polaris Parkway on the right, and 2001 Polaris Parkway on the left. You can see the Interstate 270 interchange in the background.
The photo comes from the David Lucas Collection at the Columbus library. The photo is not dated, but is listed as being taken sometime in the 1990s. Construction of Polaris Fashion Place didn’t begin until 2000.
Compare that with an aerial photo recently taken by DelawareO. It may be the same intersection, but it’s a completely different world. What was once woods and farmland is now parking lots, hotels, restaurants, and shopping.
The population of Delaware County has seen a remarkable increase over the past four decades. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county’s population was approximately 67,000 in 1990. By 2020, the estimated population had soared to over 214,000 residents. This makes it one of the fastest-growing counties in Ohio.
The Polaris area has been no small part of that growth.
