Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Where have all the giants gone?

I may be what is termed a cityphobe, if that is the proper definition of someone who loves her city too much. But Columbus, Ohio is a great city, and it grew to be great by the involvement of the Giants, the last of this generation, who just died at 97, John G. McCoy.

 He turned a small midwestern bank into a global powerhouse, and brought the Columbus community along for the ride. Growing was what the local Giants did: the Lazaruses, the Wolfes, Preston Davis, Ferdinand Howald,  and all the others who jump-started the civic, cultural, business and charitable institutions that make this city what it is today.

Their role, they felt, was to provide a strong underpinning, adaptable to growth. They had vision, and they had practical smarts. ( I feel a little foolish, here, to be taking on a subject more appropriate to George Will or Paul Krugman or Susan Sontag.)

The city has grown and changed and morphed from the 20th century to be ready for this forward movement we see in the early part of the 21st.

 For ninety years, I have grown (or shrunk) and changed and morphed along with the city.  I am overwhelmed by our shared history.

 And, frankly, in over my head with this blog.

3 comments:

  1. Thank you for mentioning my Grandfather. He did love Columbus.

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  2. Phyllis, I wish for you to write every single day what is on your mind. Your perspective ALWAYS enlightens me.

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  3. Thank you, Betsy/Liz and Debbie. I am having such fun writing. I know in my haste, I omitted important people.

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