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Subdivision Designed For Black WW II Vets Considered For National Registry

A Columbus subdivision built and marketed exclusively to returning African-American veterans of World War II is under consideration for placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

The application for the Hanford Village Carver Addition notes its role in the history of segregation, federal housing policy and urban development. The creation of the neighborhood in the 1940s was seen as a way to ease housing shortages for returning black veterans. Some whites opposed to any expansion of black housing were against the development. Some civil rights groups also opposed it, fearing it would lead to further segregation. Developers built 146 of the five-room bungalows available for a 500 dollars down payment. About half of them remain today.

 

A native of Chicago, naturalized citizen of Cincinnati and resident of Columbus, Alison attended Earlham College and the Ohio State University. She has equal passion for Midwest history, hockey and Slavic poetry.