Westgate, Columbus, Ohio

Westgate is a community within the Hilltop area of Columbus, Ohio. It was partially constructed on land that formerly housed the American Civil War Camp Chase and a Confederate prison. After the Civil War, the land was purchased by Joseph Binns and his associates with the intent to start a Mennonite community. These plans failed to materialize and the land was developed as a "streetcar suburb" in the 1920s. Located west of downtown, the neighborhood is home to Westgate Park and Recreation Center, Westgate Alternative Elementary School, St. Mary Magdalene Church and school, and Parkview United Methodist Church. 4,500 residents live within the Westgate boundaries, most in single family houses.Local newspaper, The Columbus Dispatch, named Westgate one of the most affordable neighborhoods in the City of Columbus in October 2008.Westgate is located 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Downtown Columbus and is bounded by W. Broad Street to the north, Demorest Road to the west, Sullivant Avenue to the south, and Hague to the east.HistoryCamp ChaseOne third of Westgate sits on land that was formerly Camp Chase during the Civil War. This camp was opened in 1861 and served as training grounds for the Union Army. It is named after the former Governor of Ohio and Secretary of the Treasury, Salmon P. Chase. Eventually it was converted to a prisoner of war camp to hold captured Confederate soldiers. At the beginning it held 250 prisoners, but after many expansions it became large enough to house 9,146 men. The camp was emptied of all prisoners on July 5, 1865.