MANSFIELD — An architectural dig has helped shine a historical light on a longtime African-American neighborhood along Reformatory Road in Mansfield.
Andrew R Sewell, a principal investigator at Lawhon and Associates in Columbus, spoke at the North End Community Improvement Collaboration’s African Leadership Initiative meeting, ALI Speaks, on Monday.
After looking at topographic maps of the Community Line, where the Gorman-Rupp company is located, the architects’ interests were piqued.
More than 1,200 artifacts were uncovered in the Company Line neighborhood, realizing more about the culture and lifestyles of those living in the community. Among the items found were clothing, glassware, and pharmaceutical bottles. The dig was about a week long, Sewell said, but research took much longer.
“I think the first surprise was that this existed at all,” Sewell said. “Urban renewal wipes things off the map completely. As far as I can tell, this is unique.”
The community was notable because it featured the first black-owned housing units in Richland County, Sewell said. George Barker and his wife Harriet were the first to own four homes in the Company Line. Sewell believes the Barkers never lived in the homes. By 1949 nearly 55 homes made up the community, nearly all of them were black homeowners.
One audience member, Eddie Davidson, said he grew up in the neighborhood and shared a bevy of stories about it.
“The Company Line was such a unique place because the families that stayed there, everybody knew everybody,” Davidson said. “We never locked our doors. When we went on vacation, we’d ask our neighbors to watch our homes. We had one store named Manny’s. He didn’t lock it at night.
“It was one of the most unique communities I’ve ever lived in.”
Davidson said the reason his family left was because the government offered $29,000 for the property.
“Our house wasn’t worth $1,500,” he said.
Sewell said the neighborhood dissolved around 1971.
Edward Akinyemi, one of the leaders of ALI, said the presentation today shows how much unknown history there is in Mansfield.
“It’s obviously very appropriate to black history month,” he said. “We have so much assets around and so many contributions from community members we just don’t know about and that’s why we have events like these; to allow people to learn and to show the rest of the community there is talent and stories here.”
The next ALI will be Feb 22 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
