Services and Businesses

Hilliard (called Hilliard’s Station) in the 1800s consisted of a post office and a few businesses. In addition to the post office you could find a grocery store, a drug store, a doctor’s office, and a hotel. These were all located near the middle of what is now called Old Hilliard near the railroad station.

The first Hilliard’s Station Post Office was established at Smiley’s Corners in Norwich Township with Mr. David Smiley as postmaster.  In 1854, the United States Government closed the Smiley’s Corners post office and created a new office. The word “Station” was dropped from the name.  “Hilliard’s Station” became just “Hilliard.” From 1854-1897 the post office was moved from building to building depending on who the postmaster was at the time. 

The Hotel Franklin was originally located at the corner of Main Street and Norwich Street. It was one of the earliest businesses in Hilliard.

There were some services also offered to early residents of Hilliard. The Oddfellows was an organization that provided services to its members and to the community.

There were no utilities such as natural gas, electricity and water. Water was pumped from the ground.  Homes were lighted with kerosene, and people cooked over wood-burning stoves.

If you needed medical help, there was a single doctor, Dr. Merryman, to help you. Community volunteers and neighbors put out house fires.  Lots of buckets were used because there were no fire trucks or running water.

Services

People living in Northwest Franklin County at the turn of the century saw many changes. Life became much easier with new services. One big change came in 1915 when electricity came to Hilliard. 212 customers in the area had electricity. In 1919 streetlights were added in Hilliard to help people to travel at night. Another service that made life easier was the telephone. In 1901 the Hilliard West Jefferson Mutual Telephone Company began. Then in 1904, the Central Union Telephone Company also started. Having two phone companies sometimes was frustrating because if you called someone who used a different phone company you had to pay a toll, even if they only lived a few houses away. When you wanted to call someone, you picked up the telephone and spoke to a switchboard operator. You told her who you wanted to talk with and she would connect you.

In the early 1900s the post office continued to improve its service. Using cars made mail delivery easier and faster. It also increased the mail delivery area. In 1917 there were 5 rural routes. Each carrier would travel 24 miles per day. In 1933, it cost 3 cents per ounce to mail a letter.

In 1915 the first library in the Hilliard area opened. This library was not a permanent library. It was a traveling library created by the State Library. The library was open to the public from 2:30-4:30 on Thursday afternoons and 7:00-9:00 on Saturday nights. Then in 1939, Hilliard became the eleventh library branch in the Columbus library system. It was located in the high school (where Scioto Darby Elementary no stands).

The Police department in the Village of Hilliards began in 1916 when Hosiah Romick was appointed as marshal. The first jail was built on Norwich Street in 1929. It consisted of an office and two cells. Prisoners held over night had their meals supplied by their families and sometimes by the marshal’s wife.

Businesses

In the early 1900s, many businesses opened making life easier. Several dry goods and grocery stores opened in the area making grocery shopping more convenient. In 1903, the first bank, the Merchants and Farmers Bank, was formed and located in the Westerweller Building on Main Street. In 1914, the bank built a new building at the corner of Main and Norwich Streets. In order to make room for the bank, the Hotel Franklin was moved to Norwich St. In 1932 the Russells Grain Company opened. This mill was used to dry and grind grain from local farmers.

Services

Northwest Franklin County continued to see many changes and improvements in service from 1940-1969. Many families came to live in the area as 12 new subdivisions were built in the 1950s. The population of Hilliard grew from 600 to 6,000 between 1950-1960! More people in the area meant more services were needed or improved. In 1953, electric service expanded to 1,213 customers (632 were farm customers) when a hundred miles of lines were laid and a new substation and power transmission were added.

In the 1950s, the Hilliard Post Office Department moved to a larger building that had a drop off box. Now people could drive around and drop them in the box making it more convenient to mail a letter. In 1957 the first mail carrier, Ellis Vernon Gray, was hired to deliver mail on foot. The cost to mail a letter went from 4 cents in 1959 to 6 cents in 1968.

The fighting of fires, until the 1940s, was an unorganized volunteer project. There was no equipment except the “bucket brigade.” When a fire broke out, the church bell would be rung and the neighbors would phone each other. All able-bodied persons who had been contacted would arrive at the scene with ladders, buckets and anything else they thought they might need. Then in 1941, Chester High and other citizens decided to organize a volunteer fire department. Chester High was elected Fire Chief with about 12 volunteers. Their equipment consisted of buckets, an axe, and a fire hose. Finally in 1944, the Hilliards Volunteer Fire Department with 28 members began its service to the local area.

In 1952, book mobile service began in Hilliard and surrounding areas bringing a collection of books from the Columbus Library. Then in 1960, Hilliard got its first building for the Library.  It was opened on the east side of Main Street, south of Scioto Darby Road. Dominos Pizza is now located in this building.

Businesses

Many local businesses were popular with students. One favorite hangout was the Dairy Queen on Main St. where you could get a shake or a hamburger. Another place students liked to go to was the Rexall Soda Fountain located in the Rexall Drug store where the Big Lots shopping plaza is today.

The Russells Grain company continued to process grain for local farmers. In 1945, they built four large silos to house the grain. They doubled the capacity in 1953 when they added a new grinder and mixer. They also founded the Russells Freight Company and started a local hardware store.

Services

Northwest Franklin County continued to see many changes and improvements in service from 1970-1999. With the completion of the I-270 outerbelt in the 1980’s, a second wave of explosive growth came to the area. The population of Hilliard grew from 8,369 to around 24,000 between 1970-1999. More people in the area meant more services were needed or improved.

In 1986, the Hilliard Post Office Department moved again to a larger building. The post office was located at the corner of Leap and Brown Commerce Roads. The larger post office could now serve the local residents with both counter service and a self-service unit. Also in 1986 the post office in Amlin celebrated its postmaster, Robert Duhl, who retired after serving for 35 years. The cost to mail a letter went from 8 cents in 1971 to 33 cents in 1999.

In 1967, the Hilliard Fire Department needed a second fire station because of the railroad tracks that went through Hilliard. The second fire station would be built on Hilliard Rome Road. Fire House Number 2 was dedicated on August 21, 1967. Now there was a fire station on each side of the railroad tracks that divided Hilliard. By 1980 the fire department needed more room. Since there now was a railroad underpass on Cemetery Road at Norwich Street, the need for two fire stations on each side of the tracks was not necessary. They decided to build a new firehouse and consolidate all the manpower and equipment into one building. So a new firehouse was built on the Franklin County Fairgrounds and the two old stations were sold. The new firehouse opened on October 31, 1981.

In 1993, many changes happened in the Hilliard police station. The Dare Program was introduced in the schools to help students learn to resist drug and alcohol. Work began on the new Hilliard police station. This new location would be double the size of the old police station.  The Hilliard police department added the bicycle patrol in 1995.

Northwest Franklin County continued to love books. In 1989, the Hilliard library had 12,127 visits. In 1993 the number of visits increased to 22,527. On March 4, 1993, the Columbus Metropolitan Library system purchased 4 acres on Cemetery Road to build a new library. The new library would feature more parking spaces, a larger children’s area, meeting room, and a quiet study room.

Businesses

Many new businesses opened in the Hilliard area when The Market at Mill Run shopping center opened in 1986. Some of the stores you would have found there would have been the Big Bear supermarket, Jack’s Aquarium, as well as, many other smaller stores. Tuttle Mall opened in 1997 bringing shopping indoors. Now people could go to many different stores under one roof.

The Silver Horn Centre at the corner of Roberts Rd. and Hilliard-Rome Rd. was built in the 1990s. This shopping center was built on farmland where sheep once grazed. The sheep were added to the farm to help “mow” the grass. The farm was named Silver Horn after Silver who was one of the lambs on the farm and Horn for the Dorset sheep (who are a breed of horned sheep). When the shopping center was built it was named after the farm.

In 1984, the Big Bear supermarket celebrated 50 years. The Big Bear location on Roberts Road opened in 1995. It was the 235th location for this grocery store chain, which began on West Lane Avenue in Columbus.

On Rings Road, you would find the Amlin grocery store and a gas station. These businesses made it more convenient to live on the northern part of Northwest Franklin County.

Services

Communities in Northwest Franklin County continued to grow rapidly through the 2000s, 2010s, and into the 2020s. Families living in the area enjoy an ever-expanding array of public services provided by local cities and townships. Parks and recreation services remain a cornerstone of what makes living here so special. While the Dublin Community Recreation Center set the standard in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the City of Hilliard recently celebrated a massive milestone with the grand opening of The Well in September 2025. This state-of-the-art, 111,000-square-foot recreation and wellness campus features multiple gymnasiums, an indoor aquatic center, fitness studios, spaces for older adults, and community event rooms, continuing Hilliard’s commitment to community health and activity.

Our postal system has also evolved significantly alongside our digital habits. After expanding and renovating its main Hilliard facility at Leap and Brown Commerce Roads in 2007, the local post office continues to process mail for a growing population. However, the cost to mail a simple 1-ounce letter has risen dramatically over the years—jumping from 34 cents in 2001 to 41 cents in 2007, and reaching over 80 cents for a First-Class stamp today. While digital messaging and online bill paying have replaced much of our paper mail, the post office remains vital for shipping package deliveries from online shopping.

Safety services have expanded to keep pace with the region’s expanding footprint. First responders with the Norwich Township Fire Department now operate out of four active fire stations across the community, including Station 81 (Northwest Parkway), Station 82 (Walker Road), Station 83 (Davidson Road), and Station 84 on Alton Darby Creek Road. Similarly, the Hilliard Division of Police has grown into a dynamic agency serving over 41,000 residents across 17 square miles. Employing dozens of sworn officers and dedicated civilian staff, the department relies on cutting-edge equipment, community outreach programs, and modern technology to keep our streets and neighborhoods safe.

Businesses

Northwest Franklin County’s commercial landscape has experienced remarkable diversification over the past two decades. The area features a vibrant blend of national retail chains, corporate headquarters, local small businesses, and a thriving array of ethnic specialty grocery stores and restaurants representing global cultures. Corporate giants like Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS)—a major manufacturer of sustainable water management products headquartered right here in Hilliard on Trueman Boulevard—highlight the city’s role as a regional economic engine. Likewise, home and essential commercial services have expanded to meet demand, with major local employers like Eco Plumbers, Electricians, and HVAC Technicians establishing prominent headquarters along Northwest Parkway.

In addition to traditional businesses, Hilliard has positioned itself at the forefront of innovation through the Hilliard City Lab. This high-tech business ecosystem and tech incubator provides resources, grants, and real-world municipal testing environments for local startups, engineering firms, and entrepreneurs to prototype and prove new technologies—ranging from smart park equipment to automated sidewalk safety systems.

Education and community engagement have also bridged the gap between commerce and learning. Through an innovative partnership between the Hilliard City School District and Destination Hilliard, local history has come alive outside the classroom. This collaborative effort connects students and residents directly with local businesses, historical sites, and community landmarks, turning local history into an interactive experience that fosters civic pride and supports our hometown businesses.

Meanwhile, retail hubs like Hilliard-Rome Road, Mill Run, and Dublin’s Perimeter Loop remain bustling commercial destinations, complimented by modern mixed-use projects like TruePointe in Hilliard. Old Hilliard has also undergone a dramatic revitalization into a lively entertainment destination anchored by local eateries, coffee shops, and breweries. The addition of the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) allows visitors to stroll through downtown and enjoy community gatherings, food trucks, and open-air concerts, balancing new corporate tech growth with historic downtown charm.