 One of the major events in the evolution of the area was the decision to locate the State Agricultural College Grounds (Ohio State University) on the site of the Neil farm in 1870, south of the community of North Columbus.The university grew slowly at first, but began to expand significantly under the presidency of William Oxley Thompson from 1900 to 1925.As the area grew, fashionable residential suburbs grew up around the campus in places like the Dennison Addition and the Indianola subdivision with its curved roads and ravine.