In response to the increase in graffiti and crime in the area, a few neighbors came together to create a blockwatch. After doing a little research on the area looking for any active watches, we found the area was tagged SoHud in Google Maps. Turns out that a few years prior, a few musicians started using the term to describe the area south of Hudson avenue as SoHud and in turn added it to Google Maps.
And now, the rest of the story….
This area has been known by many names over the years. At one time a small stretch between Indianola and High, south of Hudson was known as SoHu but the name did not stick. The area north of Campus up to Arcadia and from the railroad tracks over to the Olentangy river was previously known as Old North Columbus. While our area is still a part of Old North Columbus, the block watch wanted to create a separate entity with the city in order to officially be called a block watch.
What is missing from the story is the unique and rich history of what is termed Washington Beach. For the full story read the UrbanOhio Article about Washington Beach. The area was defined by Hudson down to Patterson and from Summit over to High. The name was jokingly started in 2003 while a couple roommates were playing Grand Theft Auto. Because of the games history, it appears that many of the landlords in the area refuse to consider themselves a part of the moniker. However, the name lives on to this day with many bands that originated in the area and still frequent the Summit Bar and Bourbon Street (just south of Oakland on Summit). There is even a band that is named The Washington Beach Bums, who we were honored to play at our SoHud Fools Parade After Party.