Lithopolis' downtown features numerous antique shops, an old-fashioned general store and this Little Free Library just up the road from the stately town library made of native stone. (The name Lithopolis is Greek for "Stone City.") Photos: Tyler Buchanan/Axios
👋 Tyler here. After a weekend spent down in hilly, beautiful Athens, the leisurely trip back to Columbus took me through a small village undergoing some big-time changes — Lithopolis.
Why it matters: Lithopolis shows that Central Ohio's rapid growth is impacting not just city population centers, but many of the surrounding communities as well.
State of play: The village's proximity to an abundance of new industrial warehouses has helped the population double to 2,100 residents in just the past decade.
- The quaint downtown is quiet and away from the bustle of the state capital, though on clear days, you can spot the Columbus skyline 15 miles to the northwest.
What I ate: El Pedregal Mexican Restaurant at the corner of Columbus Street and Strawberry Alley. (Small-town Ohio, gotta love it.)
- I ordered the Esteban Pollo Bowl, a delicious mixture of chicken, queso sauce, peppers, onions and pico de gallo on a bed of white rice. Great food, great service.
Vibe check: This is the kind of local-restaurant-inside-a-house place that required passing through five different small dining areas to reach our table.
- How often do you get to eat Mexican food in a cozy room next to a fireplace?
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