Brief History of Powell’s “Four Corners”
A 1920’s era electric traffic signal once stood blinking in the center of the four-corners' intersection. This early version of a roundabout directed motorists to keep to the right as they drove through downtown Powell, either north to Delaware or south to Columbus on Liberty Street, or as they headed west to O’Shaughnessy Dam or east to High Street. Pictured in this 1998 Olentangy Valley News article is Jean Canfield Kirkham, whose grandfather Julian (Peck) Sharp was instrumental in erecting the signal outside the Sharp & Canfield Hardware store. The signal was brought inside the store after villagers grew tired of dodging around it and several accidents had occurred. In 1954, the council approved a blinking red stop light for north and south Liberty and a blinking yellow caution light for motorists going east and west on Olentangy Street. Next the intersection was made a four-way stop, but traffic backup and safety concerns again lead to new traffic lights in 1998. Do you know where this old signal is today? Try City Hall!
