Sullivant chose to reside in the Franklinton area while giving 1600 acres of land to his sons, making them the first landowners in Hilltop.

[4] During this early period, Hilltop remained a largely rural area, with a number of farmers producing corn, cloverseed and hay as well as raising livestock.

One of the most important establishments of this era was Camp Chase, a staging and training ground for the Union during the Civil War.

This building followed the Kirkbride Plan, a system established to provide "air and sunlight" in order to cure its patients.

Its own streetcar system came with the introduction of these roads, which ran from High Street to the Columbus State Hospital.

Also during the early 20th century, the Hilltop became the home for many "well-to-do" African American families who owned large parcels of land still used for farming and other entrepreneurial endeavors.

With General Motors (Fisher Body and Delphi divisions) being the source of jobs for many local residents.

As time went on, Hilltop became susceptible to many of the same problems as other urban areas as businesses began to close and residents moved further outside the city limits.

The foundation set by the community remains, but the area has lost many residents and some of its major employers, causing a slow decline over recent years.

[11] The name, "The Greater Hilltop", indicates an opportunity for the community to help shape and direct the pattern of growth and the character of future development in the neighborhood.

With the inception of a streetcar system, the Hilltop began to transform into a more urban area, with transportation being its catalyst.

Various railways also traversed the area, making it a prime location for commerce, which led to it being selected to home a General Motors plant.

[13] The Hilltop area includes 67,781 residents and 25,344 households in 2010 with a population density of 4,183.7 people per square mile.

Institutional (7%), parks and open space (7%), vacant property (4%), office (3%), agriculture and utilities (2%) fills the other quarter of the land use.

Multifamily units are typically located on the major corridors, such as West Broad Street and Sullivant Avenue.

[20] Summer Jam West is a grassroots, free music and arts festival held annually in Westgate Park on the second Saturday in July.

"On the Wings of Change" is a 14' stainless steel and copper sculpture of a monarch butterfly and can be located near the enclosed shelter house in Westgate Park.

The sculpture was designed and built by artist, Rachel Pace of Steeling Copper Metal Studio.

In 2016, Summer Jam commissioned Danielle Poling to paint an 80' "Fantastic Food Garden" on the west facing wall of the racquetball court in Westgate Park.

In 2017, Roger J. Williams was commissioned to paint a 95' Movin' & Groovin' mural along the Camp Chase Multi-Use Trail.