An effort by the Rev. Dale Galloway, pastor of the Grove City Church of the Nazarene, was instrumental in an effort to bring a college to the city in 1966. Proposals pointed out that the city was an exceptionally desirable site because the city was centrally located within a three-state area and the close proximity to Columbus. The college would draw students from Ohio, West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky where 550 Nazarene churches were located. The school would initially have a two-year program before expanding to a four-year university. Grove City held a strong position for the school until Mt. Veron and London entered the picture. Five cities eventually entered the bidding process. Grove City eventually lost out when Mt. Vernon made a pitch on matching fund for land purchases that Grove City couldn’t match. Grove City’s best offer in real estate purchase assistance was $3,000 an acre.

The first Grove City Chamber of Commerce in 1916 had a membership of 31 individual members and five organizations which included the Ohio Badge Company, Ohio State Board of Agriculture, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Cott Printing Company and the Grove City Times. The current chamber, founded in 1978, has hundreds of members from throughout Central Ohio. Its major annual event is Arts in the Alley.

Much credit for the success of the first parades must be attributed to Dolly and Marvin Thomson of Thompson Floats of Williamsport, Ohio. The couple operated a commercial float building company that supplied the vast number of floats for parades throughout the Midwest. The Thompsons became big supporters for the Grove City event which, at one point, the parade was considered one of the largest parades in Ohio with as many as 32 commercial and privately built float entries. Every Thompson float was in the parade.

The Girl Scout Council was one of the first organization to register with a float entry. Sharon Downs, owner of Zachary’s Restaurant, and Greg Skinner of Roxainne’s Flowers and Gifts, were the first with commercial float entries.

Larry’s Trucking, the local trash collection provider at the time, was the last entry in the Arts in the Alley Parade. Volunteers with black bags walked the parade route to collect trash. Spectators also picked up litter adding items to the trash bags. Pictured is the SWACO float.