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most appropriate place to rebuild. Though the origin of the fire was undetermined by this point, three theories existed: it could have been started from blowtorches left in the building's cupola by workers who were repairing the roof, one of which was found atop charred timber in the wreckage. Other ideas included defective wiring caused a spark, or that lit cigarette butts could have sparked the flames.
380:, a glass-divided room which opened on March 4, 1873. The front section was a reading room, while the back was reserved for books and the librarian's desk. The collection contained 1,500 books. These included 1,200 from the Columbus Athenaeum (1853-1872), 358 from Columbus's high school library, and 33 from its horticultural society. In 1906, the reading room moved to a separate building across from the
345:, separated by massive piers. A balcony existed above the central three arches, with additional balconies above the diagonal arches on the building's northeast and northwest corners. Upper windows matched the lower arches with their lancet heads. An iron water tank stood on the southeast corner of the building by the roof.
391:
On the second floor was another lobby with five rooms on either side, for city officials and committees. To the rear was the council chamber, an elaborately decorated space with watercolor-frescoed walls. The third floor held the public hall, a multipurpose room of 140 by 74 feet, with a height of 53
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By the next day, city officials toured the burned building with the determination of making the site habitable within 30 days. Following their tour, they unanimously abandoned any proposals to rebuild City Hall on that site, with most council members indicating the new riverfront civic center as the
280:
Crowds witnessed the building fire, held back into the sloping
Statehouse grounds. The crowds reportedly had few regrets or tears, and a general attitude of "good riddance" to its destruction among the public and city officials. Exterior walls remained standing, though seemingly about to topple. The
199:
This city hall had three floors, including post office and library space on the first floor, meeting rooms and offices on the second, and a large public hall on the third. The building housed
Columbus's first public library, from 1873 until it expanded and moved in 1906.
267:
City Hall was demolished in a fire that began about 8 p.m. on
January 12, 1921. At the time, about 100 people were attending a basketball practice inside, and others were attending a meeting of City Council at the same time. There were no injuries during the incident.
372:
with a variegated marble floor along its north and west sides. A central lobby included a large staircase to the second floor, while to its rear was another lobby with stairs at the sides, leading to all upper floors. To the rear of that was the merchants' exchange.
212:, operating from its second floor from 1850 to 1872. Construction for the Capitol Square-area building began in May 1869, and the building's opening ceremony was held on March 28, 1872. The total cost, including for the property, was $ 175,000 to $ 185,000.
331:
The building was 80 feet wide, 187.5 feet long, and 98 feet tall. It was originally set to be 140 feet tall, though its clock tower was never built. The structure was designed by
Detroit architect Robert T. Brookes, designer of Towers Hall at
215:
During the building's operation, it hosted numerous galas and events. The opening ceremony was reportedly a success, with hundreds to thousands attending. Speeches were followed by dancing into the late night. The building also hosted
276:
reporter. Sixteen engine companies and six truck companies arrived to fight the fire, setting numerous hoses onto the fire by 8:30 p.m. from multiple areas, including from atop the roof of the Grand
Theater building.
284:
Property loss was estimated at about $ 75,000; like all city buildings at the time, it was not insured. It was the third public structure to burn in recent months, after the city prison and a more minor fire at the
340:
in
Columbus. The building utilized dark cream-colored Amherst sandstone for its exterior walls, and had a steep roof with two pitches, both covered in blue Vermont slate. The building's entranceway included seven
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in 1879. Numerous state conventions were held in the space, in addition to state and city meetings, gatherings honoring Civil War generals, legislative banquets, and election night gatherings.
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At its opening, the west side of the first floor also held the city's post office, a space including a separate fireproof room. The left or east side housed the city's first
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feet. It was estimated to seat 3,200 people, or give standing room to almost 6,400. A stage stood at the south end of the hall, while a gallery stood at the north end.
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Initially seen as a perfect example of Gothic
Revival architecture, it later grew a reputation as unsatisfactory for a city hall. It was described by the
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site. Prominent citizens lauded the mayor, offering "congratulations on the successful fire". The site is now home to the
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entire roof burned away, and the second and third floor interiors were turned into a large pile of debris.
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a day after the fire as "long an eyesore to
Columbus", and in 2012 as a "Gothic nightmare of a building".
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from its construction in 1872 until its demolition in 1921. The building was the founding site for the
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The fire allowed city leaders to rebuild City Hall with a better structure and in the new
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441:"Fire-Scarred City Hall Will Not Be Repaired; Council Paves Way For Municipal Building"
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581:"Columbus Mileposts | Jan. 12, 1921: Thurber among those happy City Hall burned"
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Two days after the fire, Columbus's library trustees offered the second floor of the
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The
Columbus municipal government established its first permanent offices at the
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779:"Columbus Mileposts: March 4, 1873 – Reading room came before Main Library"
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289:. Records lost in the building's fire reportedly included those on the
650:"Neighbors upset that Franklin Park Conservatory fenced off 10 acres"
232:'s inaugural ball was held there in 1874, as well as a reception for
28:
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to the mayor and most city officials, which they promptly accepted.
546:. The Making of America Series. Arcadia Publishing. p. 93.
894:
916:
402:
List of demolished buildings and structures in
Columbus, Ohio
327:
Original design for the building, including a clock tower
599:"Stray Bits of Information Picked Up at City Hall Fire"
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Demolished buildings and structures in Columbus, Ohio
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263:
Plaque at the Ohio Theatre commemorating the building
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668:"Costumes Worth $ 3500 Burned in City Hall Fire"
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624:"Few People Regret City Hall Destroyed By Fire"
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188:in 1890. In 1928, the site became home to the
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772:
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1279:Buildings and structures demolished in 1921
239:The building was the founding site for the
1164:Peruna Drug Manufacturing Company Building
1154:Ohio State University Armory and Gymnasium
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948:
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717:
715:
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693:"Some of City Offices Will Go To Library"
16:Former city hall for Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
1139:Ohio Institution for Feeble-Minded Youth
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857:Betti, Tom; Uhas Sauer, Doreen (2021).
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368:The building's first floor had an open
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1144:Ohio Institution for the Deaf and Dumb
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835:History of the City of Columbus, Ohio
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516:"Memories of the Burned City Hall"
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838:. The Memorial Publishing Company
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915:
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807:"American Libraries before 1876"
777:Tebben, Gerald (March 4, 2012).
255:City Hall one day after the fire
27:
1264:1921 fires in the United States
861:Forgotten Landmarks of Columbus
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685:
660:
1259:1921 disestablishments in Ohio
1223:Kelton House Museum and Garden
1084:Columbus City Hall (1872–1921)
900:1872 Columbus City Hall (Ohio)
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616:
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491:"Opening of the New City Hall"
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246:
241:United Mine Workers of America
186:United Mine Workers of America
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1169:Santa Maria Ship & Museum
832:Hooper, Osman Castle (1920).
543:Columbus: The Story of a City
407:
318:
1119:Hartman Building and Theater
813:. Princeton University. 2015
336:and the final architect for
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1254:1872 establishments in Ohio
1195:Columbus Historical Society
1115:Franklin County Courthouses
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1039:Columbus Register listings
1034:National Register listings
388:, where it remains today.
291:Franklin Park Conservatory
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176:. The building served the
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971:History of Columbus, Ohio
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33:The building c. 1900-1910
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1218:Central Ohio Fire Museum
1104:Elijah Pierce Properties
1190:Ohio History Connection
1094:Columbus State Hospital
287:Columbus State Hospital
147:Design and construction
94:39.960025°N 82.998937°W
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164:was the city hall for
1129:Lucas Sullivant House
1059:Alfred Kelley mansion
994:1910 streetcar strike
784:The Columbus Dispatch
754:The Columbus Dispatch
729:The Columbus Dispatch
697:The Columbus Dispatch
672:The Columbus Dispatch
654:The Columbus Dispatch
628:The Columbus Dispatch
603:The Columbus Dispatch
585:The Columbus Dispatch
520:The Columbus Dispatch
495:The Columbus Dispatch
470:The Columbus Dispatch
445:The Columbus Dispatch
384:, and by 1907 to the
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99:39.960025; -82.998937
1089:Columbus City Prison
902:at Wikimedia Commons
750:"The Public Library"
338:St. Joseph Cathedral
334:Otterbein University
40:Site of the building
1228:Ohio History Center
1079:Columbus Auditorium
999:Great Flood of 1913
980:Historical timeline
756:. December 30, 1872
725:"The New City Hall"
472:. February 10, 1872
174:the city's downtown
90: /
51:Architectural style
46:General information
1200:Columbus Landmarks
1124:Kahiki Supper Club
987:Significant events
811:The Davies Project
699:. January 14, 1921
674:. January 16, 1921
630:. January 13, 1921
605:. January 13, 1921
540:Lentz, Ed (2003).
522:. January 15, 1921
447:. January 13, 1921
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194:Columbus City Hall
192:, and the current
162:Columbus City Hall
22:Columbus City Hall
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1149:Ohio Penitentiary
1009:COVID-19 pandemic
898:Media related to
867:The History Press
648:Ferenchik, Mark.
350:Columbus Dispatch
274:Columbus Dispatch
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155:Robert T. Brookes
134:Technical details
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129:January 12, 1921
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731:. July 31, 1871
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787:. p. B5
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466:"Warming Up"
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449:. Retrieved
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386:Main Library
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364:Reading room
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313:Ohio Theatre
309:Civic Center
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302:Main Library
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190:Ohio Theatre
182:city council
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152:Architect(s)
61:Town or city
247:Destruction
228:. Governor
222:Carl Schurz
139:Floor count
97: /
72:Coordinates
1248:Categories
1159:Park Hotel
1134:Neil House
760:2023-09-09
735:2023-09-09
703:2023-09-09
678:2023-09-09
634:2023-09-09
609:2023-09-09
526:2023-09-09
501:2023-09-09
476:2023-09-09
451:2023-09-09
408:References
319:Attributes
85:82°59′56″W
82:39°57′36″N
1051:landmarks
842:April 12,
817:April 12,
791:April 12,
243:in 1890.
126:Destroyed
562:52740866
396:See also
356:Interior
113:May 1869
1210:Museums
908:Portals
204:History
873:
560:
550:
370:arcade
224:, and
118:Opened
178:mayor
1113:1887
1111:and
1109:1840
934:Ohio
871:ISBN
844:2019
819:2019
793:2019
558:OCLC
548:ISBN
180:and
172:in
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142:3
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
