United States Department of the Interior
Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service
National Register of Historic Places
Inventory--Nomination Form
See instruction in How to Complete National Register Forms
Type all entries--complete applicable sections
1. Name
historic Near Northside Historic District
and/or common
2. Location
street & number See continuation sheet
city, town Columbus ____vicinity of congressional district 15th
state Ohio code 039 county Franklin code 049
3. Classification
| Category x district _ building(s) _ structure _ site _ object |
Ownership _ public x private _ both Public Acquisition _ in progress _ being considered |
Status x occupied _ unoccupied _ work in progress Accessible x yes: restricted _ yes: unrestricted no |
Present Use _ agriculture x commercial x educational _ entertainment _ government _ industrial _ military |
_ museum _ park x private residence x religious _ scientific _ transportation _ other |
4. Owner of Property
name Multiple private ownership
street & number
city, town ____vicinity of state
5. Location of Legal Description
courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Franklin County Courthouse
street & number 410 South High Street
city, town Columbus state Ohio
6. Representation in Existing Surveys
title Ohio Historic Inventory has this property been determined eligible? x yes _ no
date 1975 _ federal x state _ county _ local
depository for survey records Ohio Historic Preservation Office
city, town Columbus state Ohio
7. Description
| Condition x excellent x good x fair |
x deteriorated _ ruins _ unexposed |
Check one unaltered x altered |
Check one x original site _ moved date |
Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance
The Near North Side Historic District is located northwest of downtown Columbus and encompasses an area of approximately 70 square blocks. Although the area is large, it is bound together with a homogenity of design, materials, and scale. The vast majority of the structures are single or multiple family dwellings with a number of churches and schools interspersed among them. With the exception of West Fifth Avenue, the commerical buildings are small and scattered throughout the district.
Development of the area, which generally occurred between 1870-1920, centered around three foci--Goodale Park, Neil Avenue and Dennison Park Addition. Prior to this development, the Near North Side consisted of several large farms. They were owned by the Neil, Hubbard, and Starr families--who later lent their names to area streets. Goodale Park was donated to the city in 1851 by Dr. Lincoln Goodale. It was not landscaped or developed until the 1870s. Neil Avenue was a major north-south artery by the late nineteenth century. In 1879, the Columbus Street Railroad Company had completed a line on Neil Avenue from Goodale Boulevard to the Ohio State University. Dennison Park Addition, located west of Neil Avenue, was platted in 1888 by Miss Ann Dennison. The plan originally called for six circular islands at the intersections of major cross streets. Four of these mini-parks remain. Dennison Park Addition #2 included Vermont Place which still remains. A landscaped ellipse is located down the middle of the street.
A variety of architectural styles are represented in the area. Included are: Italianate, Second Empire, Eastlake, Shingle Style, and Richardsonian Romanesque along with numerous vernacular buildings.
Typically, the larger, more impressive homes of the Near North Side District are located around the parks and along Neil Avenue. The majority of these homes are 2.5-3 stories in height and of brick or stone construction. Steeply pitched hip and gable roofs, dormers, turrets, ornamental cresting, corbelled chimneys, a variety of window shapes and sizes, stained and leaded glass, porches, and carriage houses appear repeatedly.
The simpler homes and multiple family dwellings along the side streets are normally 2 stories in height and constructed of brick. Hipped roofs, dormers, decorated stone lintels, frieze windows, denticular cornices, and porches are common features.
As the buildings in the district are too numerous to mention individually, examples to illustrate the character of the area were chosen.
GOODALE PARK AREA
Dr. Lincoln Goodale Monument - In 1888, the city commissioned sculptor John Quincy Adams Ward to create a bust of Dr. Goodale. It stands near the southeast corner of the park. The stone gates which serve as entrances to the park are worthy of mention. Goodale Park is an extremely important feature of this district.
130 Buttles Avenue - Built c. 1900 by Dr. Joseph Schoene, this 3 story brick structure is composed of irregularly massed forms and possesses round windows with rusticated brick trim, leaded glass fanlights, square finial topped tower, bracketed cornice, and corbelled brick chimneys. A handsome brick carriage house with cupola is located to the rear.
140 Buttles Avenue - This residence was built by Charles Stribling, a prominent Columbus architect, in 1890. It is significant for its historical association as well as the oriel windows, projecting bay, and conical roofed side tower.
182 Buttles Avenue - The Robert Thompson residence was built c. 1896. This Queen Anne structure features stained glass windows, carved stone lintels, and octagonal turret, and a large brick carriage house.
755 Dennison Avenue - Peter Sells built this architecturally unique residence. Sells, along with his three brothers, operated one of the largest circuses in the United States - the Sells Brothers Circus. This house was designed by Frank Parkard, a well known and prolific Columbus architect. The design is dominated by the bellcast hipped tile roof and the tall intricately corbelled chimneys. Other features include the porte-cochere, projecting bays, and a carriage house with the same distinctive roof.
773 Dennison Avenue - William Fish, founder of the Fish Stone Company - an important Columbus contracting company, built this house c. 1890. It features stonework and a squatty circular tower at the intersection of the roof ridges.
NEIL AVENUE
751 Neil Avenue - Built c. 1896, this residence was the home of the Honorable Charles Kenney, Secretary of State. Important features include: round arched windows with rusticated stone and brick trim and leaded glass panes. The original porch has been removed. (web note: A current photo is unavailable, as this site is now occupied by the Thurber Village parking lot.)
758 Neil Avenue - completed c. 1900, this 2.5 story residence is unusual for its rusticated stone facade. During the first decade of the twentieth century, it was the residence of J. P. Brennan, the cashier of the Treasury of the State of Ohio.
820-822 Neil Avenue - Built c. 1910, this Queen Anne structure is unusual in that it was designed and built as a multiple family dwelling in an area of single family dwellings. The central bay tower and high corbelled chimneys are features used repeatedly in the area.
903 Neil Avenue - Built c. 1905, this residence has stained glass windows, a turret with pyramidal roof, and high brick chimneys.
1100 Neil Avenue - Architect A. J. Solomon designed this home for himself c. 1900. The building is constructed in pressed brick with buff stone trim. Design features include the round arched windows, tower with enclosed porch, and corbelled brick chimney.
1163 Neil Avenue - Built c. 1900, the distinctive feature of this residence is the rusticated stone arched porch with recessed entry. Other features include a turret with conical roof and a tall brick chimney with split flues.
1223 Neil Avenue - Built in c. 1897, this was the residence of Lewis Sells, the business manager for the Sells Brothers Circus. The round arched window with stained glass, the hipped and gable roofs and the porch with the classical detailing are all features which appear repeatedly in the district.
1255 Neil Avenue 
1265 Neil Avenue and __ W. Fifth Avenue - These three buildings of nearly identical design were built by Major R. J. Cladwell c. 1900. All are built of brick with stone trim, have corner towers, stained glass windows, ornamental roof cresting, and handsome corner porches. Major Caldwell lived at 1265 Neil .
1289 Neil Avenue - One of the few wood frame buildings in this district, it was completed c. 1890. Imbricated shingles separate the first and second levels and decorate the roof and porch pediments.
1355 Neil Avenue - "Cabin rest" was built as the home of Edwin Moore. It is a Queen Anne "cottage" with a miniature balcony and porch with fluted Doric columns. The design is the work of Elah Terrell and Company.
DENNISON PARK ADDITION
398 W. Fifth Avenue - Completed in 1889, this Queen Anne residence possesses a tower with an unusual onion dome. Horizontal siding is used on the first story while the second story is shingled. The roof is mansard.
354 W. Sixth Avenue - This is one of the most unusual buildings in the area. The first story is stone with shingles above. A recessed porch is located on the second story. The porch and cornice have classical detailing. It is located on a corner facing one of the circles and was completed c. 1890.
405 W. Sixth Avenue - Built in 1890, this Queen Anne residence is characterized by irregular massing, scrollwork porches, decorative wood carving in the gables, and ornamental roof cresting. It is situated on the corner facing one of the circular islands.
338 W. Seventh Avenue - This handsome Queen Anne was built c. 1890. It has round arched windows with stone surrounds, an engaged turret with finial topped roof, and an intricate fretwork lattice screen on the second story porch.
Vermont Place - This area was designed and platted as part of Dennison Park Addition #2. The dominant feature in the design is the landscaped ellipse down the center of the street. Substantial brick homes, many with interesting window and porch details, line the street.
EAST OF NEIL
Hubbard Avenue School - Designed by D. Reibel, an important Columbus architect, this handsome school was completed in 1896. Constructed in brick and 2 stories in height, it possesses brick pilasters with stone bases and capitals, a projecting bay on the west elevation, denticular cornice, domed tower, and corbelled brick chimneys.
Greystone Court (Fritter's Folly) 815-835 N. High Street - This four story apartment building was an attempt to introduce luxurious apartment living to a fashionable residential neighborhood. Constructed of limestone in 1907 by Dr. Fritter of Lancaster, it stood vacant until 1921 when it was completed. The facade was moved back 12' to accommodate the widening of High Street.
249-253 W. First Avenue - Built during the first decade of the twentieth century, this multiple family residence blends well with the large single family homes in the area. Notable features include the mansard roof and gabled wall dorners.
56 Starr - This residence is an outstanding example of Italianate architecture with Eastlake details. The ornate front porch is the outstanding feature. Other interesting details include: stone facade, bracketed cornice, projecting bays, frieze windows, and ornamental cresting.
41 W. Third Avenue - Henry Howe, an extremely important historian, lived in this house during the 1880s. He wrote Historical Collections of Ohio in 1846 and 1889. The later edition was written while he lived here. At the time of his residence, it was a typical Italianate house. Dr. Clovis Taylor built the extensive front addition and carriage house in 1907. Some of the Italianate details are visible on the rear portion.
80 W. Third Avenue - Built c. 1880, this brick structure with a mansard roof remains nearly intact. The double door entrance has a transom and all the openings have carved stone lintels. The cornice is bracketed.
1013 Hunter - Built c. 1885, this house is typical of the simpler homes in the area. Constructed in brick and 2 stories in height, it features a shallow hip roof, decorative stone lintels, denticular cornice, and corbelled chimneys.
Everett Junior High School - Built as North High School in 1898, this building exhibits unusually fine detail. The round arched ribbon windows separated by stone columns, the elaborate brickwork and detailed frieze are significant features. Several brick wings have been added to the original structure.
1295 Hunter Avenue - This building is an example of Second Empire architecture on a diminutive scale. The building is 1 story plus the mansard. The dormers are encased in rather large scale architraves. It is one of only several examples of Second Empire style in this large district.
Smith Place - This street, which extends for one block between Dennison and High Steets is one of the most cohesive in the district. There are few intrusions and several good examples of Italianate and Queen Anne architecture. It is important for the sense of place it conveys.
78 Smith Place - This residence is one of the most interesting in the area. The note-worthy features include the turned balustrades and columns on the three porches and fretwork on the panelled gables and bargeboards. The wood treatment is one of the most detailed in the district.
77-79 King Avenue - Built c. 1900, this building has always been a multiple family dwelling. The stepped, central gable unifies the design and is compatible with the architecture of the area.
86 King Avenue - This structure is another example of domestic Second Empire architecture on the Near North Side. It is quite similar to the house at 1295 Hunter, both are one story mansard, are L-shaped in plan, have three bay facades, and rather elaborate wall dormers.
194 King Avenue - Influenced by the Richardsonian Romanesque style, this house was completed c. 1980. The brick construction with decorative stone trim, round arched windows, and the capitals on the pilasters flanking the first story windows are evidence of this influence.
235 King Avenue - This is one of the few commercial buildings in the district. It is 3 stories in height and has round arched windows, corbelled brickwork, and a decorated parapet. The size, materials, and design blend well with the neighborhood.
Ninth Avenue School - Columbus architect D. Reibel designed this school which was opened in 1896. The entrance is recessed behind an arcade. Round arched windows with hoodmolds are grouped in twos and threes. The hip roof terminates with a grouping of four chimneys.
149-157_W. 10th Avenue - The Excelsior, as this rowhouse was named, was completed around the turn of the century. The symmetrical design features a central gable and corner towners. Other design elements include the round arched windows with hoodmolds, dormers, and porches.
WEST OF NEIL
First Avenue School - Constructed in 1874, this is one of the ealier buildings in this area. Italianate in style, the building has round arched entrance with a brick keystone, segmental arched windows, wood cornice, hipped roof, and piers on the corner of each projection.
St. Francis of Assisi Church- Built in 1895 in the Romanesque style, the building features round arched entrance and windows with hoodmolds, corbelled brickwork under the eaves, and a squatty dome over the transcept.
384-392 W. First Avenue - Constructed c. 1910, this brick rowhouse is typical of the later multiple family dwellings in the area. Distinctive features include the round arched entrances and the decorative parapet with stone caping.
402-406 W. First Avenue - This 2.5 story brick building is one of the most impressive multiple family residences west of Neil Avenue. The imbricated shingles in the gable, the rusticated stone lintels, and the bracketed decoration over the gable window are interesting architectural details.
350-352 W. Third Avenue - Constructed c. 1900, this substantial brick double features stone lintels and sills and ornamental frieze under the eaves. (Web note: A current photo is unavailable, as this site is now occupied by a parking lot for Culpeppers General Store.)
539 W. Third Avenue - This modest brick residence dates front the turn-of-the-century. Notable features include the round arched windows with rusticated brick trim, the decorative wood trim, and the front porch. This building incorporated the architectual features of the larger homes in this small scale version.
The backgound buildings are generally multiple family dwellings, which were built during this century. Through the careful use of scale, material, and setbacks, they maintain the character of the district.
The close proximity of the Near North Side Historic District to Ohio State University has resulted in the construction of new apartment houses which are considered intrusions. The largest single intrusion is the Doctors' Hospital complex and adjacent recreation center which occupy two entire square blocks. Otherwise, the intrusions are scattered throughout the area.
The Near North Side Historic District survives today as an excellent example of a ninetheenth century neighborhood. It contains some of the finest examples of domestic architecture of this period in Columbus.
8. Significance
| Period prehistoric 1400-1499 _ 1500-1599 _ 1600-1699 _ 1700-1799 x 1800-1899 x 1900-
|
Areas of Significance-- _ archeology-prehistoric archeology-historic _ agriculture x architecture _ art _ commerce communication |
Check and justify below community planning _ conservation _ economics education _ engineering exploration/settlement industry _ invention |
x landscape architecture law literature _ military _ music _ philosophy _ politics/government |
_ religion _ science sculpture social/humanitarian _ theater _ transportation _ other (specify) |
Specific dates Builder/Architect
Statement of Significance (in one paragraph)
The Near North Side Historic District is located northwest of downtown Columbus and encompasses an area of approximately 70 square blocks. Although it was developed over a period of years (1870-1920) and a variety of architectural styles are represented, the district is bound together by its geography and through the sensitive use of design elements such as scale, proportion, and materials. The district appears today much as it did during its peak years. Its history and architecture make it an area of rich diversity and at the same time help unify it as a distinct entity - a model of nineteenth century urban residential development.
As with any historic district, the Near North Side has pivotal or individually significant buildings and spaces such as the Peter Sells House, Hubbard Avenue School, Everett Junior High School, Goodale Park, and the circles and ellipse in the Dennison Park Additions. These pivotal buildings and spaces are linked together by the many anonymous buildings and structures of lesser individual significance. The area is bordered by Ohio State University on the north, the High Street commercial area on the east, the Interstate highway (Innerbelt) on the south, and by Harrison Avenue and Battelle Memorial Institute on the west.
The area which comprises the Near North Side was originally part of the Refugee Lands. It was used principally for farming until the 1860s. Several streets, such as Neil, Hubbard, and Starr, are named for families who owned these farms.
The development of the district was heavily influenced by the Neil family. William Neil, a native of Kentucky, purchased a three hundred acre farm north of Columbus in 1827. The Neils eventually purchased almost all the land west of High Street to the Olentangy River, and between the city and the original farm. William and Hannah Neil divided portions of their property among their children in 1853. The Neil sons owned tracts at the southern end of the present historic district; Anne Dennison owned a tract from Fifth Avenue to King Avenue; and Elizabeth King McMillan owned the tract north of King Avenue.
By 1870, the city had begun to encroach upon the Neil family holdings. The Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College (later Ohio State Univeristy) was located on three hundred acres which were the original Neil farm. Amost immediately Neil Avenue, west of and parallel to High Street, became a major north-south artery. A street railway connecting the downtown and the University was completed along Neil Avenue in 1879, two years before one was completed along High Street. The increased mobility resulting from the rail line and the establishment of the University opened the way for growth and development of the northern portion of the district. By 1875, the area between High Street and Neil Avenue was a well-established residential area.
The Dennison Park Addition, west of Neil Avenue, was platted by Anne Dennison in 1888. Reportedly influenced by the work of Frederick Law Olmstead, Miss Dennison designed an area with six small circular islands at major street intersections For of these parks still remain. Dennison Park Addition II consisted of Vermont Place with a landscaped elliptical park. The Dennison Park Additions are unique in the district and unusual for Columbus.
The area west of Neil and south of Fifth was platted between 1888 and 1902. It was almost entirely developed prior to 1920.
The first lots in the Homestead Addition, north of King Avenue and west of Neil, went on sale in 1891. Most of this area was built up by 1910. In 1917, Ohio State University purchased the reserve of the subdivision west of Perry, thereby prohibiting residential development westward to the river. The northern boundary of the Near North Side District has long been influenced by the presence of the University.
Dr. Lincoln Goodale, who came to Ohio in 1788, donated a forty-acre tract of land to the city for use as a public park in 1851. That was the same year the New York state legislature authorized New York City to purchase land for what became Central Park. The firm of Vaux and Olmsted designed that park, and it epitomizes the popularity of the romantic, agrarian movement in the middle of the nineteenth century. The design of Central Park was quickly popularized in innumerable cities across the country. The trend toward large urban parks frequently located on donated land, was at its prime in the 1850s and 1860s. Although Goodale Park in Columbus was not landscaped and developed until the 1870s, it is significant as one of the first tracts of land in the United States to be set aside for a public park . The park was used as Camp Jackson during the Civil War, and Ohio's quota of troops under Lincoln's first call was filled there. The first lake in the park was constructed in 1874, with another added in 1891. The latter lake was filled some time ago.
The philosophy of nineteenth century "romantic" planning is evident in the design of the district as well as that of the park. Planners at the time believed that the city was evil and that the country or "green space" was conducive to healthful living. Suburban "romantic" planning was an attempt by the Victorians to combine the culture and convenience of the city with the natural beauty of the country. The design of Goodale Park with its lakes and of the Dennison Park Additions with the landscaped circles and ellipse are significant to the overall character of the district and exemplify the best of mid-ninteenth century urban planning.
The Near North Side Historic District developed as a connumity of diverse groups. A variety of lifestyles, occupations, incomes, and educational levels was present from the beginning. Doctors, lawyers, craftsmen, and merchants built their homes there. This social mixture is reflected in the rich variety of architecture. Italianate, Second Empire, Eastlake, Shingle Style, and Queen Anne homes exist along-side the many vernacular buildings and later multiple-family dwellings. Typically, the most impessive homes are located around the parks and along Neil Avenue. In fact, Neil Avenue on the north side and Broad Street and Bryden Road on the east were the most fashionable residential streets in Columbus at the turn of the century.
During the heyday of the north side, a number of prominent Columbus citizens resided there. Columbus city directories include such names as Levy (founder of Union Company stores), Sater (a federal judge), Sells (Sells Brothers Circus), Fish (Fish Stone Company), Howe (prominent Ohio historian), and Stribling (Columbus architect).
The physical decline of the Near North Side began in the late 1920s and can be attributed to several factors. The popularity of the automobile expanded the limits of the city and created new suburbs to the north and the northwest; at the same time, successful businesses moved from the High Street area to suburban locations. The increased new construction and urban sprawl which occurred after World War II accelerated the departure of the more affluent residents to the more "convenient" suburbs and aggravated the decline of the Near North Side.
Renewed interest in the area began several years ago. A portion of it has been declared an historic district by the City of Columbus. Vermont Place and the area north of Fifth Avenue and west of Harrison Avenue, which are significant and contribute to the integrity of the proposed Near North Side Historic District, were not included. Nevertheless, residents there as well as in the locally-designated district have been actively rehabilitating many of the attractive and substantial homes.
Because the area developed over a long period of time, a great variety of housing types exists, from modest single-family homes to multi-family rental properties and large "showcase" houses. The existence of such a varied housing stock, most of it in very sound condition, presents a rare opportunity to create an exciting revitalized urban neighborhood. The Near North Side Historic District can accommodate a wide variety of income levels and social backgrounds in an attractive, livable, and affordable urban area, if its redevelopment is approached with sensitivity and caution.
The Near North Side and Harrison West Historic Districts were determined to be eligible for the National Register on January 17 and March 7, respectively. They are being nominated now as a part of the SHPO responsibilities under 36CFR Part 63.6.
9. Major Biblographical References
Columbus City Maps, 1856, 1875, 1899, 1910
Handsome Homes of Columbus, S.S. Maughlin and Company, 1900.
Larrimer, R., The McMillan Homestead Addition, Paper for Coursework at the Ohio State Univeristy, 1977.
Klimoski, Gretchen, Head of Registration Department, Ohio Historic Preservation Office.
Galat, Lisa, Victorian Village Society.
Darbee, Jeffrey and Kitchen, Judith, Architecture Columbus, Columbus: Foundation of the Columbus Chapter of the American Institute of Architecture, 1976.
Lee, A.E., History of the City of Columbus, 1892.
Centennial History of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio, Columbus: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
1909 Columbus City Directories.
10. Geographical Data
Acreage of nominated property approx. 500
Quandrangle name Southwest Columbus Quandrangle scale 1:24000
UMT References
| A | 17 zone |
328580 Easting |
4428940 Northing |
B | 17 Zone |
328810 Easting |
4426540 Northing |
| C | 17 zone |
328300 Easting |
4426580 Northing |
D | 17 Zone |
327970 Easting |
4426990 Northing |
| E | 17 zone |
327420 Easting |
4427550 Northing |
F | 17 Zone |
327480 Easting |
4428060 Northing |
| G | 17 zone |
327660 Easting |
4428630 Northing |
H | 17 Zone |
328050 Easting |
4428980 Northing |
Verbal boundary description and justification
Beginning at the intersection of N. Park and Goodale; go west along the north curb line of Goodale to the intersection with Neil Ave; go north on Neil Ave. to the intersection with Buttles; go west on Buttles to the intersection with Harrison; go north on Harrison to 150' south of the intersection with First Ave.; go west to the intersection with Perry; go north on Perry to the intersection with Second Ave.' go west to the westernmost property lines along the Olentangy River; follow the westermost propery lines north (parcels #37057, 38014, 54310, 53071, 50658, 34881, 17059, 111566, 76512, 137445, 24727, 4112, 28075, 37430) along the banks of the Olentangy River to 120' south of the intersection with Fifth Ave; go east on Fifth Ave. to the intersection with Perry; go north on Perry St. too the intersection with King Ave; go west on King Ave. 255'; go north 140'; go east 92'; go north 252'; go east 135'; go north to the intersection with Eighth Ave; go east to the intersection with Neil Ave; go north to the intersection with Ninth Ave; go east to the intersection with Highland Ave' go north to Tenth Ave; go east to the intersection with Wall Alley; go south on Wall Alley to Greenwood Ave; go south following the eastern most boundary lines (parcels #66730, 42281, 41397, 3136) to the intersection with Third Ave.; go south on Wall Alley to a point 175('?), south of the intersection with First Ave; go east 180', go south along High St. to the intersection with Hubbard; go west to Wall Alley; go south on Wall Alley to the intersection wtih Buttles; go west to the intersection with Park St.; go south on Park to the insection with Russell St.; go east 200'; go south 319'; go west 200' to the intersection with Park St.; go south on Park to the point of beginning.
List all states and counties for properties overlapping state or county boundaries
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11. Form Prepared By
Name/title Nancy Recchie, Regional Preservation Officer
Organization Columbus Landmarks Foundation date 4/79
Street and Number 22 North Front Street telephone (614) 221-0227
city or town Columbus state Ohio
12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification
The evaluated significance of this property within the state is:
national state x local
As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service.
State Historic Preservation Officer signature (signed by David L. Brook)
title (Chief, D. of Historic Preservation, Ohio Historical Society) date 3/14/80
Street and Number 22 North Front Street telephone (614) 221-0227
city or town Columbus state Ohio