What Columbus, Ohio looked like in the 1890s through these Captivating photos

The 1890s in Columbus, Ohio, felt like the city was on fast-forward. It was a time when Columbus really started to flex its muscles as a political, cultural, and economic powerhouse in the region. Having been Ohio’s capital city since the early 19th century, Columbus was no stranger to growth, but the 1890s? They were something else.

Economically, Columbus was on a roll. It was perfectly perched at the crossroads of major railways, making it a bustling hub for manufacturing and distribution. Imagine the streets alive with the buzz of industry—from textiles and shoes to farm equipment. And then there was the Columbus Buggy Company, which became a global giant in horse-drawn carriages, putting Columbus on the map industrially.

Population-wise, the city was booming, too. People were pouring in, both from other parts of the US and from Europe, all looking for a piece of the Columbus dream. This influx not only made the city more vibrant but also more diverse, adding layers to its cultural tapestry.

Columbus didn’t just grow; it evolved, especially when it came to urban infrastructure. The city’s transformation included better streets, an expanded public transport system with electric streetcars (a game-changer for city expansion), and improved public services like water and sewer systems. These changes made Columbus not just bigger, but better and more livable.

Culturally, the 1890s were a renaissance period for Columbus. The city was buzzing with intellectual energy, thanks to institutions like The Ohio State University and the rise of libraries and cultural centers. Parks and recreational spaces like Goodale Park and Olentangy Park amusement area sprang up, offering residents a breath of fresh air and leisure.

#1 A horse and carriage on Alum Creek’s Broad Street Bridge, 1897.

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#2 The 1899 Central High School baseball team, including a young George Wesley Bellows, 1899.

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#3 Aerial view of 1898 flood in Columbus, looking west from Mt. Carmel Hospital, March 1898.

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#4 Aerial photograph of the 1898 flood on Columbus’s west side, 1898.

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#5 Aerial view of downtown Columbus looking southwest across the Scioto River, late 1880s or early 1890s.

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#6 Aerial view of East Broad and 3rd Streets, featuring the Rowland Building and Benjamin Brown Mansion, 1890s

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#7 Aerial view of Olentangy Park in Clintonville, Columbus, Ohio, showing amusement park features, 1890s

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#8 Adams County Courthouse with a horse in the foreground, 1890s

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#9 Adena mound on the Pope Farm, an outstanding example of Adena mound construction, 1892.

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#10 Path alongside a body of water at the Columbus State Hospital, 1890s

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#11 Lazarus Department Store window display featuring a horse car, 1890s

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#12 Agricultural Building on the campus of Ohio State University, Columbus, 1890s

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#13 Alfred Kelley home, an example of Greek Revival architecture, later the Governor’s Mansion, 1898.

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#14 Allen G. Thurman’s home, built around 1885, Queen Anne Style, 1892.

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#15 Baker Art Gallery, prominent photography studio in Columbus, started in the 1860s, location opened in 1892.

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#16 Bird’s-eye view of Columbus, Ohio, panoramic view from a height on the north side of the capitol square looking east south east, 1890s

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#17 Bishop’s Residence at St Joseph’s Cathedral, built in 1848 by William G. Deshler, used as the Bishop’s residence until demolished in 1949, 1891.

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#18 Boat House on the Olentangy River at Olentangy Park, developed by Robert Turner in 1880, photograph from 1891.

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#19 Boater on the Olentangy River, 1897

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#20 Boater on the Olentangy River, momentary pause for a photograph, 1890s

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#21 C. M. Hubbard Livery on High and Cherry Streets, business location 1891-1896, photo showing Swan Tavern, later Franklin House, demolished October 27, 1912, Circa 1891

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#22 C. M. Hubbard’s business at High and Cherry Streets, previously Swan Tavern, later Franklin House, demolished October 27, 1912, Circa 1892.

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#23 Canal Boat Warehouse building, used for merchandise shipping in the 1830s, later Capital City Junk, 1898.

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#24 Chemical House #1 on Oak Street, replaced by a new facility in 1898, served as Columbus Music Hall from 1988 to 2008, still stands today, 1894.

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#25 Chittenden Hotel, transformation from business block to hotel in 1889-90, two stories added, first hotel destroyed by fire, rebuilt, second hotel also destroyed, third hotel opened in 1895, Circa 1892.

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#26 Third Chittenden Hotel during construction of streetcar lines along High and Spring Streets, circa 1895.

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#27 Circus Parade on North High Street, passing Union Station, 1890s

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#28 Columbus City Prison, located on South Scioto Street and West Town Street, opened December 29, 1879, closed August 15, 1920, Circa 1897.

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#29 Broad and High Streets, view of the Deshler Hotel construction, looking northwest, 1890s

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#30 Broad Street Methodist Episcopal Church, photograph from 1897.

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#31 Broad Street, East from High Street, view of East Broad Street looking from High Street, 1890s

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#32 Columbus Auditorium, opened June 24, 1897, collapsed under snow load on February 18, 1910, originally Park Roller Skating Rink in 1885, remodeled to auditorium by Yost and Packard, 1890s

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#33 Building at Columbus Barracks, 1890s

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#34 Columbus Centennial postcard, celebrating 100 years as Ohio’s capital city in 1912, featuring Railroad YMCA, Columbus Savings Bank, Troy Laundering, and Unique Theatre, 1890s

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#35 Columbus Pharmacal Company building, a medical equipment supplier, 1898.

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#36 Columbus Public School Library, originally a church, 1899

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#37 Columbus Public School Library building, formerly a church, photographed in 1897.

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#38 Scenic drive on the Columbus State Hospital grounds, 1897.

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#39 Columbus Union Station, designed by Daniel Hudson Burnham, opened in 1897.

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#40 Conn Baker photographed by an old building in St. Augustine, Florida, May 17, 1896.

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#41 Corner of City Park Ave and Lansing St, Columbus, in 1898

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#42 Davidson Hotel at the intersection of High Street and Naghten, Columbus, 1898.

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#43 Residential area at Dennison Avenue and Buttles Avenue, Columbus, photograph, 1897.

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#44 Departure of Artillery from Camp Bushnell to join Spanish American War, Columbus, 1898.

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#45 East Broad Street traffic in Columbus, photograph, 1897.

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#46 East Broad Street near Ohio Statehouse with Hayden Clinton National Bank and Board of Trade, 1897.

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#47 Residential district of East Town Street, 1897.

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#48 Edward Leroy Hinman House, built in 1880. Circa 1892.

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#49 First electric streetcar by Glenwood and Greenlawn Co. on West Broad Street, Columbus, 1891.

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#50 First Garfield Elementary School, constructed in 1882 and demolished circa 1950, Circa 1892.

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#51 Fish Stone Works at 200 W. Main Street on the canal, Columbus, 1898.

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#52 Flooded Central Ohio Rail Road Company yard in Zanesville, Ohio, March 1898.

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#53 Flooding on Hartford Street off West Broad, Columbus, 1898.

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#54 Fountain and lawn at the Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb, completed in 1886, Circa 1897.

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#55 Fourth Street south from Broad Street featuring Baldwyn Gwynne house and Lucretia Phelps English and Classical School, Columbus, 1897.

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#56 Frank L. Hughes family home, Vice-President of Buckeye Buggy Company, 1890s

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#57 Franklin County Children’s Home and grounds, opened in 1880, Circa 1897.

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#58 Gay Street Engine House, original No. 1 House, built in 1854, used until 1892.

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#59 Funeral train of General William T. Sherman, arriving in Columbus, February 21, 1891.

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#60 George W. Foster house at Mound and High streets, demolished in the 1880s for business development, Circa 1898.

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#61 Good Shepherd Convent Chapel, 1891

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#62 Governor’s Mansion, originally Alfred Kelley’s home, used by Governor James E. Campbell 1890-1892.

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#63 Hanna Paint Company, James B. Hanna as president, Circa 1897.

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#64 Harrison Elm and former Hawkes Hospital in Franklinton, 1892.

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#65 Hayes Hall at The Ohio State University, named for President Rutherford B. Hayes, completed in 1892, Cirac 1897.

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#66 Hayes Hall, the oldest building on The Ohio State University campus, built in 1893

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#67 Hayes Hall at The Ohio State University, designed by architect Frank Packard, completed in 1892.

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#68 Hayes Hall at The Ohio State University, built in 1893 in the Richardsonian Romanesque style by Packard & Yost.

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#69 High Street north from Fulton, featuring St Paul’s German Lutheran Church and Franklin County Courthouse, 1890s

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#70 Exterior of the Holy Cross Church Sisters Residence, 1891.

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#71 Residence of the Holy Cross Church priests, 1891.

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#72 Exterior of the Holy Family Church Priests Residence, 1891.

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#73 Holy Family Roman Catholic Church, 1891.

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#74 Holy Family Sisters residence exterior, 1891.

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#75 Horse-drawn fire engine in action, 1890s

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#76 Hoster Building illustration, 1898.

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#77 Hotel Hartman, Columbus, Ohio, 425 South 4th Street, 1890s

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#78 Huntington National Bank, opened 1878, first location at 1 S High Street, 1890s

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#79 World Museum Theatre site, later High Street Theatre, 1898

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#80 State Capitol, Columbus, circa 1897.

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#81 High Street, Columbus. Ohio’, circa 1897.

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