Short North Historic District
Why it's listed
Four blocks of North High Street in Columbus make up this commercial district, where two- and three-story brick buildings with ground-floor storefronts and upstairs apartments or offices line the street at an even setback. Most of the 31 contributing buildings date from 1889 to 1920. Styles range from Italianate, seen in the 1888 Portland-Metcalf-Yukon Block and the Goldmine-Feibel Block, to Jacobethan, Colonial Revival, Mediterranean and Art Deco, though many are vernacular. Growth followed the horse-drawn and then electric streetcar line, which opened in 1876 and was electrified in 1891, and the High Street viaducts of 1888 and 1894 that tied the area to downtown. In 1918 the street was widened by ten feet on each side, so facades were moved back or replaced, and a building boom followed. By 1920 the area was again a thriving shopping district for nearby neighborhoods and the wider city. Its consistent massing and well-preserved buildings support its listing.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | 1888-1940 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Italianate; Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals; Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Acreage | 8 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Short North Historic District (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.