Blume High School
Why it's listed
Blume High School is a brick school building in a residential area southwest of downtown Wapakoneta, Ohio. The original section, designed by local architect W.M. Runkle, opened in 1908 in a restrained Italian Renaissance Revival style with a raised basement, tall windows and a pressed metal cornice. It was the first Wapakoneta school designed as a high school. Overcrowding led voters to approve a bond issue in 1922, and Columbus architect Frank L. Packard designed an addition completed in 1923-25. It combined a YMCA and library wing in Georgian Revival style, a gymnasium with stage, and a plain classroom block. The interior was altered in 1938 to improve fire safety. The school served as the high school until 1959 and as a junior high until 1989, and has been vacant since. It was listed for reflecting Ohio's growth of public high schools and for its architecture, including work by Packard late in his career.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it reflects broad trends in early 20th century public education in Ohio and Wapakoneta's local response to them (Criterion A). It also represents the urban public high school building type and includes an addition by Columbus architect Frank L. Packard, one of his last projects (Criterion C). Its transitional design and high integrity add to its significance.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 96000933, listed August 22, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 405--409 S. Blackhoof St., Wapakoneta |
|---|---|
| County | Auglaize County |
| Listed | August 22, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000933 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1908-1945 |
| Architect / builder | W.M. Runkle, architect; Frank Packard, architect |
| Architectural style | Mixed: Italian Renaissance; Georgian Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a high school until 1959 and a junior high school until 1989; vacant since then. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.56618, -84.19715 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 96000933.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4930726
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.