Berry Brothers Bolt Works
Why it's listed
Berry Brothers Bolt Works is a brick factory at 350 East First Avenue in Columbus, next to the railroad tracks. The original 1888 building has a two-and-one-half-story front section and a rear forging area with a clerestory. Additions followed around 1900 and 1910, with a garage and annealing room completed by 1921. Segmental-arched, multi-paned wood windows unify the stages of construction, and the interior keeps its open floor plan, exposed wood columns, original office furnishings and bolt-making machines. Richard Berry brought his brothers from Cleveland to supply bolts and nuts to Columbus's buggy makers and machine shops. Of two bolt factories in the city, this is the only one that survives, and it still produces bolts with machinery the company largely built itself. Nearby factories, including the neighboring Jeffrey Manufacturing complex, were demolished or altered. The property was listed for its industrial history, its architecture and its potential to show how early bolt manufacturing worked.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an excellent, largely unaltered late 19th-century factory that still uses its original bolt-making machinery. It is described as the only surviving bolt factory of its kind in Columbus and as the city's only intact historic industrial facility. It is also considered likely to yield information about industrial processes and equipment of the period.
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 88000051, listed February 19, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 350 E. First Ave., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | February 19, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000051 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1888 - 1937 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in operation, manufacturing bolts with its original equipment; the clerestory area is no longer used. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.98066, -82.99495 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 88000051.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4894766
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.