Broad Street Christian Church
Why it's listed
Built in 1907 at 1051 East Broad Street in Columbus, this heavy stone church was designed by local architect Wilbur T. Mills for a congregation organized in 1870. The group's first building, known as Old Central, stood at Third and Gay Streets. Seeking relief from the crowded city, the congregation relocated to the fashionable East Broad Street corridor in the early twentieth century. The building blends Arts and Crafts and Mission influences, seen in its rough-faced stone walls with smooth stone trim, wide bracketed eaves, a square corner tower with a hipped roof, round arched stained glass windows, a tile roof, and an arcaded narthex with a curvilinear parapet on squat Tuscan columns. The sanctuary has a semicircular plan around the altar, and the church holds 57 stained glass windows. It was listed for reflecting the street's major development period and for its architectural character.
Significance in brief: The church is significant under Criterion A as reflecting the period of major development along Columbus' main east-west artery. It is also significant under Criterion C as an example of Arts and Crafts/Mission style architecture. The congregation, organized in 1870, moved to fashionable East Broad Street in the early 20th century to leave the congestion of the city.
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 86003448, listed December 16, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1051 E. Broad St., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | December 16, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86003448 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Wilbur T. Mills (local architect) |
| Architectural style | Arts and Crafts/Mission |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a church; interior and exterior listed in excellent condition, with a 1981 repair underway and a cinderblock classroom addition at the rear. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Columbus Near East Side District |
| Coordinates | 39.96519, -82.97278 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 86003448.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4971955
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.