Morris, C. E., House
Also known as: W. Stephen Ely, Ltd.
Why it's listed
Built in 1897 at 875 East Broad Street in Columbus, this 2½-story brick house was the home of Charles E. Morris, owner of Morris Ironworks, a prominent real estate attorney and president of the Hotel Lincoln Co. At the turn of the century East Broad was a tree-lined avenue where many of the city's leading businessmen and professionals lived. The house shows the Queen Anne style through its irregular massing, corner turret, tall stepped chimneys and textured masonry, with stone trim, cut stone lintels and sills, and richly carved column capitals, brackets and pilaster bases. It is one of only four examples of the textured masonry mode on the street. The Morris family lived here from 1897 until 1924. The building was later rented out for rooms and then used as commercial space, and it retains its integrity. It was listed for its link to the street's residential development and for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The house represents the major period of residential development along East Broad Street, where many of Columbus' prominent businessmen and professionals lived around the turn of the century. It is also an outstanding example of Queen Anne architecture, one of only four examples of the textured masonry mode on the street.
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 86003398, listed December 17, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 875 E. Broad St., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | December 17, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86003398 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1897 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Later rented out for rooms, then used as a commercial space (antiques and interior design store) that retained its integrity; condition rated good to very good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Columbus Near East Side District |
| Coordinates | 39.96466, -82.97704 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 86003398.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q105044504
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.