Ohio Farm Bureau Federation Offices
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Why it's listed
Two brick houses at 620 and 630 East Broad Street in Columbus were built in 1871-72 in the French Second Empire style, for Benjamin N. Huntington and Andrew Denny Rodgers I. Both have mansard roofs covered in slate, bracketed or modillioned cornices and dormers with molded surrounds. The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation bought 620 in 1927 and 630 in 1929, and added a blonde brick commercial wing to 620 in 1928. That was the first structure built for the organization, whose insurance venture later became Nationwide Insurance. The pair served as its offices until 1936. The buildings illustrate how East Broad Street changed from a fashionable residential avenue into a commercial corridor. Number 620 is also valued as a surviving example of the French Second Empire style, with original woodwork, mantels and a winding staircase inside. Both houses were rehabilitated for offices between 1982 and 1986, and the facade of 620 was rebuilt from historic photographs after a c. 1940 remodeling.
Significance in brief: Listed under Criterion A as the offices of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, whose insurance branch became Nationwide Insurance, and as evidence of East Broad Street's shift from fashionable residences to commercial use. 620 East Broad is also significant under Criterion C as a remaining example of French Second Empire architecture and of a 19th-century high-style residence within the innerbelt.
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 87000466, listed March 13, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 620 and 630 E. Broad St., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | March 13, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000466 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1871-2 - unknown (specific dates 1871-2, 1928) |
| Architect / builder | 1928 addition: Miller & Reeves, Architects; R.H. Evans, Contractor |
| Architectural style | French Second Empire |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both buildings were rehabilitated for office use in 1982-86; condition is marked excellent and altered, and the property is listed as occupied. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.96427, -82.98423 (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 87000466.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q104437477
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.