Second Presbyterian Church
Also known as: Central Presbyterian Church
Why it's listed
Built of sandstone between 1857 and 1860, this church at 132 South Third Street in downtown Columbus is the oldest stone church in the city. Its design came from New Haven architect Sidney M. Stone, and construction was supervised by Col. Henry B. Carrington, with the stone delivered by canal boat. The rectangular building has an asymmetrical three-bay facade with two corner towers, round-arched openings, and arcaded corbel tables under the eaves. A windstorm destroyed the tall spire of the northern tower in 1887, and a belfry and concave dome replaced it. Inside, a braced-beam segmental-arched ceiling rests on carved wooden corbels. The large facade window was made by Ludwig Von Gerichten and won recognition at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. A brick rear addition from the mid-1920s, designed by Joel McCarty, is the main alteration. The congregation merged with Westminster Presbyterian in 1901 and became Central Presbyterian. It is the only known Columbus building by Stone.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites the church as a typical example of Romanesque Revival ecclesiastic design, with round arches, corbel tables and asymmetrical towers. It is the oldest stone church in Columbus. It is also the only known Columbus work of Connecticut architect Sidney Mason Stone, who designed over one hundred churches.
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 83001972, listed January 11, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 132 S. Third St., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | January 11, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001972 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Sidney Stone |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a church; condition listed as good and altered, with a mid-1920s rear addition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Market-Mohawk Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.95954, -82.99720 (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 83001972.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7443476
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.