South High Street Commercial Grouping
Why it's listed
This two-acre group of eleven commercial buildings sits at the southern end of downtown Columbus along South High Street. Most are two to three stories and date from the late 19th century, with details such as cast iron storefronts, bracketed cornices, decorative lintels, and stone piers. The Southern Hotel and Theatre, completed in 1896-97 with a Sullivanesque theatre entrance, and the 1895 Schlee-Kemmler Building, with its five-story rusticated sandstone facade, anchor the group. The Fresch Brothers Saloon at 350 South High, built in 1878, is a well-preserved Italianate example. The block matters for two reasons. It is one of the last cohesive, human-scale streetscapes left downtown, surrounded by parking and newer development. It also represents the German commercial district that once lined South High Street, tied to brewers, saloon keepers, printers, and insurance men who built and used these buildings. Most other German-associated landmarks nearby have been demolished.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of the very few remaining intact, cohesive late 19th century streetscapes in downtown Columbus, with cast iron storefronts, bracketed cornices, and stone details. It is also the last remnant of the commercial area tied to the city's large German population in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Architecturally it ranges from distinctive buildings like the Southern Hotel and Theatre and the Schlee-Kemmler Building to simpler commercial blocks.
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 83004301, listed December 29, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Bounded by Pearl, Mound, Main, and High Sts., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | December 29, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83004301 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- (specific dates 1870s, 1914) |
| Architect / builder | Dauben, Krumm & Riebel (Southern Hotel and Theatre); Nicholas Schlee and Charles Kemmler (built Schlee-Kemmler Building); Tillman and Charles Fresch (built 350 South High); form lists builder/architect as N/A |
| Architectural style | Late 19th century commercial, including Italianate, Sullivanesque, and Colonial and Georgian Revival elements |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Buildings are occupied, in good to fair condition and somewhat altered. The Southern Hotel and Theatre was undergoing rehabilitation, and the Schlee-Kemmler Building had been sensitively rehabilitated. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 39.95564, -82.99879 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 83004301.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q96625837
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.