Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad Station
Also known as: Volunteers of America Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1895 of brown brick, this former railroad station at 379 West Broad Street in Columbus was erected by the Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad. Its architect is unknown. The building has two stories, a three-and-one-half-story tower, and measures about seventy by forty feet. The tower tapers to a compound pagoda-style tile roof, with stone quoins, a plaque bearing the railroad's banner, and openwork brickwork on each side. Octagonal towers flank it. Passengers bought tickets on the ground floor, then climbed to a second-level platform at viaduct height to board trains. Inside, the waiting room keeps its Italian marble floor, mahogany woodwork and a vaulted ceiling with bas-relief cornice. The railroad was later bought by the Hocking Valley Railroad, and the New York Central used the station until 1930, when service moved to Union Station. The building was then leased and later bought by the Volunteers of America, which uses it today. Locals called it "that funny building on West Broad."
Significance in brief: The station is described as one of Central Ohio's greatest architectural oddities, with an Oriental-appearing pagoda-style tower and entrance. It also reflects the short, complicated history of the Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad and its later control by the Hocking Valley and New York Central railroads. Its well-preserved waiting room interior adds to its importance.
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 73001440, listed June 18, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 379 W. Broad St., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | June 18, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001440 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1895 |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and altered; occupied and used by Volunteers of America, with several large rooms converted to dormitories and the waiting room largely preserved. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 39.96061, -83.01071 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 73001440.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q27826288
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.