U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
Also known as: Old, Old Post Office
Why it's listed
Built as Columbus's main post office between 1884 and 1887, this building at 121 East State Street was first designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque manner and was about one-third its present size. Within twenty years the public called it an eyesore and urged its demolition. Mail volume had risen 500%, though, and the Post Office Department chose to invest $650,000 in remodeling instead. Between 1907 and 1912 the Romanesque facade was replaced with a Gothic one, and the southern two-thirds of the building was added. The result is a rock-faced stone structure with pointed entrance arches, stepped gables, balustrades and a red tile roof. President William Howard Taft, a native of Ohio, came to dedicate it in 1912. The nomination judges the extensive early alterations tasteful enough that the building remains significant. It was described as well maintained and in excellent structural condition, and later served as a postal sub-station.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building was Columbus's main post office and was saved from demolition by the growth of the mail business. A $650,000 remodeling replaced its Romanesque facade with a Gothic one and expanded it by two-thirds. The alterations were made early in its life and tastefully, so it remains a significant structure.
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 73001441, listed April 11, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 121 E. State St., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | April 11, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001441 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th and 20th centuries; built 1884-1887, remodeled 1907-1912 |
| Architectural style | Gothic-appearance facade (1907-1912) over an original Richardsonian Romanesque building |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent structural condition and well maintained; in use as a postal sub-station at the time of nomination. A 1978 letter notes a possible transfer to the City of Columbus. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 39.96031, -82.99465 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 73001441.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7863296
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.