High Street (Columbus, Ohio)

High St. south from Town St. in downtown Columbus

High St. south from State St., c. 1900-10

High Street extends north and south far into Ohio, though it is named High Street starting at the northern end of Columbus (in Delaware County). North of this it is U.S. Route 23. Continuing south, the road quickly enters Franklin County and passes through some northerly suburbs in Columbus. The road enters Worthington and Riverlea, two municipalities that are enclaves of Columbus. The street is the primary corridor of Worthington's central business district. High Street resumes in Columbus, going through its Clintonville neighborhood. There it adjusts from running approximately due south to slightly southeast. It continues through Old North Columbus and then the University District, where it also passes by the Ohio State University. Immediately afterward, it enters the Short North Arts District, a historic and shopping district centered around High Street. The road continues into Downtown Columbus. There the street enters Capitol Square, intersecting with Broad Street, the other main artery of the city. The square is the cultural center of downtown, and includes the Ohio Statehouse, the state capitol building. High Street continues south out of Downtown through the Brewery District by German Village, and readjusts more south upon entering Merion Village. It continues through a large stretch of the city's South Side, where it terminates just south of the city borders in Hamilton Township, continuing on as U.S. Route 23.[1]

High Street (running roughly north to south) has always been one of the city's main thoroughfares. The other, Broad Street, runs roughly east to west.

High Street has been one of Columbus's two main corridors since its founding, along with Broad Street, meeting at a 100 percent corner downtown.[2] The street (among other main corridors) was laid out from the city's founding in 1812 into the following year.[3]

Aerial view of High Street in the Short North

Broad Street and High Street both traverse beyond the extent of the city; High Street is the longest in Columbus, running 13.5 mi (21.7 km) (23.4 across the county), while Broad Street is longer across the county, at 25.1 mi (40.4 km).[2] The city's street plan follows a grid pattern with the intersection of Broad and High Streets at its center.[4] The address system begins its numbering at the intersection of Broad and High, with numbers increasing in magnitude with distance from Broad or High, as well as cardinal directions used alongside street names.[5]

For public transportation, numerous Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) routes utilize High Street. The CBUS, route 102, and the Night Owl run on a long extent of the street; the CBUS the city's free downtown circulator, while the Night Owl provides late-night service.

Beside the historic landmarks listed below, the street has numerous cultural landmarks and attractions. These include Highbanks Metro Park, the Pontifical College Josephinum, the Orange Johnson House Museum, the Newport Music Hall, the Ohio State University, the university's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, the Greater Columbus Convention Center, the Lazarus Building, and the Franklin County Government Center.

Buildings on High Street can have one of several types of official landmark designations:

• The Columbus Register of Historic Properties (CRHP) is the city-wide historic register. The city's Historic Resources Commission and Historic Preservation Office are responsible for identifying and designating its landmarks and the buildings in the city's historic districts.
• The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance.[6]
• The National Historic Landmark (NHL) program focuses on places of significance in American history, architecture, engineering, or culture; all NHL sites are also on the NRHP.[7]

Individual landmarks

Below is a list of historic sites on High Street, from north to south. Historic districts are not included in this table, but are mentioned in § Historic districts. Buildings within historic districts, but no individual landmark designation, are not included in this table.

Name	Image	Address	Neighborhood	CRHP	NRHP	Notes
Northmoor Engine House / Station #19		3601 N. High Street	Northmoor (Clintonville)	Yes
White Castle Restaurant		2725 N. High Street	University District	Yes		Built in 1929; moved to Orient, Ohio in 1986; later to Rolla, Missouri. Site pictured.
1379 N. High Street Apartment Building		1379 N. High Street	University District	Yes
York Lodge No. 563		1276 N. High Street	University District		Yes
Union Station arcade		370-400 N. High Street	Downtown		Yes	Demolished in 1976, delisted in 1999
Columbia Larrimer Building		161-167 N. High Street	Downtown	Yes	Yes
Atlas Building		8 E. Long Street	Downtown		Yes
Citizens Savings & Trust Company		51 N. High Street	Downtown	Yes		Also part of a national historic district
Ohio Statehouse		1 Capitol Square	Downtown	Yes	Yes	Also a National Historic Landmark
Ohio National Bank		167 S. High Street	Downtown		Yes
Great Southern Hotel and Theatre		310 S. High Street	Downtown	Yes	Yes	Also part of a city and national historic district
Schlee-Kemmler Building		326 S. High Street	Downtown	Yes	Yes	Also part of a city and national historic district
Krumm Residence		975-979 S. High Street	Brewery District	Yes	Yes
Dan's Drive-In		1881 S. High Street	Merion Village	Yes

• Geography of Columbus, Ohio

• Media related to High Street (Columbus, Ohio) at Wikimedia Commons