Central High School, also known as High School of Columbus and High School of Commerce, was a four-year secondary school (grades 9–12) located in Franklinton,

Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...

. It was a part of

Columbus City Schools Columbus City Schools, formerly known as Columbus Public Schools, is the official school district for the city of Columbus, Ohio, and serves most of the city (portions of the city are served by suburban school districts). The district has 46 ...

(at the time Columbus Public Schools). On March 7, 1985, the 1924 school building was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. It is considered part of the Columbus Civic Center Historic District.

History

Central High School dates to the earliest high school education in Columbus. In its 1862 building and in prior homes, it was known as Columbus High School, and was the only high school in the city. From 1862 to c. 1928, Central High School was located at East Broad and Sixth Street, current site of the

Capital University Law School Capital University Law School is an ABA-accredited private law school located in downtown Columbus, Ohio, United States. The law school is affiliated with Capital University, the oldest university in Central Ohio and one of the oldest and larg ...

. It was considered an architectural ornament for Columbus, and featured a 150-ft.-tall tower. The site was purchased in 1859 and construction was underway from 1860 to 1861, with a cost of $23,400. The school opened in the following fall term. It was originally able to house 300 students, increased as expansions opened in following years. The building was designed by architect Nathan B. Kelley. It closed in 1924 and was demolished in 1928. The last building for the school was located at 75 South Washington Boulevard and opened in 1924. Because of declining enrollment in the school district and deterioration of the building, Central High School permanently closed following the 1981–1982 school year, in June 1982. After the closure, Central High School was used as a shooting location for scenes in the 1984 film ''

Teachers A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...

'', depicting the fictional "John F. Kennedy High School". Columbus Public Schools sold the building to the City of Columbus for $15 million in 1988. In July 1994, Columbus City Council granted the science museum the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) a 28-year lease on the building. COSI remodeled portions of it for the new site of a museum, incorporating the building's historic facade into the structure, designed by architect

Arata Isozaki Arata Isozaki (磯崎新, ''Isozaki Arata''; 23 July 1931 – 28 December 2022) was a Japanese architect, urban designer, and theorist from Ōita, Ōita, Ōita. He was awarded the Royal Gold Medal in 1986 and the Pritzker Architecture Prize i ...

. Isozaki used the high school's 1924 exterior facing downtown as its east entrance; a balance to the facility's progressively futuristic west entrance. On November 6, 1999 COSI moved into the old Central High School building. File:Middle Building, Columbus.jpg, Middle Building, 1847-1848 File:Columbus school illustration 11.tif, Covert Building, April 1848-May 1849 and winter 1849/50-1853 File:Columbus school illustration 12.tif, May 1849-winter 1849/1850 File:State Street school.png, Old State Street School, 1853-1862 File:Columbus Illustrated (73b).jpg, 1862-1924

Athletics

Ohio High School Athletic Association team state championships: * Baseball – 1929 * Boys' Golf – 1937 * Boys' Track and Field – 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930 * Boys' Gymnastics - 1929

Notable alumni

George Bellows George Wesley Bellows (August 12 or August 19, 1882 – January 8, 1925) was an American realism, American realist painting, painter, known for his bold depictions of urban life in New York City. He became, according to the Columbus Museum of Art ...

, American realist painter, known for his depictions of urban life in New York City *

Howard Cassady Howard Albert "Hopalong" Cassady (March 2, 1934 – September 20, 2019) was an American professional American football, football Halfback (American football), halfback and Wide receiver, split end who played in the National Football League (NF ...

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...

winner of 1955 for the

Ohio State University The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...

; professional football player for the

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...

and

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...

and baseball coach for the

Columbus Clippers The Columbus Clippers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They are located in Columbus, Ohio, and are named for speedy Merchant ship, merch ...

. * Harold Cooper, Franklin County Commissioner, President of the

Columbus Jets The Columbus Jets were a Minor League baseball team that played in Columbus, Ohio, from 1955 to 1970. The team moved from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada where they were known as the Ottawa Athletics. The Jets were a member of the Triple-A Internation ...

and the

International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major ...

*Fred Cornell, author of Carmen Ohio * Bob Kline, former

MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

player (

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

Philadelphia Athletics The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, they became the Oakland ...

, Washington Senators) *

Perry L. Miles Perry L. Miles (October 15, 1873 – October 17, 1961) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, Pancho Villa Expedition, and World War I, he attained the rank of Brigadier ...

, U.S. Army brigadier general * Dave Roberts, Major League Baseball pitcher * Dom Sigillo, American football player *

Mose Solomon Mose Hirsch Solomon, nicknamed the Rabbi of Swat (December 8, 1900 – June 25, 1966) was an American left-handed baseball player. In 1923, he hit 49 home runs in the minors, a new minor league record. He briefly played for the New York Giants i ...

, the "Rabbi of Swat," Major League Baseball player * Ernie Wheelwright, American football player and actor

References

External links

Columbus High School History 1847-1910
{{Columbus Register of Historic Properties School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Ohio Defunct schools in Ohio High schools in Columbus, Ohio Public high schools in Ohio National Register of Historic Places in Columbus, Ohio 1862 establishments in Ohio Columbus Register properties Columbus City Schools

History

Athletics

Notable alumni

See also

References

External links