Originally the United States Courthouse and Post Office, the Bricker and Eckler Building is one of the few remaining structures around Capitol Square that dates back to the 19th century. The first cornerstone was placed in 1884 and construction continued until 1887 when the post office, federal courts and other federal agencies moved in. Originally much smaller in scale, the first federal building in Columbus was a symbol of the city’s growing influence.
The building was expanded and given its High Victorian Gothic appearance in the first decade of the 20th century. The 1912 addition – which was dedicated by President William Howard Taft, an Ohio native – more than doubled its size. The building was later replaced by two other downtown post offices, causing it to become known as the “Old, old” post office.
By the late 1970s, the building had fallen into disrepair and was essentially vacant. It remained vacant and continued to deteriorate until 1984, when the City of Columbus purchased it from the federal government and leased it to the Bricker & Eckler law firm. Bricker and Eckler renovated the building -- retaining the original carved oak postal screen on the first floor, the elegant marble staircases and the courtroom, which is now used as a grand conference room – and converted it into law offices. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
100 S 3rd St
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Franklin County
Please note: The Greater Columbus Arts Council (Arts Council) does not own or manage any public art. For the purposes of this database many pieces were entered by the Arts Council while we continue to search for the appropriate owner/manager of the work and other information to complete the entry. The Arts Council has tried to gather all available information about the works in this database, however, we acknowledge there may be missing or inaccurate information. If you can help us correct any inaccuracies, or provide more complete information, we would be grateful. Please use “Something missing? Please send us a note” above.
Taking images of public art works and sharing your experiences is one of the most fun reasons to engage with public art. As a community, we care deeply about the artists who have contributed the artworks we enjoy every day. Please be sure to credit artists when you share your photos. If you have an interest in using public artwork present in this database for commercial purposes, please contact Jami Goldstein at the Greater Columbus Arts Council. Taking your own images of public artwork does not release you from the responsibility of artist credit and/or compensation.
This site is produced and managed by the Greater Columbus Arts Council and supported by the Ohio Arts Council and public art collections across the state. Contributors to the databases to date include collections held by the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, City of Columbus, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Dublin Arts Council, City of Upper Arlington Cultural Arts Department, City of Kettering, Downtown Mansfield Inc., Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority, John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Licking County Foundation, Ohio Arts Council’s Percent for Art program, Short North Arts District and the City of Sandusky. The database was funded in part by a grant from the Ohio Arts Council. Research and development support is provided by Designing Local, OSA Technology Partners and Columbus artist Stephanie Rond. The Columbus Makes Art campaign is a citywide, collaborative marketing effort designed to highlight the incredible talent of central Ohio artists. The Greater Columbus Arts Council is supported by the City of Columbus and the Ohio Arts Council.
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