In the late 1880s and 1890s, Columbus was growing in a northerly direction. This caused concern among south side businessmen, who feared the consequences of downtown activity growing away from them.

In 1889, Henry T. Chittenden turned a five story business block on the northwest corner of High and Spring Streets into a hotel. About a year later, the hotel was destroyed by fire. Shortly thereafter, another fire razed the Metropolitan Opera Block (also known as the Corn stock Block). The loss of the two facilities created a need for both hotel and a theatre. Again, the southsiders debated building a combined hotel and theatre, but nothing was resolved.

However, Mr. Chittenden recognized the need and met it by erecting a new hotel on the south side of the earlier one, with a theatre directly behind it. He named the theatre “The Henrietta” in honor of his wife. While the hotel and theatre opened in 1892, the opening of an adjacent auditorium was delayed by litigation. It appeared that the southsiders had missed their chance to have such a facility in their part of town. But fate intervened on November 24, 1893 when fire destroyed all three structures as well as a small theatre on High Street to the north of the Chittenden Hotel.

This time, the southsiders seized their opportunity and formed the Great Southern Fireproof Hotel Company. Some 400 south side businessmen invested in the company, buying shares at a face value of one hundred dollars each. Nicholas Shee was President of the company; Allen Thurman, Vice-President; F. J. Reinhard, Treasurer; and J.P. Bliss, Secretary. Board members included George Hoster, Emil Kieswetter and Ralph Lazarus. J.P. Bliss later became the manager of the Great Southern Hotel. It is unclear whether the construction involved a single architect or two – one for the hotel and one for the opera house. Subtle differences in the construction make the latter possibility seem likely.

Fred Wagner’s dry goods store and three other buildings on High Street between Main Street and Noble Alley were razed as construction of the hotel and theatre began in 1893. (It should be noted that while some historians have referred to the “Opera House,” later references denote “the theatre.”) The Great Southern Hotel and theatre were becoming realities, bringing the dreams of the southsiders to fruition.

The theatre opened on September 21, 1896, with a highly successful production of “In Gay New York.” In accordance with a custom of the time, an auction for the choice opening-night seats was held. Since The Great Southern Hotel was not yet open, the auction, in which the regular price of the seats was added to the bid, took place at the Neil House. Even then, Columbus was unpredictable in matters of show business, and the auction was a failure. But by opening night, all reserved seats had been sold.

The opening was a glittering success, with many first-nighters attired in evening dress. Among those in attendance were Mr. George Backus, Columbus’ own theatrical celebrity; Mr. C. P. Butler; Dr. and Mrs. Hartman; and Mr. F. O. Schoedinger. Mr. and Mrs. Ketcham sat in the first box on the right, with Mrs. Ketcham resplendent in a white brocaded satin gown accented with diamonds. Other boxes were occupied by Mayor Allen and ex-Mayor Karb. There was a curious lack of pre-theatre parties, but it was surmised that the “ultra-fashionable” were waiting for the appearance of Lillian Russell the following week to properly celebrate the occasion.

Local citizens had never seen anything to equal the stately grandeur of the Great Southern Theatre. The decorations of the house, designed by M. S. Detweiler & Company of Columbus, gave an effect of warmth and elegance, although they were subdued in tone. The bright lobby was decorated with handsome portraits of theatre celebrities, and the foyer was furnished with conveniently placed chairs and sofas. Potted palms – the ultimate in splendor and continental sophistication – were placed throughout the foyer and at the foot of the beautiful stairway which led to the balcony. A uniformed, trained staff was in attendance, lending an official air to the general impression of sumptuousness.

The auditorium itself was magnificent. From the arch which began at the stage opening, the theatre shaped into a giant bowl, “so arranged as to throw the sound waves from the stage to the remotest corners of the auditorium with equal distinctness.” A whisper from the stage could be distinctly heard in the most remote areas of the auditorium. The lights in the arches which spanned the cavernous ceiling were concealed within the arches and shaded by orange-tinted globes, giving the effect of warm, diffused light over the entire theatre. The magnificent drop curtain boasted a beautiful scenic view of the Grand Canal in Venice, with the Dodge Palace on the right. It was done in “the rich, subdued tones of a real work of art rather than the gaudy effect which so frequently filled the requirements of a drop curtain.”

The Great Southern Theatre was proclaimed the most beautiful theatre in the state and, in actuality, there were few theatres in the entire country which could surpass its beauty or design. Its acoustics have been compared to those of Carnegie Hall. The theatre’s greatest production was “Ben Hur”, with a cast of 250. During the chariot scene, eight live horses, galloping on a treadmill, thundered on the stage.

The Great Southern Hotel itself opened in 1897, and was greatly admired. Lavish accounts of its splendor filled the newspapers. It was, indeed, the finest hotel in the city, offering 250 rooms, with 50 having their own private baths.

The hotel was host to many of the fashionable and famous people of the times. Among them were William McKinley, Mark Hanna, William Taft, Eleanor Roosevelt, Teddy Roosevelt, President Woodrow Wilson and Daniel F. Mooney, who was Minister to Paraguay during Wilson’s administration.

While the hotel and theatre bustled with activity and basked in the glowing accounts of their beauty and excellence, all was not going well with the company. Cost overruns and possible mismanagement had put the company in a very precarious financial position.

In 1900, the company was forced into receivership by a foreclosure brought by Reinhard & Company. Henry Gumble was named receiver. Although building the hotel and theatre was said to have cost one and one half million dollars, appraisal value was set at $175,000 plus a mortgage of $180,000.

On December 8, 1900, the property was put up for auction at the Courthouse. When no bidders were found, Mr. Gumble declared the property not sold. On August 16, 1901, the property was again put up for auction. This time, the hotel and theatre were sold to Frank and Ralph Lazarus for $235,000. Why the original company could not raise sufficient capital to put the hotel and theatre on a sound financial footing is not clear. Perhaps sheer numbers accounted for the company’s downfall. Nevertheless, the hotel prospered after its purchase by Frank and Ralph Lazarus.

In its early days, the hotel was an entity unto itself. It produced its own electricity. Since it was one of the few commercial buildings lit by electricity, there was probably no other choice. It produced its own water supply from three wells in the basement. It even made its own ice, which was much more complicated process than it is today. And, of course, it produced its own heat from huge coal-fired boilers in the basement. In later years, the boilers were converted to natural gas. Cooling the hotel was something for the future, but the theatre had a cooling system of sorts. Ice was packed into a bin in the theatre’s basement. A large belt-driven fan forced the cool air produced by the ice up into the theatre through ventilating holes in the floor. Far removed from present air conditioning systems, it was a marvel for its day.

Throughout its history, the hotel has had relatively few architectural changes. The major change was the removal of the mezzanine and lower level which were formerly adjacent to the south side of the lobby. The steps that led to the billiard, reading and smoking rooms still remain. The lower level, which was reached via a set of stairs located between the columns on the north side of the lobby, housed the barber shop. These areas were removed when the kitchen and “Ol’ South Room” restaurant (the old Ohio Room) were moved to the first floor. The date of the change is uncertain. We believe it was prior to the 40s, but it may have been as early as the 20s. It appears that the barber shop was moved to the basement at that time.

Another major change was the converging and removal of the stained glass skylight over the lobby. Whether the glass was removed at the same time the copper roof was erected, or done later, is unclear. In the early 60s, workmen were sent up to break out the glass with hammers. According to a former hotel employee, the ceiling was then plastered. The exterior facade changed through the years, with marquees added, awnings removed, and baked enamel tiles installed to modernize the hotel’s appearance. For the most part, these were put over the original facade and could be removed with minimal damage. But because some of the stone had been chiseled away, local artist Kurt Yoder of The Ohio State University was commissioned to repair the damaged stone. Using concrete and steel pins, he filled the portions that had been removed. While the concrete was soft, he re-sculptured the design. Then the entire surface was coated, making it appear the stone had never been cut.

The original sheet-metal cornice and parapet detail were cut down in the late 50s and early 60s. Their removal gave the building the appearance of being out of balance.

The interior of the building and the use of space has remained much the same. However, the present ballroom was originally the main dining room, with the stained glass windows depicting foods. During reconstruction, two of the stained glass windows were stolen but, thanks to the diligence and skill of the Columbus Police Department, were recovered intact and reinstalled.

The original ballroom was on the seventh floor. This is the only area of the hotel in which wooden floors have been laid over concrete. Early advertisements told of a “Winter Garden” in this area. Just what the “Winter Garden” was is unclear. It was probably a bar area in which refreshments were served.

The hotel also boasted a “Roof Garden” which was open during the summer and afforded a spectacular view of the city. It seems the “Roof Garden” was not very successful. The date of its closing is not known, but it was mentioned in ads in theatre programs as late as 1915. One of its biggest drawbacks was probably soot from the coal-burning boilers which ran winter and summer to provide the hot water supply. Later, a neon sign reading “Hotel Southern” stood in the place of the “Roof Garden”.

The end of the last century brought about a fascination with the light bulb. Electricity was in its infancy, and the people of that day seemed to enjoy seeing bare light bulbs. Much of the lighting in the public areas of the hotel and theatre was accomplished with bare bulbs. Although the electric light was the up and coming thing, someone connected with the design of the hotel and must have had doubts because alternate provision to light the hotel with gas was made.

In 1930, Millicent Easter, a young newspaperwoman, was engaged by the hotel to serve as its “Press Agent”, a term she insisted upon. In 1931, she offered local artists the opportunity to exhibit their works at the hotel. These shows were well received and continued until 1959.

The hotel seems to have held its own through the 1950s. Early in the decade, The Columbus Dispatch carried an article which spoke of the hotel having been a hub of activity for more than 50 years. Its ballroom (present location) hosted the “Over the Top” meeting of the Red Cross for many years. The Quarterback Club, as well as many other University groups, used the hotel’s facilities on numerous occasions. The Columbus School for Girls held its Christmas party at the hotel for many years. The Southern Hotel Art Gallery was also mentioned in the newspaper article. The hotel’s future looked promising. One of the staff was quoted as saying, “As long as there’s a Main and High, there’ll be a Southern Hotel”.

But time takes its toll. The mechanical systems began to fail, the roof and windows began to leak, and the hotel was, in general, running down.

In 1969, the Lazarus family interests sold the hotel and theatre to realtor Robert Weiler, Sr. An article in The Dispatch on July 13, 1969, stated that the new owner would renew a long-term lease with the New Southern Hotel Company for the continued operation of the hotel. Joseph Gerhart, head of the company, was named hotel manager. At the time, it was rumored that a convention center might be built on Main Street between High and Third Streets. The rumor was unconfirmed, and Mr. Weiler stated that it had nothing to do with his decision to buy, adding that plans were being made to improve the hotel. However, the Weiler Company also considered turning the hotel into an apartment building. Some attempt was made to create apartments on the sixth floor, and drawings exist showing the hotel as an apartment building. There is also a set of plans showing the theatre transformed into a parking garage.

In 1974, the hotel and theatre were sold to the late William R. Mnich, who hoped to see the building restored. Drawings of some of his ideas still exist.

Unfortunately, the improvements made to the building during the preceding 30 or more years were cosmetic in nature, with attempts made to make it look modern and hide its inadequacies. Its heating, plumbing, and electrical systems were patched rather than replaced, and the building’s condition continued to deteriorate.

In 1982, the hotel and theatre were purchased by Bill and Barbara Bonner and David and Vicki Brooks. They decided to restore the hotel to its original condition as much as possible. Its builders intended to erect a structure that was as fireproof as possible. They succeeded by using masonry and steel, so in 1982, the building was actually three to four times stronger than necessary to meet modern structural codes. All of the mechanical systems have been replaced, and the facade has been restored. Today, the hotel looks much as it did at the turn of the century, but its amenities are completely modern.

The theatre, given to CAPA in 1987, was fully restored to its original glamour and reopened in 1995.

The landmark hotel is fast approaching its centennial. It has seen good times and bad, and unlike its contemporaries – the Deshler, Fort Hayes, Chittenden, and the Neil House – has avoided the wrecking ball, although the ball’s shadow has come ominously close.

With its new lease on life, the hotel continue's to stand as a bastion of hospitality at the corner of Main and High Streets, and will become the southern anchor of our new City Center “Capitol South” venture.

Perhaps the end of the 21st century will find it undaunted. In any event, it is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places – standing as a gleaming part of our past and an asset to our future.

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