The OES visited Ohio National Bank on September 14, 2010. The Ohio National Bank of Columbus was incorporated on May 2, 1888, as the Ohio Savings Bank of Columbus with an authorized capital stock of $75,000. Nine years later, in June 1897, the bank became the Ohio National Bank of Columbus with an authorized capital stock of $400,000. The bank soon outgrew their building at the southeast corner of Main and High Streets, and a new facility was built at the southeast corner of Town and High Streets in 1911. Built in the classic revival style, the new building featured a granite foundation, limestone walls, and bronze fittings. It was described in Ohio Education Monthly as a model of architecture with its beauty of construction, perfection of arrangement, and completeness of equipment.
Being a federally chartered bank, the Ohio National Bank of Columbus began issuing its own national currency. This process continued until 1935, when the printing of national currency was transferred to the Federal Reserve. The bank notes were required to be signed by the bank’s president and cashier to give them a local seal of approval and were backed dollar for dollar by government bonds. Many of these bills are rare today and treasured by collectors.
Ohio’s first bank holding company, BancOhio Corporation, was formed in 1929 and acquired the Ohio National Bank of Columbus. Operations continued as BancOhio’s Ohio National Bank, and several branches opened in other parts of the city. In 1964, the bank developed an electronic data processing system, although we have not uncovered if the system was ever implemented. Cleveland’s National City Corporation acquired BancOhio in 1984, creating the state’s largest bank holding company with total assets at $12.5 billion. All of their banks were renamed to the National City brand in 1992 to reflect their common ownership. National City Bank continued operations at the Ohio National Bank building until 1999, when the branch was closed.
A property group bought the building in 1998 and still owned the building at the time of our visit. The breathtaking lobby of the bank was in remarkable condition. It looked like the bank had just closed days before. A large vault was located on the west end of the lobby, opposite the front doors. The quality of craftsmanship put into the building was remarkable. You could tell that banks were built to impress. The basement area and most of the office areas were still in good condition, but the ceiling of the top-floor storage area showed signs of water damage. Just standing in the bank and thinking of all of the lives and money that passed through the doors over the past 100 years was overwhelming. Whenever it is decided what will become of the Ohio National Bank, we hope its important history is preserved for future generations.
Location Information: Abandoned
The Ohio National Bank is located at 167 South High Street in downtown Columbus; Franklin County.
You can see how massive the building actually was.
The Ohio National Bank has stood at the corner of Town and High Streets for over a century.
The front doors of the bank were updated, most likely during a renovation during the 1950s.
The facade of the bank was quite impressive.
Two decorative cauldrons stood on either side of the front stairs.
A closer look at the detail on one of the cauldrons.
Three flag poles protruded from the building just above the main entrance.
One of the two massive columns that were on the bank's facade.
A handrail at the center of the stairs led to the entrance.
The bank's northern face was lined with windows.
The northeast corner of the bank's roofline.
Some sort of star with a ring. Perhaps it used to hold a flag or other decoration at one time.
Even though the building hadn't been used as a bank for over a decade, you could clearly see the outline of the Ohio National Bank lettering.
One of the bank's massive windows along the north side of the building.
The bank's 24-hour depository was located along the northern wall.
A closer look at the depository drop box.
The rear of the building was not quite as spectacular as the front.
The first two stories had barred windows.
The upper floors were bar free.
Looking back toward Town Street. The Lazarus building is across the street.
The southwest corner of the bank exterior.
A cannonball like object was embedded in the sidewalk next to the bank. We're not too sure what it was used for.
A large cast iron clock sat in front of the Ohio National Bank.
It appeared that the clock was installed sometime after BancOhio took control of the bank.
The clock was stopped at 12:01.
The clock and Capitol Square are in the background of this photo.
The clock was made by the Seth Thomas Clock Company, which had been in business in one form or another since 1807.
The eastern edge of the clock. Seth Thomas also made the clock in New York's Grand Central Station.
The ceiling of the small foyer between the two sets of glass doors.
An old temperature control gauge was just inside the double doors.
The foyer opened into this reception area.
This sign indicated that safe deposit boxes had been relocated to the National City Bank skyscraper a few blocks away.
The breathtaking grand lobby of the Ohio National Bank.
This photo looking back toward the main entrance shows how massive the lobby was.
Three of the massive windows in the bank lobby.
The date here showed Friday June 8. Perhaps the bank closed this day in 1999.
One of the teller drawers.
A look at the teller booths.
Small metal bars were located at every teller station.
There were two teller drawers at each booth.
This booklet was located right next to the main doors.
A close look at the lobby's ceiling.
An old typewriter. The page said, "Hi my name is Randall, what is yours?" The reply was, "My name is Ted," followed by "Ted what?" Could this be an attempt at communication with spirits?
The bank was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Looking to the lobby from a second floor balcony.
Another look at the lobby.
The lobby of the Ohio National Bank as seen from the second floor balcony.
This stairway at the lobby's center led to an office area in the basement.
Looking back up to the lobby from the bottom of the stairs.
The main vault was on the west end of the lobby.
The huge vault door.
A close look at the combination mechanism on the inside of the vault.
The combination for the main vault was last updated in March 1998.
A large piece of glass protected the vault's gears.
Another heavy vault door was just inside the massive round door, followed by a metal gate.
Going into the vault.
Millions and millions of dollars have passed through this now empty vault over the years.
Once inside the vault, these individual safes provided another line of defense to protect the cash.
Some sort of machine. We aren't sure of its purpose.
This appeared to be some sort of counting machine. Perhaps it was used in conjunction with the machine in the previous photo.
A small vault door allowed money transfers without opening the main vault door.
Large safes were located in the center of the vault.
A money wrapper for $2,000 from July 5, 1994, when the bank was under the National City moniker.
An old filing cabinet inside the main vault.
A reminder of bank procedures showing general prevention, safeguarding cash, and what to do in the event of a holdup.
This room was to the right of the main vault.
It was lined with old filing cabinets.
This room was where the small passthrough vault door opened to.
Looking into the main vault through the small vault door.
A smaller version of the main vault door.
The safe deposit boxes were located in the basement. This stairwell led to them from the main foyer.
Once downstairs this jail-like structure protected the safe deposit boxes.
The large door of the safe deposit box vault.
Looking into the safe deposit box vault from its entrance.
There were thousands of deposit boxes in the vault.
A small passthrough area.
Looking from the vault's interior to the safe deposit box reception area.
The safe deposit vault's key box.
From the deposit box reception area back toward the stairs.
One of the reception desks in the safe deposit box area.
This large vault door was on the back side of the safe deposit box room.
This small room just off of the safe deposit box reception area is where items deposited from the outdoor depository dropped to.
There was a pillow at the bottom of the shaft to ensure a soft landing.
There was another vault in the basement in addition to the safe deposit vault.
Large metal shelves were inside this vault. We're not entirely sure what it was used for.
The stairway that led back up to the main foyer.
Coming back up to the main foyer...the lobby is on the left and entry doors on the right.
The stairway railing that overlooked the foyer.
The main stairway was a show of craftsmanship.
From the top of the stairway looking straight to the bottom.
The main customer elevator for Ohio National Bank.
The elevator's emergency key.
The customer elevator as seen from the main foyer.
This freight elevator was in an employee only area just to the left of the main vault.
