Our first City Hall, formally the Columbus Theater, was occupied in 1843.

In 1835 the Columbus Theater had been built for use as the first public theater in Columbus residing on the west side of High Street near Gay. A saloon was built as part of theater to accommodate rowdy productions and audiences. When this theater closed by public demand in 1841, the interior was remodeled and two years later became our first City Hall.

In May 1869 construction began on the City’s second City Hall under the direction of Mayor George W. Meeker and Council President Luther Donalds. Officially opened on March 28, 1872 the Gothic style building was built for $175,000 and also housed the Post Office and the Board of Trade. Initially, this building was considered a grand and noble structure and was greatly admired. However, by the time it was destroyed by fire in 1921, the building had not weathered its forty-nine years well and was considered an eyesore.  Residing at 37 East State Street this is now the site of the Ohio Theater.

After this City Hall burned to the ground, Mayor Thomas moved his offices into the public library while plans for a new City Hall were developed. It took almost six years to plan and design the building that has become our current City Hall. After a site was selected in the block surrounded by Broad, Front, Gay and Water Streets (now Marconi Blvd.) an old steel mill was torn down and the land cleared for construction.

Despite chilly weather and intermittent showers, Mayor James J. Thomas officially laid the cornerstone of our current City Hall on October 29, 1926. Approximately 1,500 people came to hear speeches, watch marching bands and see eight-year old Frances Boyajohn hoisted along with the cornerstone into the air by a great crane. Frances carried a message from the children of her generation. This message, a Gideon Bible, letters from various City officials and other artifacts were placed into a copper time capsule that was buried within the cornerstone. Once the cornerstone was laid, it took approximately 18 months to complete the building. On March 16, 1928, Mayor Thomas took office in the new Neo-Classical City Hall. Changes in the originally V-shaped construction continued throughout the years. An east wing begun in 1934 and completed in 1936 changed the shape of City Hall to a square.

Our current City Hall, located at 90 West Broad Street, continues to be the focal point of our local government to this day.

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City Council meets in Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. In 1985 this room was restored to its original appearance. While researching documents for original colors and styles, it was discovered that the architect had originally envisioned a "Greek revival" motif; however, the final theme utilized was Assyrian, Greek and Egyptian. This change can be attributed to the popularity of King Tut's Tomb in the early 1920's. Restoration was completed in 1985 for $165,000 from private contributions. Highlights are:

• Walls were covered in 100% wool fabric to improve acoustics.
• Egyptian and Syrian style ceiling was cleaned and retouched; however, the motif on the front balcony was not disturbed.
• Furniture was stained to match the original stain found on the underside of benches and all copper and brass ornamentation was cleaned and polished.
• Flooring was refinished to original specifications. Parquet flooring was added before 1985 to cover some damaged areas.
• Duplicate marble from Italy replaced cracked marble and the main doors were returned to their original red leather covering

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The City of Columbus Hall of Fame is located on the first floor of City Hall. Pictures of members line both sides of the corridor wall. The Hall of Fame honors outstanding individuals who, through exemplary accomplishments, have gained national recognition for themselves and brought credit to this City. A committee appointed by the Mayor selects each member. This committee gives its selection to the Mayor for final approval. New nominees are inducted each year on Columbus Day Weekend. The induction ceremony is usually held in Council Chambers with a reception for family and friends. The City of Columbus Timeline highlights some of the more famous members of our City of Columbus Hall of Fame.