columbus foundation, 1904
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What makes a home a mansion?

• The word “mansion” was used to refer to a very large house that was set on a great amount of land or estate.  However, the word was also used to mean a very large and very ornate house in a city, usually belonging to a wealthy person.  In New York City, many mansions were built by rich people in the late 19th century and early 20th century. They were so large they needed many servants. Cities like Columbus, often had mansions on streets where wealthy people lived—Broad Street, Bryden Road, and others. However, sometimes today when a wealthy person tears down an older large home or mansion and builds a new one, others might call it a “McMansion.” This means that it is a house but was built so quickly and with fewer good materials than the old house, it is more like a McDonald’s restaurant—built to just show off and bring attention to itself.  On the other hand, there is a saying that “every man’s home is his castle.” This means that if you are safe, secure, and like your house, it is like a castle to you. The same might be said of a mansion—every person’s home is their mansion.

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What is regalia and why was it popular in the early 20th century?

• Regalia means the decorations that are on a uniform—the fancy buttons, cords, shoulder pads, and patches on the clothing that makes it easy to identify what the uniform is for.  If a soldier’s uniform has regalia, it identifies him or her as part of an army of a certain country.  If a band member’s uniform is decorated with regalia, it shows he or she is marching with others for a school or college.  Think of what uniforms look like for The Ohio State marching band.  In the early 20th century, the first owner of the building that became the Governor’s Mansion (later the Columbus Foundation) made a fortune because he made regalia for uniforms around the country.  It was a time when men’s clubs or fraternities often dressed alike to march together, and it was a time when marching bands were becoming popular—not just for schools but for community bands.  In addition, decorated uniforms were popular because of the many wars that involved the United States. Even if there was no war, wearing a uniform was popular for patriotic holidays, band concerts, and parades.

What other buildings did Mr. Packard design?

• Frank Packard designed many other interesting and unusual buildings in Columbus (and elsewhere too!). He designed the Seneca Hotel on Grant Street, the Peter Sells Circus house near Goodale Park, the Toledo and Ohio Railroad Station (now the Firefighters’ Union Hall), North High School, and several buildings at Ohio State—Hayes Hall, Orton Hall, and the Armory—with the help of his partner, Mr.  Yost. Packard was also a major force in designing the downtown’s riverfront after the 1913 flood. In addition, he designed houses, courthouses (like the one in Wood County Ohio), and office buildings.  Mr. Packard’s life and his work would be an excellent research project for school.

What does it mean if a building is on the National Register of Historic Places? How is this different than a building being a National Historic Landmark?

• There are many buildings and neighborhoods in Columbus on the National Register of Historic Places. There are also Columbus schools on the National Register of Historic Places.  To having a building or site placed on the National Register, the building or site should be significant for its history, architecture, or people associated with the site. The Ohio Historical Society helps to review applications and send them to Washington, D.C. for approval from the National Park Services.  It is a great honor to be on the National Register for Historic Places.  However, it is a special honor to be chosen as a National Historic Landmark.  There are over 70 such sites in Ohio and only three in Columbus.  These three include the Ohio Statehouse, the Ohio Theatre, and Eddie Rickenbacker’s House on Livingston Avenue. All three are in your Bicentennial Columbus—History and Architecture Activity Book. These three buildings are important also to the history of the United States! Research these three buildings for more details as to how they contributed to the history of Ohio and the United States.  Do you think there may be other buildings in Columbus that should have this honor?