Opulent Hotel Fort Hayes was a Downtown Columbus gem

Linda Deitch
·2 min read
When the Pick-Fort Hayes hotel in Downtown Columbus closed in 1977, it first had to notify groups that had booked reservations for meetings and conventions out to 1985.
When the Pick-Fort Hayes hotel in Downtown Columbus closed in 1977, it first had to notify groups that had booked reservations for meetings and conventions out to 1985.

When the “Hotel Fort Hayes” opened on West Spring Street in 1924, it was as fancy as you could imagine, with an elegance reminiscent of old Europe. Part of its intrigue was a collection of furniture and art owned by the estate of French stage actress Sarah Bernhardt.

There were 40 treasures of hers on permanent display, including gifts from foreign countries. The vases, statues, paintings, ivory carvings, oak pieces, cabinets and other bronze and marble items were valued at $100,000 ($1.6 million in today’s dollars).

A rain-drenched crowd awaits the opening of the hotel’s 30-day liquidation sale. It closed on March 4, 1977.
A rain-drenched crowd awaits the opening of the hotel’s 30-day liquidation sale. It closed on March 4, 1977.

The hotel was named after Columbus’ military post (the hotel’s owners thought it gave a sense of stability), and its 303 rooms were advertised as each being equipped with telephone service and a bath.

In the English grill room, Downtown workers could stop in for a quick lunch. A bakery offered pastries and other delights made by a chef from Vienna. A dance hall, eight banquet rooms, an orchestra that entertained at both lunch and dinner – it was first-class. U.S. presidents and celebrities stayed there, and renowned national restaurant critic Duncan Hines made it a regular stop.

Its location near Spring and High was ideal. Union Station, the city’s railroad center, was just a five-minute walk away, and interurban lines were nearby, as was the business district, shops and theaters.

The Crystal Room in the Pick-Fort Hayes hotel in Downtown Columbus. It closed in 1977.
The Crystal Room in the Pick-Fort Hayes hotel in Downtown Columbus. It closed in 1977.

The hotel was also known as the Pick-Fort Hayes, since it was managed by the Chicago-based Pick Hotels Corp. It stood until 1977 when it was razed to make way for a 50-space parking lot. Nationwide Insurance had purchased the hotel as an investment but deemed it unprofitable. Ironically, only about 15 years later, a Marriott hotel was built on just about the same spot where the Fort Hayes had stood. It remains today as a Courtyard by Marriott.

When the Pick-Fort Hayes closed, longtime staff shared their memories and fondness for the place. The Dispatch interviewed the late manager’s wife, who recalled he had angrily removed the “Mikado” marquee on the cocktail lounge the day after Pearl Harbor. The lounge was renamed the Mandarin Room.

Contributor Linda Deitch was a Dispatch librarian for 25 years.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Historic Columbus Hotel Fort Hayes was as fancy as it got in 1924