April 2026.
A lovely Carpenter Gothic church stands on 4th Avenue, its brightly colored exterior standing in contrast to the academic, classical Awaken Church across the street. This is the West 4th Avenue Church of God, which has since been converted into apartments. Right next to Neil Avenue, which is lined with eclectic Victorian houses, this church fits right in.
The West 4th Avenue Church of God is located at 293-299 West 4th Avenue in the Victorian Village neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. It is bordered by 4th Avenue and Awaken Church to the north, garages to the south, houses on Neil Avenue to the east, and an alley and Columbus rowhouse to the west.
History
Snippet of the 1921-1922 Sanborn map depicting the church. (Library of Congress)
Predictably, there is very little information about this church online, and I had to do a lot of digging. It first appears on the 1901 Sanborn map as a frame building labeled “W. 4th Av. Church of Christ.” The 1921-1922 map shows the church with an expanded footprint and the present tower, as it seems that the existing church was partially clad in stone and was added onto to bring it to its present size.
The 1921-1961 Sanborn map still shows the church in operation by the same congregation, though it had been renamed to the West 4th Avenue Church of God by then. The county auditor’s website reveals that this occurred around 1926. In 1989, the property was transferred to three individuals, and it has presumably not been used as a church since. Its present use is categorized as “Apartments 4 to 19 Family.”
Regrettably, I wasn’t able to find anything else about this one, such as an architect or more information about its adaptive reuse. It does appear on Zillow, however.
Photos
The wooden cladding of this church indicates that it is a Carpenter Gothic design despite its urban location:
Viewed from Neil Avenue:
It’s pretty hidden by the trees, but you can just make out the stone cladding on the exterior and some arched windows:
The northwest portion and its large triangular gable:
I like the circular rose window in the center:
East facade viewed through the budding spring trees:
The brightly painted wood tower, with a variety of shingle patterns:
Although the rest of the church is short and matches the scale of the neighborhood, this tower pokes up 38 feet into the air.
Its front doors are the original wood designs:
If you look closely, the open arches to the belfry have lightbulbs lining them, for a fun touch of whimsy:
I also like the little peaked dormers above, which have ornamental flourishes.
Viewed from the northwest:
I always love to stumble upon little gems like this one, especially in rarer styles.
Sources:
https://gis.franklincountyohio.gov/parcelviewer/
https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4084cm.g4084cm_g06656190101/?sp=51&st=image
https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4084cm.g4084cm_g06656192203/?sp=94&st=image
https://digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/digital/collection/columbusmaps/id/5211/rec/2
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/297-W-4th-Ave-Columbus-OH-43201/2102266381_zpid/
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