University District in Columbus in Franklin County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Ohio Stadium Centennial
"The Shoe" Turns 100
Photographed by Mark Moxley-Knapp
1. Ohio Stadium Centennial Marker
Ohio Stadium, built between August 1921 and October 1922, received immediate acclaim for its innovative architectural features. Its reinforced concrete construction, double-deck seating, and open-ended horseshoe design were so imaginative that Ohio architect Howard Dwight Smith was awarded an Exhibition Gold Medal for "excellence in public works" by the American Institute of Architects. Dedicated at the October 21, 1922, OSU-Michigan game, the new stadium boasted a seating capacity of 63.000, although temporarystands pushed that number above 72.000. Fans nicknamed the new stadium "The Shoe" or "The Horseshoe" in celebration of its unique shape. Over the ensuing century, renovations and additions added press boxes, elevators, address systems, scoreboards, lighting, and additional seating capacity while maintaining the basic structure of the original stadium. In 1974, Ohio Stadium was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Architect: Howard Dwight Smith
Contractor: E.H. Latham Company
Groundbreaking: Aagust 3, 1921
Opening Game: October 7, 1922
1922 Statistics:
754 feet long x 597 feet wide x 107 feet tall
Capacity = 63,000
Expanded: 1948, 1991, 2001, 2014
2022 Statistics:
919 feet long x 679 feet wide x 138 feet
this page online
Capacity = 102,780
Erected 2022 by The Ohio State University and The Ohio History Connection. (Marker Number 135-25.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education • Sports. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1922.
Location. 40° 0.178′ N, 83° 1.181′ W. Marker is in Columbus, Ohio, in Franklin County. It is in the University District. It is on Cannon Drive south of Woody Hayes Drive, on the left when traveling south. Marker is near main entrance to stadium. North end of stadium, near rotunda. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 411 Woody Hayes Dr, Columbus OH 43210, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Scioto Valley. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: for Strength, for OHIO." (here, next to this marker); for Courage, for Grandeur, (a few steps from this marker); "Build it for Loyalty, for Spirit, (a few steps from this marker); Reflections on Pride and Tradition (a few steps from this marker); Archie Griffin (within shouting distance of this marker); Jesse Cleveland (Jesse) Owens (within shouting distance of
Photographed by Alex Krempasky, April 25, 2023
2. Ohio Stadium Centennial Marker
More about this marker. Ohio Stadium was completed in 1922. Ohio State football has been played there for 100 years since.
Photographed by Alex Krempasky, April 25, 2023
3. Ohio Stadium Centennial Marker Stats Side
![Ohio Stadium Centennial Marker [Reverse] image. Click for full size.](Photos7/718/Photo718757.jpg?425202381000AM "Ohio Stadium Centennial Marker [Reverse]. Click for full size.")
Photographed by Mark Moxley-Knapp, April 24, 2023
4. Ohio Stadium Centennial Marker [Reverse]
Photographed by Mark Moxley-Knapp, April 24, 2023
5. Ohio Stadium Centennial Marker
Photographed by Alex Krempasky, April 25, 2023
6. Ohio Historical Marker is located just to the right of the Rotunda at the north entrance to Ohio Sta
Credits. This page was last revised on October 31, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 24, 2023, by Mark Moxley-Knapp of Columbus, Ohio. This page has been viewed 399 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on April 24, 2023, by Mark Moxley-Knapp of Columbus, Ohio. 2, 3. submitted on May 14, 2023, by Alex Krempasky of Obetz, Ohio. 4, 5. submitted on April 24, 2023, by Mark Moxley-Knapp of Columbus, Ohio. 6. submitted on May 14, 2023, by Alex Krempasky of Obetz, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
