Sheldon Mansion

(Note: To view the mansion, walk down the Roxbury Arms drive closest to Prescott Place, marked with a black sign “1571, 1593 --->”; at the end of the drive turn right at the light post marked “1599”).

Designed by New York architect Oswald Hering for Butler Sheldon, who was "mayor" of Marble Cliff and President of Columbus Railroad, Columbus Light and Power, Columbus Traction, and Sheldon Dry Goods, the latter which was founded by his father Robert E. Sheldon. This French-style mansion was built between 1908 and 1912. Butler Sheldon’s sister Flora, was U.S. President George H.W. Bush's paternal grandmother and lived nearby at 1550 Roxbury.

The 25-room home had a 3-story garage built into the side of the hill that it sat on. The first floor of the garage was for horses, the second floor for automobiles, and the third floor was the gardener's apartment. A ballroom in the attic of the house was surrounded by four bedrooms and a bath. It also had a putting green, tennis court, and its own railroad siding for delivery of coal for heating.

In 1917 the Sheldon Mansion was sold to Dr. Adrian L. (Doc) Wallick. Educated as a dentist, Wallick and his brother were the proprietors of the Deshler-Wallick Hotel at Broad and High Streets in downtown Columbus (where One Columbus Center currently stands). His children, who grew up in the mansion, were Nancianna, Adrian Jr., twins Lewis and Currie, and Maribelle (Mrs. Frank H. Kearns). Adrian Jr. was later proprietor of A. L. Wallick Refractories on Johnstown Road, Columbus, OH.

In 1928 the mansion was subdivided into four luxury apartments of six and seven rooms each, and second floors were added to the two matching porch wings. It is currently hidden from view by the more recent Roxbury Arms Apartments development fronting Roxbury Road. The mansion and Roxbury Arms Apartments were last sold in 1998 for $2.5 million.

Hering (1874-1941), the home’s architect was a noted New York architect and author. Hering studied architecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Ecole de Beaux Arts in Paris. In 1901, he opened his own architectural practice in New York City. Hering specialized in country and suburban homes and pioneered the residential use of reinforced concrete. He designed several noted homes, including the Sheldon Mansion. Hering was the author of many books, including Concrete and Stucco Houses (1912) and Economy in Home Building (1924). One of his published philosophies was that the architectural design benefitted from a strong friendship with the client that allowed the architect to realize the owner’s vision. The Sheldon Mansion was used in many publications as an example of this philosophy. As Hering himself said in one such article "Mr. Sheldon’s residence is a good example of the success attained when the client is willing to 'make friends' with his architect. This implies a more or less intimate relationship, calling for an exchange of confidences, and the development of mutual trust and respect."

Note:  Sheldon Mansion contains private residences. Please  respect owners' privacy and observe the buildling from public access points only. 

 

An illustration of the Sheldon Mansion was featured in a King Thompson real estate brochure  to develop the "Country Club District" of Upper Arlington (circa 1915). 

Intricate detailing on original fireplace mantle in Sheldon Mansion reflects architect’s Parisian roots (photo from Trulia).

Same fireplace in Sheldon Mansion from early 1900s; note the hunting artifacts (animal rug and head mounts). 

Main staircase in Sheldon Mansion, early 1900s.

The Wallicks with their five children on the Sheldon Mansion main staircase.

Sheldon Mansion architect, Oswald Constantin Hering (1874-1941).