OMS (Odle McGuire Shook)

The New York Times featured Columbus, IN in its travel section on May 10, 2013 in an article titled “An Indiana Town Where Big Names Built.”  The article discusses Columbus and its extensive architectural innovation and design and focuses on Joseph Irwin Miller who helped put Columbus on the map for its 20^th-Century modern architecture.  It highlights the contrast between Miller’s original home, the Irwin-Sweeney-Miller House, a 19^th century Italianate brick home, which is now a bed-and-breakfast and the works by Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen and his son Eero, who Miller helped bring to Columbus.  Eliel Saarinen built one of the first the first contemporary churches in America, and Eero designed an elegant midcentury modern house for Miller’s family.  Today many visitors come to Columbus specifically for its architecture.

Image Source: Sandy Hook United Methodist Church’s Facebook Page

Odle McGuire Shook is grateful to have several buildings of its own, in this architectural mecca.  OMS has completed numerous commercial, education, and religious projects in Columbus. In 1941, an addition was added to McKinley Elementary (formerly known as Northside School). Architects for the addition were McGuire & Shook (Wilbur Shook Architect); the building is still standing and is now being used as apartments. In the 1950’s OMS designed the Youth Center addition sitting adjacent to Eliel Saarinen’s National Historic Landmark First Christian Church and, in the 1970’s OMS completed the design of Sandy Hook United Methodist Church.  We at OMS always appreciate the opportunity to be part of projects in Columbus, given the city’s rich history of architecture and design.