Rickly House
The Rickly House was located where Mershon Auditorium stands today, at 1873 High Street near 15th Avenue. The house was designed in the French Style and built by a marble monument maker, Joseph Strickler, in 1856.
Strickler had purchased 10.5 acres of land from William Neil and wanted a home in the country for his growing family of five. The house was quite large, with 18 rooms and 7,199 square feet. It was sold in 1866 to businessman J.J. Rickly and his family of seven and finally purchased in 1871 by the OSU Board of Trustees.
The Rickly House served as the residence of five presidents from Edward Orton in 1871 to William Oxley Thompson in 1926. At that time it was decided that High Street had become too busy a place for a residence and the new president’s residence was built on 12th Avenue.
Afterwards, classrooms for the Department of Music were housed there. The home was torn down in 1949.
more information: John H. Herrick Archives: Rickly House
