The 77-acre military post known today as Fort Hayes was originally built and used as a federal arsenal to store and repair Ordinance Corps arms and to equip Ohio regiments called to duty during the Civil War. The land for Fort Hayes was purchased from Robert and Jannette Neil on February 17, 1863. The Neil’s were members of the same Neil family from whom the land to build The Ohio State University was later purchased.

The military base was called The Columbus Barracks from 1905 to December 1922, when it was named after Ohio governor and later president Rutherford B. Hayes.

Post Hospital (also known as Post Military Hospital) was part of the Columbus Barracks and opened in 1891, operating until about 1946.