In 1919 the Ohio State University trustees dedicated 92 acres west of Neil Avenue along the Olentangy River for the construction of Ohio Stadium to house the popular Buckeyes football team that was at the time playing at Ohio Field. President William Oxley Thompson called it the University's "greatest single enterprise."
The information on this print of Ohio Stadium, stamped with the date 1920, reads: "Columbus, Ohio, For Release September 1. -- Perspective of The New Ohio Field at Ohio State University, here, showing the proposed Ohio Stadium at its head, to build which the alumni, students and friends of the University will raise, through popular subscription, a fund of $1,000,000 during October. The New Ohio Field which the Stadium will dominate comprises 92 acres of land along the banks of the Olentangy river. It was given the institution by the Board of Trustees for transformation into America's greatest playground. In addition to the proposed Ohio Stadium which, when completed, will seat 63,000 persons, it will include 20 baseball diamonds, five football gridirons, scores of tennis courts and a military parade ground."
Architect Howard Dwight Smith, a civil engineer and Ohio State alumnus who was known for designing mansions in New York City. He drew up plans for the Horseshoe using attributes from of Harvard and Yale, two of the largest football stadiums at the time.
Ground was broken for Ohio Stadium in 1921 to hold 63,000 fans. Twice the height of the campus library, Ohio Stadium was the first horseshoe-shaped double-deck stadium in the United States. Ohio Stadium’s formal dedication at the OSU-Michigan game in 1922 saw the stadium packed with 71,385 fans thanks to the addition of temporary bleachers. Smith won the American Institute of Architects gold medal in public architecture.
Construction of Ohio Stadium began after this ground breaking in 1921.
In the summer of 2000, construction began on major updates on Ohio Stadium. The playing field was sunk to create a new seating deck replacing the track surrounding the field. The 'Shoe also was permanently enclosed at the south end and seating above C deck was added, as well as as a new 30-by-90-foot scoreboard. When the Buckeyes kicked off their 2001 season, Ohio Stadium seated 99,000 fans. The total cost of the renovation was $194 million.
In 2013, Ohio State announced plans to add an additional 2,500 seats in the south endzone at Ohio Stadium which increased the seating capacity to 104,851, making Ohio Stadium the third largest stadium in college football in 2014. After additional updates in 2018, the seating capacity of Ohio Stadium is now 102,780.
The largest crowd in stadium history is 110,045, set November 26, 2016, in a game against Michigan. Ohio State has regularly ranked in the top five for attendance and was the national leader in attendance for the 2014 season, averaging 106,296 people per game.
A black and white aerial photo of Ohio Stadium seen in 1952.
A black and white file aerial photo shows Ohio State University's campus in 1956, including St. John Arena, Thomas E. French Field House and the Ohio Stadium.
A black and white file photo shows Ohio Stadium in 1970.
Black and white file photo from 1971 shows an aerial view of Ohio State University's campus including Ohio Stadium, towers, west campus, bridge and Drake Union. Caption: New Student Union taking shape along Olentangy. Taking shape along the east bank of the Olentangy River is Ohio State University's second student union. The $4.6 million Drake Union is expected to be completed next April and begin serving students in the river dorms which flank it, the high-rise Morrill, left, and Lincoln towers. Named after Edward S. (Beanie) Drake, the first manager of the Ohio Union, the new union is about half the size of the N. High Street facility. In addition to such student services as bowling, boating, barbershops and billiards, the new union will be the home of the Ohio State theatre department. August 17, 1971.
An aerial view of Ohio Stadium at dusk in 1993.
Alumni football players form a tunnel for current players to run through before the start of the Ohio State University football game against Notre Dame in 1995.
Ohio Stadium was filled to capacity with the faithful in scarlet and gray for OSU's Big Ten football opener against Penn State in 1996 .
U2 music fans fill Ohio Stadium before the start of the highly publicized concert in 1997.
Ohio Stadium on the Ohio State University campus filled with fans before a George Strait concert in 1998.
Aerial photo of Ohio Stadium in 1998 during an Ohio State University football game against the University of Toledo.
Ohio Stadium is seen under construction at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio in 2000.
An aerial photo shows Ohio Stadium during renovation work in 2000. The new upper level seating can be seen on the top right.
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team's season-opening game at the newly renovated Ohio Stadium in 2001. Ohio State University played the University of Akron.
An aerial view looking northwest at Ohio Stadium in 2001.
The renovation continues at Ohio Stadium in spring 2001.
An aerial photo of Ohio Stadium as Ohio State University celebrated the 2002 national championship college football season on Saturday, January 18, 2003.
Aerial photo of the Ohio State vs. Michigan football game seen over Ohio Stadium in 2006 from the "Spirit of Goodyear" blimp.
A view of the Ohio State Stadium from a 1929 Ford Tri-Motor airliner nicknamed the "Tin Goose" in 2006.
Aerial of Ohio Stadium where Ohio State was playing Penn State in 2010.
Aerial of Ohio Stadium where Ohio State was playing Penn State in 2010.
A view of St. John Arena from the 11th floor of the Lane Avenue residence hall with Ohio Stadium in the background, seen in 2012. Built in 1956 the 13,276-seat arena was named after Ohio State men's basketball coach and athletic director Lynn St. John. The arena housed men and women's basketball until they moved to the Jerome Schottenstein center in 1998 but now plans have been proposed to build a new venue.
Fans enjoy the top seats in the South Stands of Ohio Stadium during a football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the University of Wisconsin Badgers in 2013.
Aerial view of Ohio Stadium at Ohio State University in 2014.
Ohio Stadium at the Ohio State University campus in 2017.
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