History
The field opened in 1898 as University Park on North High Street and was dedicated as Ohio Field in 1908. Grandstands were added in 1907 and capacity reached 14,000. Ohio State joined the Western Conference in 1912 and won its first conference titles there in 1916 and 1917.
After overflow crowds in 1919 the university raised money for a larger stadium. Ohio Stadium opened in 1922 and Ohio Field was torn down; Arps Hall, Ramseyer Hall and a parking garage occupy the site.
Why it matters: Ohio State's football home before Ohio Stadium.
Timeline
- 1898Opened[1]
The field opened as University Park with about 500 seats.
- 1908Dedicated as Ohio Field[1]
The field was dedicated; the University Park name ended.
- 1916First conference title[1]
With Chic Harley, Ohio State won its first conference championship.
- 1919Overflow crowd[1]
20,000 attended the Illinois game, with an estimated 40,000 watching from outside.
- 1921Final season[1]
Ohio State played its last season at Ohio Field.
- 1922Torn down[1]
Ohio Stadium opened and Ohio Field was torn down.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1] |
|---|---|
| Current use | Arps Hall, Ramseyer Hall and a parking garage[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Ohio State Buckeyes | Western Conference (Big Ten) · 1898–1921 |
|---|
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Other names | University Park (1898–1908) |
|---|---|
| Location | North High Street between 17th and Woodruff Avenues, Columbus, Ohio |
| Venue type | Stadium |
| Sports | Football, Track & field |
| Level | NCAA |
| Opened | 1898[1] |
| Last used for sports | 1921[1] |
| Demolished | 1922[1] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 500[1] |
| Final capacity | 14,000[1] |
| Closure | Replaced by Ohio Stadium (1922). |
Sources
- Ohio Field, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: capacity, closed, coordinates, current land use, demolished, events, opened
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (1)
- Infobox dates the 14,000 capacity to a 1914 expansion; the text attributes it to a 1910 renovation.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.