Welcome to one of Columbus' oldest surviving hotels! Built atop a plot of land dating back to the birth of the city in 1800, the history of our hotel follows closely the transformation of Columbus, Ohio, from a sleepy pioneer town inhabited by the peace-loving Wyandot Indians and our nation's earliest settlers into today's sprawling urban conurbation and capital of our state. Built in 1911, our building has always been one of stark contrasts. Ostensibly constructed as a dry goods store, the United States Government secretly commissioned the building as a clandestine producer of uniforms and helmets in anticipation of World War I. It was around this time that the lower level of the lobby became a factory for the Wolfe Brothers' successful shoe business. Meanwhile, thousands of prison inmates from the nearby Ohio State Penitentiary were forced into unsafe and unsanitary forced labor, transported at gunpoint down an elaborate network of tunnels connecting the prison to industrial plants around the city. The remnants of this tunnel still survive today, entombed beneath the first floor bedrooms, used as storage for maintenance and housekeeping supplies. From 1954, Gene Schiller purchased the dry goods store and transformed it into a hotel, which he named "The Victorian Inn" after his daughter, Victoria, who had recently passed away. After later losing his beloved wife, Schiller committed suicide, whereupon the hotel was acquired by a bank and renamed "The Emory Inn". In 1985, the "Emory Inn" was purchased by the Best Western Company who later rebranded as a Courtyard by Marriott. All historical features and furnishings have been preserved where possible We hope you enjoy your stay with us here at the Historic Courtyard by Marriott Columbus Downtown!