Merion Village - Columbus, Ohio

Information about the German Target Club, also known as the ‘Schuetzen Platz”, arrived in my mailbox thanks to Bob Leighty, president of the Merion Village Association. In an earlier post I questioned the information I had heard surrounding the building that now houses St. Paul United Church of Christ at 225 East Gates.

According to the articles, the Target Club opened the shooting range in the latter part of 1859. The three-acre area is said to have encompassed land between what is now Hanford Street to the south and Nursery Alley to the north. For thirty-three years the area was used for shooting practice. In July of 1892 the Target Club was dissolved as the younger generation of Germans lost interest in the activity.

Between 1892 and 1908 the building was owned by local florist Earl Metzmaier whose son William was a member of an organization known as The White Owl Club, but it is not stated with what activities the White Owl Club was involved.

The building later became a church and appears to have remained in use as such since 1908.

This building sits behind the current St. Paul United Church of Christ on Gates Street, between Jaeger and Bruck. I’d heard that the original structure (under the hip roof) was once home to the German Village shooting range. What would now be the rear windows (in the alley) were where rifle enthusiasts would practice shooting out into a field which is now Hanford Street.

The rumor continues that the structure became a church, and a new entry was added to the west side of the building, though I’m unaware of any associated dates.

I’d stopped into the German Village Society and asked about this, and they stated that they’d never heard of such a place. Does anyone have some documents or photos to support this theory?