Grandview Heights / Marble Cliff Historical Society

The Casparis/Merkle Residence (1893)

This home is the original home of Mr. and Mrs. Sylvio Casparis, who later built the Casparis Castle.

It is the stone house adjacent to the south of Our Lady of Victory Church west of the

parking lot. This image appeared in an early 1900s book entitled "Handsome Homes of

Columbus, Ohio" published by S. S. Maughlin & Co. and illustrated by Bucher Engraving Co.

and has the original caption. It was later occupied by the Merkle family (see below). The house

and property were sold to the Catholic Diocise in 1922

(Also, see more about this home in the Grandview ThisWeek Moment in Time page.)

Mr. Casparis came from Italy in 1890 and bought the quarry from the estate of

T.J. Price in 1892. He built the Casparis Castle in 1908, and he died in 1922. He sold the

home to Harry Olmsted, President of the Equitable Coal Company, who sold it to

restaurateur William J. Merkle in 1910.

Below are photos of William and Ada Boyle Merkle and their 6 children.

(For more information, go to the Marble Cliff home tour presentation.)