The childhood home of World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker is throwing open its doors in South Columbus's Driving Park neighborhood next Sunday, giving visitors a rare look at one of only three National Historic Landmarks in the entire city. Admission is free, walk-ins are welcome, and the event runs from 2 to 5 p.m. at 1330 E. Livingston Avenue.
The open house, billed as Ohio Open Doors at Rickenbacker Woods, is part of a statewide preservation initiative, according to Columbus Underground. Visitors can explore both the historic house and the wider Rickenbacker Woods campus, including the Livingston Reads Storybook Park and the surrounding gardens. Registration is not required, though the event's organizers are encouraging attendees to RSVP to help plan for turnout.
A Half-Century of Federal Recognition
The frame home was built between 1893 and 1895 by Rickenbacker's father, William, and originally consisted of just two main-floor rooms and two unheated attic rooms, with no electricity or running water, according to the Historical Marker Database. It's a humble starting point for a man who would go on to become America's top World War I flying ace with 26 aerial victories, earn the Medal of Honor, compete in the Indianapolis 500, and later serve as president of Eastern Air Lines.
The U.S. National Park Service designated the Rickenbacker House a National Historic Landmark on May 11, 1976, according to Wikipedia. Columbus has only two other sites carrying that same federal distinction: the Ohio Statehouse, landmarked in 1978, and the Ohio Theatre, designated in 1977 — the same venue recently spotlighted in Hoodline's coverage of Alicia Keys' Hell's Kitchen debut. The Rickenbacker House's national status is part of its broader preservation story.
Digging Up Rickenbacker's Childhood
Next Sunday's event will include historic photographs and artifacts uncovered through archaeological work on the property. Archaeological excavations conducted in the backyard of the boyhood home, according to Ohio Valley Archaeology, Inc., uncovered artifacts and structural features dating to Rickenbacker's childhood during site stabilization efforts. Those finds will be on display alongside information about restoration efforts and plans for a future museum on the site.
Because preservation and restoration work continues, access to some portions of the historic house may be limited during the visit, per the event listing. Free parking will be available on-site and in adjacent parking areas, and light refreshments will be served throughout the afternoon.
Honoring Granville T. Woods and Rickenbacker Woods Youth
The campus doesn't just commemorate Rickenbacker. The event will also include information about Granville T. Woods, the Columbus-born inventor who held over 50 patents — including the 1887 Synchronous Multiplex Railway Telegraph and electric third-rail technology — and who successfully defended his patents in court against Thomas Edison, according to the Lemelson-MIT program. That dual focus reflects how the nonprofit Rickenbacker Woods Foundation has grown the campus into a broader hub connecting transportation history with STEAM education.
A short program at 2:30 p.m. will feature Rickenbacker Woods youth, along with an update on preservation of the historic home and future museum plans for what's ahead at the campus. The program will also touch on youth and community work at Rickenbacker Woods, including the newly announced 2026 Rickenbacker Woods Youth Essay Challenge, themed “From Columbus to the World: What Courage Means to Me.”
A Campus Still Expanding
The Rickenbacker Woods nonprofit was established in 2000 by a local community development coalition and has since expanded well beyond historic preservation, partnering to construct 47 affordable homes in Driving Park in 2017. In February 2025, the foundation rescued the iconic red streetcar trolley from the demolished Spaghetti Warehouse building in Franklinton, planning to convert it into an interactive campus exhibit, according to WOSU Public Media.
The Ohio History Connection launched Ohio Open Doors in 2016 to mark the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act, and this year's biennial edition has expanded to target over 250 free events statewide. Central Ohio has several other stops on the circuit this year, including the Hilliard Historical Village's participation in the initiative during Hilliard's Fall Fest and the one-day carriage house opening at the Hayes Presidential Library in Fremont.
