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Ohio’s Statehouse, part 2
In my previous post we learned that the buildings of Capital Square and the ten acres of surrounding grounds in downtown Columbus were more of an eyesore than a sight to behold a few years ago.
A massive restoration initiative unveiled in 1989 changed all of that. Work on the Senate Office Building and Atrium wrapped up in 1993, and workmen turned their full attention to the Statehouse itself.
Twenty-two years in the making
Although Ohio’s Statehouse had an exuberant beginning on July 4, 1839, with the ceremonial placing of the cornerstone, the building languished through more than two decades of on-again/off-again construction. At one point, work stopped for seven years, and the basement was filled with dirt and the entire Capital Square became a pasture.
Opening day finally came in 1857 when the building was unveiled to the public. Lawmakers began meeting in their chambers soon after. Final completion, however, was not until 1861. Its long and colorful history has earned the Statehouse a designation as a National Historic Landmark, a fitting recognition of its storied past.
Step back into the 1860s
Today, visitors can see a Statehouse very much like the one in which Ohio lawmakers of the 1860s plied their political trade. Historically accurate hues of salmon, blue and yellow highlight the aesthetics.
Old skylights and windows flood the interior with natural light. And in the Rotunda—a stained glass Seal of Ohio skylight. It’s a reproduction but spectacular nonetheless.
Just as impressive are the lavish reproduction carpeting, bronze fixtures and works of art, including an historic painting (Perry’s Victory), the first piece of art commissioned specifically for the Statehouse.
The Rotunda also houses a marble bust of Abraham Lincoln, reputed to be one of the only busts for which Lincoln actually posed during his lifetime.
Although the Statehouse is a historically correct showplace, it has to be functional in today’s world. That’s why especially observant visitors will also see connections for laptops, microphones, an electronic voting system and television cameras.
A private Christmas tour
Our guide, a former history teacher, had just finished a tour with a group of rambunctious kids. So he was anxious for a quieter entourage whose members were actually interested in what he said and listened intently.
He took us throughout the building, including the two legislative houses. It was fun and filled with fascinating bits of scarcely known Ohio history. And to top it off—resplendent Christmas decorations everywhere.
At one point after the tour, Bobbi and the girls snared a photographer from the local daily. By the time I had rejoined the group, the family had told her half of our life story, including the part about our annual Christmas excursions.
She asked questions, and I could see the wheels turning inside her journalist’s head: Hmmm. Michigan family comes to Ohio on special Christmas trip. Story here? But we were out of time … just as I am about out of space.