Ohio Statehouse
The Ohio Statehouse is the state capitol building and seat of government for the U.S. state of Ohio. The Greek Revival building is located on Capitol Square in Downtown Columbus. The capitol houses the Ohio General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.[2] It also contains the ceremonial offices of the governor,[2] lieutenant governor, state treasurer,[3] and state auditor.[4] Built between 1839 and 1861, it is one of the oldest working statehouses in the United States.[5] The statehouse grounds include two other buildings, the Judiciary Annex or Senate Building, and the Atrium; the three are collectively referred to as the Ohio Statehouse into the present day.
Location
500,000 (in 2012)[1]
Underground lot
10 acres (4.0 ha)
1839–1861
Multiple
December 22, 1977
July 31, 1972
November 15, 1982
CR-13
The statehouse's prominent architecture has earned it several landmark designations, including as a National Historic Landmark. The building sees about 500,000 visitors per year.[1]
The Ohio Statehouse grounds, known as Capitol Square, are a large square park space surrounding the statehouse, bordered by Broad, High, State, and 3rd streets. The grounds have been remodeled several times, and a parking garage was constructed under the front lawn in the 1960s. Presently the northwest and southwest corners of the grounds have penthouses to access the garage, while the northeast and southeast corners have automobile drives down into the garage. The east lawn, beside the Senate Building, was used for parking during the 20th century.
The western portion of the statehouse grounds features a 3.5-ft-tall decorative metal fence. The fence was installed in 2012 as an additional security measure, though replicating the design of a prior fence in place from 1873 to 1964 (removed during construction of the underground parking garage). The eastern portion, the Veterans Plaza, remains open, and the fenced-off portion on the west side is never closed off except for special events.[1]
The Statehouse contains many large scale artworks on the grounds of the building. A large statuary group by Hermon MacNeil, the William McKinley Monument, honors and remembers Ohio governor and U.S. president William McKinley. The Great Seal of Ohio and the state motto, "With God, all things are possible", are engraved at the foot of the steps leading to the west entrance.