STATEHOUSE NEWS

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(Columbus, OH) –The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) will commemorate the Repose of President Abraham Lincoln in the Ohio Statehouse Rotunda on Monday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The day will include Civil War reenactors, a historic 36-star flag, artifacts, cannon firings and a replica coffin. The event is free and open to the public. April 29 is the anniversary of the day in 1865 when around 50,000 mourners passed by Lincoln’s coffin in the Rotunda of the Ohio Statehouse.

On the front lawn of the Statehouse, Civil War medical displays and an Artillery camp will be set up, accompanied by music from the era. The Ladies Aid Society will host a tent with interactive activities, while reenactors portraying James A. Garfield and his wife will roam the Statehouse grounds. Additionally, cannon firings on the hour will entertain spectators.

Inside the Statehouse Rotunda, a replica of President Lincoln’s coffin will be on display, along with a historic 36-star flag. The flag flew over Capitol Square during the repose of President Lincoln on April 29, 1865.

The Statehouse Museum Shop, on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse, offers copies of Lincoln’s Gettysburg and Second Inaugural Addresses, small statues of President Lincoln and Lincoln’s hat and a beard attachment. Mini cannons, replica Civil War firearms, and other Civil War memorabilia are also available.

The Capitol Café will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for visitors to grab food and beverages throughout the day.

Contact mrupert@ohiostatehouse.org for more information. Schedule a tour inside the Ohio Statehouse for a group of ten or more by calling 614-728-3726 or kmontgomery@ohiostatehouse.org.
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(COLUMBUS, OH) — Members of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) will meet Thursday, April 18, 2024 at the Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus. The business meeting will be held in the State Room (room #108) and will begin at 10:00 a.m. The meeting is open to the public. The meeting agenda is available upon request.

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(Columbus, OH)—The Ohio Statehouse invites families and friends to a FREE fossil tour on Saturday, April 20 from noon until 1:30 p.m. During this special tour, visitors will see fossil specimens, and then find similar fossils in the limestone walls and floors of the Ohio Statehouse.

The tour starts on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse. Fossils will be displayed by Dale M. Gnidovec, Curator of the OSU Orton Geological Museum. Mark Peter, Paleontologist at ODNR Division of Geological Survey, will lead the group inside and outside the Ohio Statehouse.

Each visitor will receive a free copy of the booklet, Statehouse Fossils: A Guide to Fossils of the Ohio Capitol, by Mark E. Peter. The booklet is provided by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological Survey.

Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 every year to encourage global conservation efforts and environmental protection. These events encourage young learners to explore the natural world and engage the public in efforts to care for our planet.

Photos are available on the Ohio Statehouse website: http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/galleries/geology-fossil-tour

This special tour is free and open to the public. Visitors may meet in the Worthington Center on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse. Registration is not required, but individuals or organizations that want to schedule a group to attend the tour, should contact Katie Montgomery at 614-728-3726 or kmontgomery@ohiostatehouse.org.
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In honor of the life and service of former State Senator C.J. Prentiss, Governor Mike DeWine has ordered the flags of the United States and the state of Ohio to be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout Cuyahoga County and at the Ohio Statehouse, Vern Riffe Center, and Rhodes Tower from sunrise to sunset on the day of her funeral, April 13, 2024.

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In honor of the life and service of former State Representative Brigid Kelly, the flags of the United States and the state of Ohio will be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout Hamilton County, the Ohio Statehouse, Vern Riffe Center, and Rhodes Tower from sunrise to sunset on the day of her funeral, April 4, 2024.
All other public buildings and grounds throughout the state may fly the flags of the United States and the state of Ohio at half-staff at their discretion for the same time period.

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March is recognized nationally as Women's History Month. The Ohio Statehouse has two events and an exhibit planned for March to celebrate women’s achievements.

“The Beecher Sisters: 19th Century Social Reformers” will be presented Monday, March 11 from noon to 1 p.m. in the Atrium by Christina Hartlieb of the Harriet Beecher Stowe House. The performance follows the stories of the four Beecher sisters who were educators, suffragettes and abolitionists in the 1800s. Harriet Beecher Stowe and her sisters represented social change in 1800s America by using their Power of Voice in a time when women’s voices were not often heard.

On Tuesday, March 26, from noon to 1 p.m., “The Music of The Women of the Civil War,” performed by Steve and Lisa Ball, will take place in the Atrium. The musicians will sing popular tunes from the era and share the stories of women who worked tirelessly to transform the world during that time who were performers, musicians, activists and writers.

Both events are free and open to the public and are planned to be video recorded on OhioChannel.org. They are 45-minute-long events, with an additional 15 minutes for Q&A.

The Athena Art exhibit will be displayed in the House South Hallway from March 5 to March 27. Formed in 1903, the Athena Art Society is the oldest continuous women’s art organization in the country. Their mission continues to promote and develop the visual arts and stimulate community participation. Members of this Toledo, Ohio group will exhibit original art works with the theme, “Original Explorations,” during Women’s History Month 2024.

No reservations are required, but if you have a group and would like to attend, please contact Katie Montgomery at 614-728-3726 or kmontgomery@ohiostatehouse.org.

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(Columbus, Ohio)- The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) and the Capitol Square Foundation announce the 2024 Great Ohioan Award recipients. The Capitol Square Foundation presented the selected individuals from nominations submitted by citizens and organizations across Ohio.

The 2024 Great Ohioan awardees are aerospace engineer Eugene Kranz, illustrator Howard Chandler Christy and former U.S. House Representative John Bingham.

Eugene "Gene" Kranz is an American aerospace engineer who worked for the U.S. Air Force and NASA. He is most notably known as the Flight Director for the Apollo 13 mission, where the oxygen tank partially exploded enroute to the Moon. Gene's leadership abilities helped get the Apollo 13 crew back to Earth safely against all odds. He is from Toledo, Ohio.


Howard Chandler Christy was an American artist and illustrator from Morgan County, Ohio. Christy is memorable for his 'Christy Girls,' illustrations of beautiful, strong, witty women who supported America during times of war and encouraged others to do so too. Christy was a rising star in the new age of magazine illustrations, but he also is known for painting "The Signing of the Constitution," which now hangs in the U.S. Capitol Building's Rotunda. Christy painted “The Signing of the Treaty of Greene Ville” and several other artworks at the Ohio Statehouse.


John Bingham is a former member of the United States House of Representatives. Republican Bingham was notorious for his views on anti-slavery. He is credited as "the James Madison of the 14th Amendment" because of his proposal to add what is now known as the Equal Protection Clause. He also served as a prosecutor for John Wilkes Booth's co-conspirators and presented the prosecutions for President Andrew Johnson's impeachment trials. He grew up in Cadiz, Ohio.


"These three selections represent Ohio's diversity in different fields of endeavor. An artist, a dedicated public servant and a leader in the United States' effort in space exploration. All three made profound contributions to Ohio's unique place in national and world history," said Capitol Square Foundation Chairman Charles Moses.

The award's selection criteria rely on whether the nominee lived in Ohio for at least five years and whether the commemorated event the nominee participated in took place 25 years ago.

There have been 59 Great Ohioans recognized for this award for their essential contributions to history, ranging from politicians, astronauts, healthcare pioneers, writers, athletes, abolitionists and more. To learn about the other awardees, visit our website.

“The Ohio Statehouse is the right place to recognize Great Ohioans,” said CSRAB Executive Director Laura P. Battocletti, “Everyone is welcome to enjoy paintings by Howard Chandler Christy in the Rotunda, and to learn about Representative Bingham in the museum exhibits. It was an honor to meet Gene Kranz, truly a pioneer in space exploration, when we unveiled the new painting, ‘Ohioans in Space.’”

Great Ohioans Exhibit
The Ohio Statehouse Museum exhibit allows visitors better to understand the recipients of the Great Ohioan Award and discover how they affected local, national, and world history. The exhibit uses videos, photos, facts and web-based technology to explore the life and legacy of each Great Ohioan. The Ohio Statehouse Museum is open every day of the week except on state holidays.

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(COLUMBUS, OH) — Members of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) will meet Thursday, February 15, 2024 at the Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus. The business meeting will be held in the State Room (room #108) and will begin at 10:00 a.m. The meeting is open to the public. The meeting agenda is available upon request.

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