STATEHOUSE NEWS

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The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) and the Capitol Square Foundation today mark the five year anniversary of the Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center. The Museum—dedicated June 10, 2009 in a Statehouse ceremony— has in five short years welcomed over 375,000 students from all 88 Ohio counties.

“I am proud that the museum has been available to so many young people in the first five years. Our goal at the Ohio Statehouse is to inspire future leaders of Ohio. Through the Ohio Statehouse Museum we are able to engage schoolchildren in a learning environment that explores the Ohio General Assembly and the law making process, state budgeting, voting in Ohio and the separation of powers in three independent branches of government,” said William Carleton, CSRAB executive director.

The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center offers interactive exhibits that encourage visitors to participate in state government and equips them to more fully exercise their political power as citizens of Ohio. The Museum explores the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary branches of government, the Ohio Constitution, Making Laws, Elections and Voting. Since the opening, new elements have been added: the Heart of Democracy, glass panels with inspirational quotes in 2010; seven different exhibits for Great Ohioans; and in 2013, the Governor Thomas Worthington Center.

“Our purpose throughout the development, construction and maintenance of the Statehouse Museum was to “Enrich the Experience” for all who visit this magnificent building. We are proud of the enhancements since the opening in 2009 and look forward to providing new exhibits and continuing our work with all of our stakeholders to make the Museum the finest of its kind in the United States,” said Charles R. Moses, Chairman of the Capitol Square Foundation. Since 2009, the Foundation has helped fund 70,000 student visits to the Ohio Statehouse. Additionally, the CSRAB has cleaned and restored the entire Ohio governor and lieutenant governor portrait collection with assistance provided by the Capitol Square Foundation.

Teachers and students utilize the museum as an educational resource. However, communication technology has advanced at breakneck speed with mobile and tablet innovation leading the way. The CSRAB and the Capitol Square Foundation, collaborating with stakeholders, will undertake a review of the Museum’s technological capabilities to maintain the Ohio Statehouse Museum as a tool educators can use, on site and in the classroom.

Yet as any museum professional will tell you, technology is not a panacea; teachers are the integral piece to a child succeeding in his or her academic career. With this in mind, the Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center will again partner with the Creative Learning Factory to host a teacher training entitled “Using the Statehouse as Teaching Tool” Wednesday, July 23, 2014 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Ohio Statehouse. This is one more resource that has been added in the first five years of the Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center.

The Ohio Statehouse Museum is located on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m.; closed on state holidays. For more information about the Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center and the Ohio Statehouse, please, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

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The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) has dedicated a new memorial on Capitol Square. The Ohio Holocaust and Liberators Memorial was unveiled by Governor John Kasich and architect Daniel Libeskind during a ceremony held at the Ohio Theater and the South Plaza of the Ohio Statehouse today.

The ceremony was the conclusion of a three year process that began May 4, 2011 when Governor Kasich proposed a memorial to remember Ohio Holocaust survivors and Ohio World War II veterans who liberated thousands from Nazi death camps in the spring of 1945. In March 2012, Governor Kasich signed legislation authorizing the creation of the memorial with oversight of the project being given to the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board and the Ohio Arts Council.

Located on Capitol Square, visitors to the memorial will enter a sloped platform of smooth reddish-grey granite that leads to the monument. The pathway is flanked by benches and a descending wall of Columbus limestone. The top of the wall is inscribed with the words, “If you save one life, it is as if you saved the world...” and below on the stone is the inspirational quote by Auschwitz survivor Avner Shalev that reads:

“Every human being who chooses to remember this chapter of history and to infuse it with meaning is thereby choosing to struggle for the preservation of the bedrock moral values that alone make possible the existence of a well-ordered society. This is a commitment to uphold human rights, above all, freedom and the sanctity of life, and the opportunity for people to live side by side in harmony.”

A fissure created by rough stone fractures the path down the center and leads visitors to the top, where two 18-foot-high bronze monolithic forms are positioned at a 45 degree angle to one another. The line ascends the center of the monument to a cut-out form of a bisected hexagram star lined with contrasting stainless steel, which offers a skyward view.

Etched on the face of the bronze monument is the inspirational story of two Auschwitz survivors. The narrative recounts the bravery that Michael Schwartz and his cousin demonstrated during a work camp selection session at Auschwitz in the fall of 1944. Michael saved his cousin’s life by transferring an ink star on his forehead to his cousin’s forehead in defiance of his Nazi oppressors. Through this short story the reader is stuck by the death and despair of Auschwitz and inspired by the courage and strength that Michael and his cousin show in the face of evil.

Memorial Facts:

• Designer: Daniel Libeskind, Studio Daniel Libeskind


• General Contractor: Turner Construction and Zahner Co.


• Steel/Bronze: Zahner Co.


• 4 tons of steel (standard A36K);


• 3.5 tons of bronze

• Stone: Cleveland Marble & Mosaic Co.


• 11 tons of limestone


• 13.7 tons of granite

• Building Area: 1,029 square feet

• Total Budget: $2.145 million

• Starting Date: November 6, 2013

• Dedicated: June 2,2014

Ohio Statehouse monuments and dates of completion:

• These Are My Jewels, 1894


• William McKinley Monument, 1906


• Peace, 1923


• Spirit of ’98, 1928


• Ohio World War Memorial, 1930


• Christopher Columbus Discovery Monument, 1932

*The monument was moved to the Ohio Statehouse in 1932 from Pontifical College Josephinum (Worthington, OH); 1992 rededicated in its current form.

• Ohio Veterans Plaza, 1998


• Ohio Holocaust and Liberators Memorial, 2014

Watch the Ohio Holocaust and Liberators Memorial groundbreaking at:
http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/galleries/media/governor-john-kasich-holocaust-liberators-memorial-groundbreaking-ceremony

Watch the Ohio Holocaust and Liberators Memorial Dedication Ceremony at: http://www.ohiochannel.org/MediaLibrary/Media.aspx?fileId=143879

To view this press release and others, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

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The Ohio Statehouse today announced the 2014 Summer Fridays at the Statehouse schedule of performances. The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) has partnered with 12 central Ohio performing arts groups to present, Summer Fridays at the Statehouse. Summer Fridays is a FREE outdoor lunch-time performing arts series staged on the West Plaza (High Street) of the historic Ohio Statehouse. Summer Fridays at the Statehouse provides an opportunity for the public and downtown community to gather on Capitol Square to experience some of Columbus’ diverse arts groups and to visit the beautiful Ohio Capitol.

This year’s participating performing arts groups include a diverse cross section of central Ohio’s arts organizations.

Scheduled 2014 performances include:
June 6 – RMT, Songs of America
Food Truck: Dos Hermanos
June 13 – Franklin Xpress, Classic Rock
Food Truck: Dos Hermanos
June 20 – The Smoking Guns, Blues, Country, Rock
Food Truck: Red Plate Blue Plate
June 27 – OhioDance, Dance from Around the World
Food Truck: Angry Weiner
July 11 – Grassahol Band, Bluegrass
Food Truck: Paddy Wagon
July 18 – Columbus Youth Orchestra, Classical
Food Truck: Paddy Wagon
July 25 – Alliance of Greater Central Ohio, Barbershop Harmony
Food Truck: Angry Weiner
August 1 – Ladies of Longford, Celtic
Food Truck: Sophie's Pierogi
August 8 – I.R. and Sweet D of the Apple Bottom Gang, Country Western
Food Truck: Pickled Swine
August 15 – Fort Hayes Prep. Music Program
Food Truck: New Horizons Street Grill
August 22 – One Way Gospel Singers, Gospel & Country
Food Truck: Red Plate Blue Plate
August 29 – Opera Columbus, Opera
Food Truck: Cheesy Truck

Summer Fridays at the Statehouse will take place Fridays, June 6 through August 29 (absent July 4). The programs will run between noon and 1 p.m. The series gives the downtown community and visitors the opportunity to enjoy the majestic Statehouse grounds while some of Columbus’ best arts groups perform. There is no better place downtown to enjoy your lunch this summer!

Visitors are encouraged to bring their lunch or purchase lunch form one of the food trucks scheduled for lunch service during each Friday concert.

Performances will be canceled in the event of inclement weather. Up to the minute performance information about Summer Fridays at the Statehouse will be posted on the front page of the Ohio Statehouse website at www.ohiostatehouse.org. Summer Fridays at the Statehouse audience members are encouraged to visit the Statehouse website each morning of the scheduled performances to retrieve last minute performance information.

Media support for Summer Fridays at the Statehouse is provided by 10TV.

High resolution photos from the 2013 season are available at:
http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/galleries/summer-fridays-2013

A 30 second Public Service Announcement promoting the event can be viewed at:
http://www.ohiochannel.org/MediaLibrary/Media.aspx?fileId=143590

Facts About Downtown Columbus

• Approximately 100,000 employees work downtown


• Home to thousands of residents


• Downtown Columbus is one of the safest places in central Ohio


• 30,000 students attend classes at one of four downtown colleges or universities


• Downtown has accessible public transportation service; COTA bus stops located near the Ohio Statehouse

To view this press release and others, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

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CALENDAR LISTING:

Summer Fridays at the Statehouse, Performing Arts Series
June 6 through August 29; 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.

West Plaza
The Ohio Statehouse
1 Capitol Square
Columbus, OH 43215

Summer Fridays is a FREE lunch-time outdoor performing arts series staged on the West Plaza (High Street) of the historic Ohio Statehouse. Summer Fridays at the Statehouse provides an opportunity for the public and downtown community to gather on Capitol Square to experience some of Columbus’ diverse arts groups and to visit the beautiful Capitol building.

Enjoy a free lunch-time concert on the West Plaza of the Ohio Statehouse each Friday (absent July 4) in June, July and August. View the concert schedule at www.ohiostatehouse.org.

Canceled in the event of rain.

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The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) is seeking 500 signatures to establish a State of Ohio specialty license plate honoring the Ohio Statehouse. House Bill 206-enacted by the Ohio General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Kasich April 10-confirmed the Ohio Statehouse license plate. In order for the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles to issue the new Ohio Statehouse license plate CSRAB must collect 500 petition signatures. Visitors to the Ohio Statehouse can sign the petition in four locations:

• CSRAB Main Office


• Statehouse Museum Shop


• Third Street Information Desk


• Statehouse Parking Garage Office

“The Ohio Statehouse has housed state government for the past 157 years, and since 1857, this magnificent Ohio Capitol has been revered and loved by the citizens of Ohio. The Ohio Statehouse license plate will give citizens the ability to preserve and protect the historical heritage of this great state through education and inspire future leaders of Ohio,” said William Carleton, CSRAB executive director. The legislation establishing the Ohio Statehouse license plate stipulates that $25 from every plate purchased will go to the capitol square renovation gift fund. This fund is used for purchasing art, museum collections, and funding the educational programs that over 70,000 Ohio school children enjoy every year here at the Ohio Statehouse.

As outlined in the agency’s founding legislation, CSRAB educates the tens of thousands of citizens that tour the Statehouse annually, facilitates the function of the Ohio General Assembly (OGA) and state government and protects the historical integrity of the Ohio Statehouse while at the same time, ensuring the safety of those who work in and visit Capitol Square.

Listed by the National Park Service as a National Historic Landmark, the Greek Revival grandeur of the Ohio Statehouse symbolizes the history, heritage, and future of this great State. Please, help support the educational programs offered at the Ohio Statehouse and through that support, help inspire the next generation of Ohio leaders.

To view this press release and others, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

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For the fourth consecutive year, the west lawn of the Ohio Statehouse will host vintage “base ball” (historically two words), as members of the 130^th Ohio General Assembly take on the Ohio Village Muffins, Tuesday, May 20. Reminiscent of barnstorming tours of yesteryear, the match begins at 5:30 p.m., as the Capitol Cannons challenge the Ohio Village Muffins in an exhibition game of vintage base ball. The event is free and open to the public.

Members of the 130^th Ohio General Assembly, representing the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives, will take a break from partisan politics as Republicans and Democrats come together and cross the aisle to form the Capitol Cannons. The 2014 Cannons will be skippered by Clay Hall, sports director for ABC6/FOX28.

The “titanic struggle” takes place Tuesday, May 20 at 5:30 p.m. on the west lawn (High Street) of the Ohio Statehouse. The two teams will be fighting for bragging rights and the all-important symbol of victory, the Statehouse Memorial Award. Prior to the game, the Statehouse’s 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A will provide a cannon firing demonstration and discussion of leisure activities Civil War soldiers would have used to pass the time in camp.

Additionally, Tracy Martin—baseball historian and member of the Muffins—will exhibit a portion of his massive collection of baseball equipment and ephemera. Martin’s collection highlights the evolution of the game and has been featured at the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, The Smithsonian National Museum of American History and The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

About the Ohio Village Muffins and vintage base ball
Formed in 1981, the Ohio Village Muffins were the first vintage base ball team in America to play a set summer schedule, and the Muffins also hosted the founding meeting of the Vintage Base Ball Association (VBBA). The Muffins play in uniforms period correct to the 1860s; the uniform consists of plain long pants, a white shirt with a bright shield containing the team emblem, a pill box hat, a leather belt and a bow tie. Recreational activities, especially base ball, were becoming more ingrained in American society during the middle part of the 19th century. The Muffins represent a changing America and highlight a game that would transcend all others and become America’s National Pastime.

Using vintage base ball equipment, the game is scheduled for seven innings and will be governed under The Rules and Regulations of the Game of Base Ball Adopted by the National Association of Base-Ball Players, March 14, 1860. Major rule differences between vintage base ball and modern baseball are listed below.

• The ball is pitched underhanded from anywhere behind the pitcher's line.

An out is declared if:

• A hit ball is caught on the fly or the first bound, including foul tips to the catcher.


• A base runner overruns any base (including first) and is touched by the ball in the hands of an adversary.

Enjoy an evening downtown, as you watch the Ohio General Assembly Capitol Cannons host the Ohio Village Muffins in an exhibition vintage base ballgame. Come early and enjoy a ball park dinner. Concessions will be provided by the Capitol Cafe, operated by Milo’s Catering and Banquet Services.

Support for this event is provided by the Ohio Lobbying Association, the Ohio Village Muffins, the Ohio Village Singers, the Capitol Square Foundation and the 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A.

To view this press release and others, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

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A special commemoration of the Repose of Abraham Lincoln in the Ohio Statehouse Rotunda will take place Tuesday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The day will be marked with a Repose of Lincoln re-enactment and a photo exhibit. The event is free and open to the public.

The original coffin position in the Rotunda will be cordoned off, where in 1865 President Lincoln lay-in-repose. A mourning wreath of mixed evergreens, magnolia leaves and white roses will be placed at the site. Flowers will be placed throughout the Rotunda to add realism to the event. The scent of flowers played an important part on the overall setting April 29, 1865.

The 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A, a group of Civil War re-enactors, will provide an honor guard over a replica of Abraham Lincoln’s coffin and catafalque in the Ohio Statehouse Rotunda. The replica coffin is on loan courtesy of Batesville Casket Company (Batesville, IN), the company that made Lincoln’s original coffin in 1865. A changing of the guard is scheduled to take place every 20 minutes. Members of the 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A will stand guard from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Statehouse Rotunda.

About the Repose of Lincoln
Lincoln died in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 15, 1865 after being shot, nine hours earlier, by assassin John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln’s body traveled 1,700 miles by train from Washington, D.C. to Springfield, IL and was put to rest May 4, 1865. Along the way, state funerals were conducted in 12 cities - Columbus was the ninth city to host such a service.

The doors to the Ohio Statehouse opened April 29, 1865 shortly after 9 a.m. By 6 p.m. more than 50,000 people had filed through the Statehouse Rotunda to see the President’s coffin.

About the Photo Exhibit
Thanks to the Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center, a special exhibit of images from the Library of Congress will be on display in the Ohio Statehouse Rotunda. The images chronicle Lincoln’s assassination and the men and women named as conspirators, along with their fate. This exhibit is for mature audiences.

Images of the Repose of Lincoln are available at: http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/galleries/lincolns-repose-april-29

To view this press release and others, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

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Calendar Listing:

The Repose of President Lincoln
April 29, 2014; 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Rotunda
The Ohio Statehouse 1 Capitol Square Columbus, OH 43215


The 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A, a group of Civil War re-enactors, will provide an honor guard for a replica of Lincoln’s casket from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. This will take place on the site where the slain President lay in state in the Ohio Statehouse Rotunda April 29, 1865.

A special exhibit of images from the Library of Congress will be on view in the Ohio Statehouse Rotunda on Lincoln’s assassination and the men and women named as conspirators along with their fate. This exhibit is for mature audiences. This program is supported by the 1^stOhio Light Artillery, Battery A.

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The Ohio Statehouse will celebrate Arbor Day and Earth Day Wednesday, April 23 with a short tree planting ceremony. The short ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on the North Plaza (Broad Street) of Capitol Square and will culminate with the planting of a Hackberry tree. The Ohio Statehouse Arbor Day and Earth Day tree planting is part of an ongoing effort of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) to create a prominent green space for the citizens of Ohio.

Situated on 10 acres in the heart of downtown Columbus, the Ohio Statehouse grounds serve as an unmistakable green oasis in the heart of the capital city. More than 100 plant species are maintained on the grounds; including a variety of trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals. The grounds continue to serve as a gathering place for the people of Ohio.

“Capitol Square is a place for all Ohioans to enjoy, and we continue to cultivate native species to highlight the wide variety of beautiful plants here in the ‘Buckeye State,’” said William Carleton, executive director of the Capitol Square Review and Board.

About the Hackberry tree
The Hackberry is a member of the Elm family. It is a large deciduous tree reaching 39’ to 60’ in height at maturity. It typically lives to be 150 to 200 years old and exhibits its greatest annual growth between 20 and 40 years of age. The branches tend to droop, giving mature trees a cylindrical shape and the appearance of even and equal spread of branches. The fruit of the hackberry is a small berry that ripens in September or October. Various birds and mammals feed on the berries after they ripen in autumn, including native butterflies.

To view this press release and others, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org

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The Ohio Statehouse will celebrate Earth Day by offering a FREE fossil tour on Capitol Square. The special tour will take place Friday, April 18 from noon until 1 p.m. The tour will depart from the Map Room, located on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse. Participants will explore the building stones that make up the Ohio Statehouse and Senate Office Building. The tour will be conducted by Dale M. Gnidovic, curator of the OSU Orton Geological Museum, and Mike Angle, assistant division chief at ODNR Division of Geological Survey. While the event is free, participants are asked to RSVP to Luke Stedke at lstedke@csrab.state.oh.us or 614/728-2130.

The Ohio Statehouse is constructed of Columbus Limestone. Columbus Limestone is of the Middle Devonian age and was named for the city where it has long been quarried. A large vein of Columbus Limestone formed in a north-south line, from the Glacial Grooves of Kelleys Island in Lake Erie, south to Columbus, Ohio. Four hundred million years ago the limestone was the sandy bottom of a tropical ocean that covered the state. Fossils of marine animals are abundant in Columbus Limestone and can be seen throughout the Capitol Square complex.

To view this press release and others, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

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