STATEHOUSE NEWS

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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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Members of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) will meet Wednesday, April 9, 2014 at the Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus. The business meeting will be held in the State Room (room 108) and will begin at 10 a.m. The meeting is open to the public. The meeting agenda is available upon request.

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The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center (OSMEC) is seeking enthusiastic volunteers to participate in its volunteer program. The OSMEC serves nearly 80,000 visitors a year from across the state, country and globe. Volunteers are sought to guide tour groups, including school children, through the Ohio Statehouse and the Ohio Statehouse Museum. Other volunteer opportunities include historical interpreters, museum shop assistants and program assistants.

The Ohio Statehouse is an exciting place to volunteer: the building is beautiful, the history is fascinating, and the law-making is intriguing. Interested individuals should have a love of Ohio history, art and architecture, and government. Successful candidates should enjoy working with people and have the availability to commit approximately 50 hours of volunteer service over the course of a year. Candidates must be at least 18 years old and must be comfortable with walking and stair climbing. Prior museum or tour experience is not required.

Volunteers will receive training about tour and museum content, the history and architecture of the Ohio Capitol, as well as the workings of state government. Training will also cover the most effective way to relate information in an interesting and engaging manner to a wide variety of audiences. Volunteers do not receive financial compensation, but they are offered discounts in the Statehouse Museum Shop, free parking and other benefits.

Detailed information and volunteer application are available at www.ohiostatehouse.org, direct link, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kZqF7ggJFdhTOnlo-f82ZY0InOBS0j3_z7AT83Ihibs/viewform or by contacting Dayna Jalkanen at 614-728-2697 or djalkanen@csrab.state.oh.us.

About the Ohio Statehouse Museum:
The Ohio Statehouse Museum includes interactive, hands-on exhibits that will challenge visitors’ knowledge about Ohio history and the workings of state government while equipping them to more fully participate as citizens. Historical artifacts and images will tell the stories of those who designed and built the Statehouse and those who have come to serve.

The Statehouse is the heart of Ohio’s democracy. Statehouse anecdotes, quotes from historical and contemporary figures, and statements will test visitor knowledge. Graphics and stories communicate the power of the Statehouse and its important role in the lives of Ohio citizens. Imagery shows historical and contemporary legislators while interpreting the Statehouse as democratic symbol, centerpiece and working center of government.

About the Ohio Statehouse:
The Ohio Statehouse is one of America’s finest examples of Greek Revival architecture and is one of the oldest working statehouses in the United States. The Ohio Statehouse was completed in 1861 after 22 years of construction. Restored to its original grandeur in 1996, the Statehouse is filled with priceless historic art, including a marble bust of Abraham Lincoln – one of only a few the President posed for during his lifetime. Even the Statehouse’s expansive grounds have a history, as Civil War Union soldiers frequently camped there.

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

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The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) announces that the Statehouse Museum Shop is sponsoring a T-shirt design contest. The Statehouse Museum Shop is looking for a vibrant, eye-catching, unique design that can be used on a T-shirt and sold in the Statehouse shop starting in the summer of 2014. “Ohioans are innovative and creative people. CSRAB wants to promote and highlight that creativity through the Ohio Statehouse T-shirt Design Contest,” said William E. Carleton, executive director of CSRAB.

The winner will receive:

• A T-shirt with the winning art


• One $25 gift card from the Statehouse Museum Shop


• A private tour of the Ohio Statehouse including the Cupola for up to 10 people

Contest Overview
All entrants must live in the State of Ohio, and entries must be received by April 30, 2014. Semifinalists, selected by the T-shirt design committee, will be announced May 5, 2014. At that time, the semifinalists’ designs will be posted on the Ohio Statehouse Facebook page, the Statehouse Museum Shop Facebook page and the Statehouse Museum Shop Pinterest page where visitors can “like” their favorite design. Additionally, the semifinalists’ designs will also be on display at the Statehouse Museum Shop where visitors can cast a vote for their favorite design, all public voting ends May 23, 2014. The T-shirt design committee will consider the public voting results when selecting the winner. The winning design will be announced June 2, 2014 and will be on display in the Statehouse Museum Shop, T-shirts with the winning design will be on sale this summer.

Contest rules and entry form are attached to this communiqué. For further contest details and to view this press release, please, visit the Ohio Statehouse website at www.ohiostatehouse.org.


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The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) launched a redesigned and upgraded public website Monday. The new streamlined website is more intuitive, and consolidates information, previously scattered on five independent websites, to a single one stop shop for all things Statehouse and Capitol Square. The Ohio Statehouse website address has not changed— www.ohiostatehouse.org.

William E. Carleton, executive director of CSRAB said, “With technology evolving at break-neck speed, it is important for public institutions to keep pace with technological advances to engage the public, and better serve their needs. The new Statehouse website is an online clearinghouse for Ohioans, and visitors from around the world, to learn about Ohio government, history and art. This new website helps CSRAB educate the public, facilitate the work of state government and protect the historical integrity of this great edifice.”

With a clean design and more easy to use navigation, the new Statehouse website delivers more information to the visitor quicker. “Since every Ohio student cannot visit the Statehouse on an annual basis. The new website has been redesigned to take the Statehouse to the student to engage and inspire the next generation of Ohio leaders," said Luke Stedke, communications and marketing manager for CSRAB. The upgraded website has four new sections that organize the site by topic with drop down tabs to further educate the visitor on the specific subject he or she has researched. Specific website upgrades include:

• One consolidated website for CSRAB and the Ohio Statehouse


• A searchable Online Collection Catalog,” for a deep dive into Ohio Statehouse history


• Technology upgrades to facilitate more efficient communication with Ohio citizens

The Ohio Statehouse website redesign was led by Luke Stedke CSRAB communications director, and Mike Rupert CSRAB communications specialist in association with the fantastic team at Legislative Information Systems (LIS).

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

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