STATEHOUSE NEWS

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The Ohio Statehouse will celebrate Black History Month throughout February with a special display, free historical performance each Thursday at noon and special tours of the George Washington Williams Room.

The 2013 Rosa Parks Children’s Art Exhibit will be on display in the Statehouse Map Room throughout February. The exhibition will highlight colorful artwork created by elementary school students from Columbus. The artwork represents each of the children's answers to the simple question: "What would you do if you had a chance to do a brave thing ... to do a kind thing?" The exhibit is presented in partnership with the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), The Ohio State University and the Ohio Historical Society. The art display serves as a powerful form of expression based on this important event. The display is free and open to the public.

Living history programs will be presented each Thursday at noon throughout February in the Museum Gallery on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse. Visitors will meet first-person interpreters who portray prominent African Americans in U.S. history. Each 45-minute vignette will focus on African-American history as part of Black History Month at the Ohio Statehouse. Each performance is rich with history, drama and adventure. The programs are presented by We’ve Known Rivers, which is a partnership of dynamic storytellers with a passion for history and education. The programs are free and open to the public. For more information about We’ve Known Rivers, visit www.facebook.com/weveknownrivers.

Scheduled living history performances include:

February 7: “Beatrice Black: Remembering Miss Rosa Parks,” presented by Annette Jefferson
Presented in the Museum Gallery on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse

February 14: “The Promised Land: John Parker and the Underground Railroad,” presented by Anthony Gibbs
Presented in the Museum Gallery on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse

February 21: “Bessie Stringfield: Motorcycle Queen of Miami,” presented by Sandra Quick
Presented in the Museum Gallery on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse

February 28: “African American Women During the Civil War,” presented by Annette Jefferson
Presented in the Museum Gallery on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse

A special soul food menu will be offered in the Capitol Cafe each Thursday in February. The Capitol Cafe, operated by Milo’s Catering and Banquet Services, will offer a variety of reasonably priced soul food options each Thursday.

Tours will visit the George Washington Williams Memorial Room throughout February. The George Washington Williams Memorial Room is a tribute to Ohio’s first African-American legislator. George Washington Williams was the first African American elected to the Ohio General Assembly. Williams was elected to the House of Representatives as a Republican legislator from Hamilton County in 1879 at the age of 30. Williams was a Civil War soldier, pastor, journalist, lawyer, politician, freewill ambassador, author and historian. This room exhibits furnishings representing styles popular in the United States in the late 1800’s. The furniture includes period antiques, reproduction pieces and art work that help visitors experience history.

High resolution images are available at: http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/Multimedia/MediaLibrary/Collection.aspx?start=1&collectionId=108513

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

The Ohio Statehouse is more than a monument to our past; it's where history happens! The Ohio Statehouse is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed holidays. The Ohio Statehouse Museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends from noon to 4 p.m.; closed holidays. Admission is free. Free guided tours are offered weekdays on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and weekends from noon to 3 p.m. Tours depart from the Map Room easily accessible from the Third Street entrance. Groups of 10 or more are requested to call in advance to ensure a guide is available. Contact 888/OHIO-123 for more information or to schedule a group tour. For more information about the Ohio Statehouse visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is handicapped accessible and senior friendly. The Capitol Square complex was restored to allow for greater access by individuals living with disabilities. Ohio Statehouse public programs and events are held in accessible and barrier free areas of the building so that everyone can participate. Ohio Statehouse visitors needing disability-related accommodations in order to fully participate in an event may contact the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board at statehouse@csrab.state.oh.us or 614/752-9777 to communicate special needs. Please allow three weeks for arrangements to be completed.

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) is responsible for maintaining the historic character of the Statehouse and Capitol Square while providing for the health, safety and convenience of those who work in or visit the complex. The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center coordinates tours of Capitol Square and provides information about the buildings, their history and Ohio's government.

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The Ohio Statehouse will observe the 170th anniversary of Ohio Governor and U.S. President William McKinley’s birth on his January 29th birthday with its annual Red Carnation Day. The day-long commemoration honors McKinley and his contributions to Ohio, the country and world while serving as Ohio Governor and U.S. President. William McKinley was born on January 29, 1843 in Niles, Ohio.

Individuals wearing a red carnation or dressed in scarlet during this special day will receive a 20% discount on one item (some exclusions apply) in the Statehouse Museum Shop and a 10% discount on purchases in the Capitol Cafe. The shop and cafe are located on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse. Red Carnation Day will also feature information highlighting President McKinley during Statehouse tours.

The observance will include an exhibit on the history of Carnation Day and a summary of William McKinley’s career.

Dayton, Ohio, native Lewis G. Reynolds founded the Carnation League of America in 1903 to. The League encouraged all Americans to wear a red carnation on William McKinley’s birthday, January 29. McKinley’s favorite flower was the carnation and he often wore one on his lapel and handed them out to White House visitors.

Members of Carnation League believed they should have a creed that reflected their aims of patriotism, progress, prosperity and peace. The league successfully created the creed and kept the celebration of the day for many years, but eventually the public lost interest. OSMEC or CSRAB brings back to life the legacy of the league and the commemoration of the day.


About the State Flower and its Connection to William McKinley
President William McKinley was assassinated in 1901 during a visit to the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, NY. Shot twice with a hand gun, President McKinley survived eight days before his death on September 14. On February 3, 1904, the Ohio General Assembly enacted legislation making the scarlet carnation the state flower. This was done specifically to honor William McKinley, Ohio Governor (1892-1896) and U.S. President (1897-1901), who regularly wore this type of flower on his lapel.

McKinley’s floral signature goes back to the election of 1876, when he was running for a seat in the United States Congress. His opponent for the seat was Levi Lamborn, of Alliance, Ohio. Lamborn was a physician and keen amateur horticulturist, and had developed a strain of bright scarlet carnations he dubbed “Lamborn Red.” Dr. Lamborn presented McKinley with a “Lamborn Red” boutonniere before their debates, and after his election victory, the future President saw the red carnation as a good luck charm. He wore one on his lapel regularly and presented visitors to his office carnations from a vase. Moments before he was shot by an assassin, it is reported that McKinley had removed the carnation from his lapel and presented it to a young girl. Dr. Lamborn was instrumental in efforts to enact the legislation that made the scarlet carnation the state flower of Ohio. In 1959, the Ohio Legislature named Alliance, Ohio “the Carnation City.”

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

The Ohio Statehouse is more than a monument to our past; it's where history happens! The Ohio Statehouse is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed holidays. The Ohio Statehouse Museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends from noon to 4 p.m.; closed holidays. Admission is free. Free guided tours are offered weekdays on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and weekends from noon to 3 p.m. Tours depart from the Map Room easily accessible from the Third Street entrance. Groups of 10 or more are requested to call in advance to ensure a guide is available. Contact 888/OHIO-123 for more information or to schedule a group tour. For more information about the Ohio Statehouse visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is handicapped accessible and senior friendly. The Capitol Square complex was restored to allow for greater access by individuals living with disabilities. Ohio Statehouse public programs and events are held in accessible and barrier free areas of the building so that everyone can participate. Ohio Statehouse visitors needing disability-related accommodations in order to fully participate in an event may contact the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board at statehouse@csrab.state.oh.us or 614/752-9777 to communicate special needs. Please allow three weeks for arrangements to be completed.

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) is responsible for maintaining the historic character of the Statehouse and Capitol Square while providing for the health, safety and convenience of those who work in or visit the complex. The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center coordinates tours of Capitol Square and provides information about the buildings, their history and Ohio's government.

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The Lima Company Memorial: The Eyes of Freedom will return to the Ohio Statehouse and will be on view from February 15 to March 17. The exhibit was first unveiled at the Ohio Statehouse in 2008. The display was created in memory of 22 fallen Marines and a Navy Corpsman from the Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division who lost their lives while serving in Iraq in 2005. The exhibition will be on public view for 31 days in the Ohio Statehouse Rotunda and South Hall and is free and open to the public.

The Ohio-based Marine Reserve unit, once known as “Lucky Lima,” was one of the hardest hit single units in Operation Iraqi Freedom, suffering deaths of 22 Marines and their Navy Corpsman. Created by Columbus artist Anita Miller, the memorial contains life-sized paintings of each of the 23 fallen heroes. Names and statistics of each of the fallen men, an ever-living candle, boots and space for visitors to leave mementos will be part of this moving memorial installation.

The Ohio Statehouse grand Rotunda will serve as a solemn place to honor these American service members from February 15 through February 26. The exhibition will then be featured in the South Hall, adjacent to the Rotunda, from February 27 to March 1 before it returns to the Rotunda for display through March 17.

“The Ohio Statehouse is proud to again host this important and emotional exhibition that honors our country’s heroes and recognize the contributions that our service men and women make to our country,” said William E. Carleton, Executive Director of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board.

The exhibition at the Ohio Statehouse will offer thousands of individuals the opportunity to learn about the sacrifices that these fallen servicemen have given our state and nation.

The Fallen heroes include:
Private First Class Christopher R. Dixon
Lance Corporal Christopher P. Lyons
Staff Sergeant Anthony L. Goodwin
Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis Youngblood (Navy Corpsman)
Sergeant Justin F. Hoffman
Staff Sergeant Kendall H. Ivy II
Lance Corporal Nicholas William B. Bloem
Corporal Andre L. Williams
Lance Corporal Grant B. Fraser
Lance Corporal Aaron H. Reed
Lance Corporal Edward A. Schroeder II
Lance Corporal William B. Wightman
Lance Corporal Timothy M. Bell, Jr.
Lance Corporal Eric J. Bernholtz
Corporal Dustin A. Derga
Lance Corporal Nicholas B. Erdy
Lance Corporal Wesley G. Davids
Sergeant David N. Wimberg
Lance Corporal Michael J. Cifuentes
Lance Corporal Christopher J. Dyer
Lance Corporal Jonathan W. Grant
Sergeant David Kenneth J. Kreuter
Lance Corporal Jourdan L. Grez

For more images and more information about the Lima Company Memorial: The Eyes on Freedom exhibit, visit www.limacompanymemorial.org.

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

The Ohio Statehouse is more than a monument to our past; it's where history happens! The Ohio Statehouse is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed holidays. The Ohio Statehouse Museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends from noon to 4 p.m.; closed holidays. Admission is free. Free guided tours are offered weekdays on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and weekends from noon to 3 p.m. Tours depart from the Map Room easily accessible from the Third Street entrance. Groups of 10 or more are requested to call in advance to ensure a guide is available. Contact 888/OHIO-123 for more information or to schedule a group tour. For more information about the Ohio Statehouse visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is handicapped accessible and senior friendly. The Capitol Square complex was restored to allow for greater access by individuals living with disabilities. Ohio Statehouse public programs and events are held in accessible and barrier free areas of the building so that everyone can participate. Ohio Statehouse visitors needing disability-related accommodations in order to fully participate in an event may contact the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board at statehouse@csrab.state.oh.us or 614/752-9777 to communicate special needs. Please allow three weeks for arrangements to be completed.

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) is responsible for maintaining the historic character of the Statehouse and Capitol Square while providing for the health, safety and convenience of those who work in or visit the complex. The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center coordinates tours of Capitol Square and provides information about the buildings, their history and Ohio's government.

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Members of the Ohio Statehouse historical re-enactment group, 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A, will hold their annual Grande Winter Ball on Saturday, January 26, 2013. The Grande Winter Ball will take place in the Ohio Statehouse Atrium from 7 to 9 p.m.

Individuals of all ages are invited to attend the Grande Winter Ball hosted by Civil War re-enactors, 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A. Come dance or watch. Learn how to reel or waltz. Dress in attire of the Civil War period or come as you are. An optional dance practice will be held the same day from 3 to 4 p.m.

For entry, a tax deductible donation of $10 per person or $15 per couple will be accepted. A donation of $5 per student will be accepted. Checks or money orders should be made payable to “1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A,” a 501(c)(3) non-profit Ohio corporation (tax identification number: 26-3648665).

To assure entry, please both send RSVP, and mail donations in time to make sure they are received no later than January 22, 2013.

Please send RSVPs, identifying the name(s) of those attending to: statehouseball@live.com.

Please mail donations to:
Alan Mazur, Treasurer
1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A
140 E. Town Street, Suite 1015
Columbus, Ohio 43215

For more information, contact Mike Rupert at 614/728-4185.

The 1st Ohio Battery A exists to serve the state of Ohio and its citizens by being accomplished living history educators. The unit's mission is to promote the Ohio Statehouse and its identity as a site of civic involvement, education and visitation. Battery A members educate Statehouse visitors throughout the year by firing the four Statehouse cannons for parades and ceremonies and host historic re-enactments and events.

Battery membership is made up of men and women and includes volunteers and Statehouse staff. Members of the Battery dress in Civil War Union uniforms and in period civilian clothing from the 1860s to acknowledge and celebrate the period in which the Ohio Statehouse was built. The Ohio Capitol Building was restored during the 1990s to its original Civil War era appearance.

More information about the 1st Ohio Statehouse Light Artillery, Battery A can be found under the education tab at www.ohiostatehouse.org.

Images are available upon request or on line at:
http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/Multimedia/MediaLibrary/Collection.aspx?start=1&collectionId=107813

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

The Ohio Statehouse is more than a monument to our past; it's where history happens! The Ohio Statehouse is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed holidays. The Ohio Statehouse Museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends from noon to 4 p.m.; closed holidays. Admission is free. Free guided tours are offered weekdays on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and weekends from noon to 3 p.m. Tours depart from the Map Room easily accessible from the Third Street entrance. Groups of 10 or more are requested to call in advance to ensure a guide is available. Contact 888/OHIO-123 for more information or to schedule a group tour. For more information about the Ohio Statehouse visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is handicapped accessible and senior friendly. The Capitol Square complex was restored to allow for greater access by individuals living with disabilities. Ohio Statehouse public programs and events are held in accessible and barrier free areas of the building so that everyone can participate. Ohio Statehouse visitors needing disability-related accommodations in order to fully participate in an event may contact the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board at statehouse@csrab.state.oh.us or 614/752-9777 to communicate special needs. Please allow three weeks for arrangements to be completed.

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) is responsible for maintaining the historic character of the Statehouse and Capitol Square while providing for the health, safety and convenience of those who work in or visit the complex. The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center coordinates tours of Capitol Square and provides information about the buildings, their history and Ohio's government.

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Calendar Listing:

Grande Winter Ball
January 26, 2013; 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Ohio Statehouse Atrium, 1 Capitol Square; downtown Columbus
www.ohiostatehouse.org
614/752-9777
RSVP required by emailing statehouseball@live.com.


Individuals of all ages are invited to attend the Grande Winter Ball hosted by Civil War re-enactors, 1st Ohio Light Artillery Battery A. Come dance or watch. Learn how to reel or waltz. Dress in attire of the Civil War period or come as you are. For entry, a tax deductible donation of $10 per person or $15 per couple will be accepted. A donation of $5 per student will be accepted. Checks or money orders should be made payable to "1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A," a 501(c)(3) non-profit Ohio corporation (tax identification number: 26-3648665).

To assure entry, please both send RSVP, and bring check or cash donations to the event on January 26. Please send RSVPs, identifying the name(s) of those attending, to: statehouseball@live.com. For more information, contact 614/728-4185.

This program is supported by the 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A

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Members of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) will meet Thursday, January 24, 2013 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 CSRAB will hold the election of officers, review its financial report and review the 2013 Great Ohioan nominations and other business as necessary.

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) is responsible for maintaining the historic character of the Statehouse and Capitol Square while providing for the health, safety and convenience of those who work in or visit the complex. The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center coordinates tours of Capitol Square and provides information about the buildings, their history and Ohio's government.

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

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The Ohio Statehouse has partnered with the Ohio Department of Transportation to bring roadway safety information to Capitol Square. Visitors of all ages will have the opportunity to “test their skills” with a distracted driver simulator. The simulator features a computer-generated simulation of texting while driving. Use of the simulator is free and open to the public.

The set-up includes a steering wheel, turn indicators, gas and brake pedals. After “buckling-up,” the driver takes the wheel and tries to drive with distractions. While driving, the participant will receive a phone call, send a text message, and experience other distractions while trying to maintain proper driving skills. ODOT uses the simulator as a tool to educate young drivers about the dangers of distracted driving.

The special exhibit will be featured in the Map Room on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse. The ODOT Distracted Driver Tour will run from January 18 - 25 and is free and open to the public.

Visitors will have the opportunity to use the Ohio Statehouse Museum’s Vote Today interactive (where all visitors, regardless of age, can vote on special issues) to agree or disagree with Ohio’s recent ban on texting while driving.

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

The Ohio Statehouse is more than a monument to our past; it's where history happens! The Ohio Statehouse is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed holidays. The Ohio Statehouse Museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends from noon to 4 p.m.; closed holidays. Admission is free. Free guided tours are offered weekdays on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and weekends from noon to 3 p.m. Tours depart from the Map Room easily accessible from the Third Street entrance. Groups of 10 or more are requested to call in advance to ensure a guide is available. Contact 888/OHIO-123 for more information or to schedule a group tour. For more information about the Ohio Statehouse visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is handicapped accessible and senior friendly. The Capitol Square complex was restored to allow for greater access by individuals living with disabilities. Ohio Statehouse public programs and events are held in accessible and barrier free areas of the building so that everyone can participate. Ohio Statehouse visitors needing disability-related accommodations in order to fully participate in an event may contact the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board at statehouse@csrab.state.oh.us or 614/752-9777 to communicate special needs. Please allow three weeks for arrangements to be completed.

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) is responsible for maintaining the historic character of the Statehouse and Capitol Square while providing for the health, safety and convenience of those who work in or visit the complex. The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center coordinates tours of Capitol Square and provides information about the buildings, their history and Ohio's government.

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CALENDAR LISTING
ODOT Distracted Driver Tour
January 18 - 25, 2013; 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Ohio Statehouse Map Room, 1 Capitol Square; downtown Columbus
www.ohiostatehouse.org
614/752-9777
Free!

In an effort to distribute roadway safety information to the public statewide, the Ohio Department of Transportation has developed a number of programs. The Distracted Driver Simulator features a computer-generated simulation of texting while driving. The set-up includes a steering wheel, turn indicators, gas and brake pedals. After “buckling-up,” the driver takes the wheel and tries to drive with distractions. While driving, the participant will receive a phone call, send a text message, and experience other distractions while trying to maintain proper driving skills. ODOT uses the simulator as a tool to educate young drivers about the dangers of distracted driving.

Visitors will have the opportunity to use the Ohio Statehouse Museum’s Vote Today interactive (where all visitors, regardless of age, can vote on special issues) to agree or disagree with Ohio’s recent ban on texting while driving.

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Brides and grooms-to-be and their guests are invited to participate in one of several free Ohio Statehouse Wedding Tours to be held throughout January and February.

Wedding tour dates and times include:
Thursday, January 10 7 p.m.
Sunday, January 13 3 p.m.
Thursday, January 24 7 p.m.
Thursday, January 31 7 p.m.
Sunday, February 10 3 p.m.

The tours are free, and parking in the Statehouse’s underground parking garage will be validated for those that attend. Each tour will depart from the Map Room on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse.

The wedding tours are designed to highlight the Ohio Statehouse wedding program, the beautiful venues and the services provided by each of the Ohio Statehouse caterers. Each tour will last about an hour.

The Ohio Statehouse will also participate in the 2013 Columbus Bride Show on January 5 and 6 at Veterans Memorial. The Ohio Statehouse will be featured in booth #73.

The Ohio Statehouse Wedding tours are perfect for prospective brides, grooms and their guests, wedding planners and coordinators who are searching for a wedding ceremony and/or reception venue. The Ohio Statehouse wedding tours will be led by the facilities’ wedding coordinator and will provide and opportunity to see the beauty that the Statehouse offers to a wedding ceremony and/or reception.

The Ohio Statehouse, with its obvious grandeur, is the perfect wedding location – an experience that will be unparalleled. The elegance of the Ohio Statehouse captures the most esthetically pleasing dream. The Statehouse embodies the perfect locale for a wedding ceremony and reception with its Greek Revival architecture and appealing exterior landscape.

The Ohio Statehouse wedding program began in 2007 after members of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board approved the rules, guidelines and procedures in late 2006.

Detailed information about weddings at the Ohio Statehouse can be found online at www.OhioStatehouse.org; direct link: http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/Events/Weddings/Index.aspx.


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

The Ohio Statehouse is more than a monument to our past; it's where history happens! The Ohio Statehouse is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed holidays. The Ohio Statehouse Museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends from noon to 4 p.m.; closed holidays. Admission is free. Free guided tours are offered weekdays on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and weekends from noon to 3 p.m. Tours depart from the Map Room easily accessible from the Third Street entrance. Groups of 10 or more are requested to call in advance to ensure a guide is available. Contact 888/OHIO-123 for more information or to schedule a group tour. For more information about the Ohio Statehouse visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is handicapped accessible and senior friendly. The Capitol Square complex was restored to allow for greater access by individuals living with disabilities. Ohio Statehouse public programs and events are held in accessible and barrier free areas of the building so that everyone can participate. Ohio Statehouse visitors needing disability-related accommodations in order to fully participate in an event may contact the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board at statehouse@csrab.state.oh.us or 614/752-9777 to communicate special needs. Please allow three weeks for arrangements to be completed.

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) is responsible for maintaining the historic character of the Statehouse and Capitol Square while providing for the health, safety and convenience of those who work in or visit the complex. The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center coordinates tours of Capitol Square and provides information about the buildings, their history and Ohio's government.

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Visitors are invited to tour, shop and sing their way through Capitol Square this December at the Ohio Statehouse. The December celebration will include special holiday tours, concerts and the annual Tree Lighting and Holiday Festival.

Tree Lighting and Holiday Festival
The Ohio Statehouse will hold its Tree Lighting and Holiday Festival on Monday, December 3. The free and public event will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Guests will welcome Santa when he arrives at the Ohio Statehouse at 5:30 p.m. on the West Plaza lawn (High Street side). For children and adults of all ages, the family-friendly festival will also include holiday music sung by a variety of choirs, a Santa and Mrs. Claus photo station, activities, games, displays, special performances, refreshments and much more!

Refreshments are courtesy of Tim Horton’s, the Heartland Council of the Girl Scouts, the Ohio Statehouse exclusive caterers and Cabot Creamery.


Unique Holiday Gifts and Candy Cane Sale
The Statehouse Museum Shop, located on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse, specializes in unique holiday gifts with an Ohio or political theme. Most gifts are made by Ohio artists or businesses, and many items are exclusive to the Museum Shop. Gifts range from wine and pottery to lapel pins and clothing. The Museum Shop is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Gifts can also be purchased online at www.statehouseshop.com.

Ohio Statehouse visitors are invited to stop by the Statehouse Museum Shop during the annual “Candy Cane Sale,” December 3 to 8. Visitors will have an opportunity to draw a candy cane and receive a discount from 10 to 40 percent off their entire purchase of unique, Ohio merchandise made by Ohio artists and businesses.

The following exclusions do apply: Wine, Consignment Items, Rookwood Pottery tiles, Ohio Statehouse: A Building for the Ages, indoor flag sets and all Statehouse Holiday Ornaments. Not to be combined with any other discounts. Sale limited to quantities on hand.


Holiday Tours Featuring Victorian Decorations
The holidays are a perfect time for visiting friends and family to take a trip to the People’s House for a holiday tour on Capitol Square. Guests are invited to “step back in time” during a free guided tour of the 1861 Statehouse and see holiday decorations the way they were in Victorian times. Walk-in tours of the Statehouse meet in the Map Room, easily accessible from the Third Street entrance, on the hour on weekdays at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., and weekends at noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. There will be no noon tour during weekdays due to the free noon holiday performances. The Statehouse will be closed on December 25 in observance of Christmas and January 1 in observance of New Year’s Day.

Free Noon Holiday Performances
Visitors are invited to enjoy the holiday season with free lunch-time concerts. Weekdays from December 4 to December 18, Ohio musical groups are scheduled to perform songs of the season at noon in the Museum Gallery on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse. The concerts are free and open to the public.

Scheduled musical performances include:

Dec. 4 Westland High School Galloway, Ohio
Dec. 5 Hamilton Twp. High School Columbus, Ohio
Dec. 6 Eastmoor Academy Columbus, Ohio
Dec. 7 Grove City Christian School Grove City, Ohio
Dec. 10 Johnstown-Monroe High School Johnstown, Ohio
Dec. 11 Jackson Center High School Jackson Center, Ohio
Dec. 12 FCI Kindergarten Village Columbus, Ohio
Dec. 13 Kenton Ridge High School Springfield, Ohio
Dec. 14 Lancaster High School Lancaster, Ohio
Dec. 17 Centennial High School Columbus, Ohio
Dec. 18 Northside Christian School Westerville, Ohio

High resolution Ohio Statehouse holiday images are available at: http://www.ohiostatehouse.org/Multimedia/MediaLibrary/Collection.aspx?start=1&collectionId=107879.

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

The Ohio Statehouse is more than a monument to our past; it's where history happens! The Ohio Statehouse is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed holidays. The Ohio Statehouse Museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends from noon to 4 p.m.; closed holidays. Admission is free. Free guided tours are offered weekdays on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and weekends from noon to 3 p.m. Tours depart from the Map Room easily accessible from the Third Street entrance. Groups of 10 or more are requested to call in advance to ensure a guide is available. Contact 888/OHIO-123 for more information or to schedule a group tour. For more information about the Ohio Statehouse visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is handicapped accessible and senior friendly. The Capitol Square complex was restored to allow for greater access by individuals living with disabilities. Ohio Statehouse public programs and events are held in accessible and barrier free areas of the building so that everyone can participate. Ohio Statehouse visitors needing disability-related accommodations in order to fully participate in an event may contact the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board at statehouse@csrab.state.oh.us or 614/752-9777 to communicate special needs. Please allow three weeks for arrangements to be completed.

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) is responsible for maintaining the historic character of the Statehouse and Capitol Square while providing for the health, safety and convenience of those who work in or visit the complex. The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center coordinates tours of Capitol Square and provides information about the buildings, their history and Ohio's government.

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