|
The Ohio State House stands in the center of 10 acres. The building is 184 feet wide by 304 feet long. It is 158 feet from the ground to the pinnacle of the cupola. The height from Rotunda floor to top of Dome is 120 feet, andto upper skylight, 136 feet. The diameter of the Rotunda floor is 65 5/12 feet; of the upper skylight, 32 feet, and of the cupola, outside, 75 feet. The building is of limestone from Marble Cliff quarries near Columbus and was erected by prison labor. It is of Greek Architecture and contains 53 rooms, proper. On the first floor are the offices of the Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, Adjutant General. Budget Commissioner, Soldiers'Claims, Bureau of Accountant, Boiler Inspector and Board of Health. On the second floor are the State Library, the Legislative Reference Department, Superintendent of Public Printing, the Senate Chamber, House of Representatives, Press Room, Bill Room, Offices of Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of Houses, Clerk of Houses, Clerk of Senate, Finance Committee, Post Offices of House and Senate, smokers and cloak rooms. On the third floor are the Document Department and the Organization Department of the Ohio State Library and 15 committee rooms. The Totunda is flanked by four open courts. The floor consists of 4,892 blocks of marble of domestic and foreign varieties. In the center are 13 blocks of marble representing the 13 original States, The first circle bounding these 13 blocks represents the unorganized territory at the time the Union was formed. The second circle represents the Louisiana purchase and the third circle represents territory acquired in war with Mexico. The fourth circle surrounding the sunburst represents the Constitution binding the states. Each of the 32 points in the sunburst represents a state in the union at the time the floor was laid, 1867, From the center block the radiation is as perfect as the rays of the sun. The flags of the various wars are arranged in cases around the walls of the Rotunda. The Lincoln monument occupying a position on the Rotunda floor and the large painting of Perry's victory over the East entrance are two of the greatest works of art in the world, the one from the chisel of Jones and the other form the brush of Powell. The building was 15 years in construction--begun 1838, dedicated 1857, completed 1861 and cost $1,500,000. The Architecture is unique and the people of Ohio are justly proud of their Capitol |
