Inside the building, one of the most popular elements is the Map Room. Constructed of five types of marble from around the world, as well as limestone, the large map of Ohio illustrates Ohio's 88 counties. This true-to-scale map allows for visitors and schoolchildren alike to pass through all of Ohio's counties during one visit to the Statehouse.
Inverse arches made of brick are clearly visible in the exposed foundation wall of the Statehouse along the western side of the Map Room. These arches are an innovative engineering technique used by architect Henry Walter to more evenly distribute the massive weight of the stone building to the foundation. The point where each of the half-circle arches connects with its neighbors is directly beneath one of the massive columns that surround the building on the all four sides.
Map Room Art
In the Map Room, two large 550-pound reliefs depict teachers and children in a classroom environment. To the left of the Museum Shop hangs, the One-Room Schoolhouse relief. This relief depicts a classroom scene of an early-Ohio teacher reading with her students in a one-room schoolhouse. Spencerian script, Ray's arithmetic and a McGuffey Reader, all products of Ohio, appear in the background. On the chalkboard, a list of Presidents from Ohio appears to be the history lesson for the day.
To the right of the Museum Shop hangs the Modern Classroom relief. This relief portrays a modern classroom scene as students receive a lesson in social studies. A teacher in the background signs the words "to learn" in recognition of the nation's first state school for the deaf founded in Ohio in 1829. The background celebrates the achievements of Ohioans, including astronauts Neil Armstrong and John Glenn, and aviators Orville and Wilbur Wright.
Both reliefs were created by George Danhires of Kent, Ohio, and installed in November 1995.
The Ohio Statehouse
1 Capitol Square
Columbus, Ohio 43215