Statehouse Grounds, Statues and Monuments

Statues and Monuments | Ohio Veterans Plaza | Cannons | Christopher Columbus Discovery Plaza | Doughboy Ohio World War Memorial | Sundial | Sundial Replica | McKinley Memorial | Peace Statue | Spirit of Ninety-Eight | These Are My Jewels

Situated on 10-acres in the heart of downtown Columbus, with the backdrop of the magnificent Greek Rival Capitol Building, the Ohio Statehouse grounds encompass expansive pastoral green spaces, flower gardens and sculpture honoring Ohio’s past. The grounds continue to serve as a gathering space for both historic and everyday events and rallies.

Among the most prominent features of the Ohio Statehouse and Capitol Square is the symbolism found in the historic statues, monuments and markers expressing the ways different generations of Ohioans have understood their history and own experiences, and how they wished to be remembered.

The monuments and statues on Capitol Square depict the values, ideals and desires of the Ohioans who commissioned and designed them. These monuments trace the history of those particular ideas over time. In the course of the last 150 years, Ohioans have gone from honoring specific important military and political leaders to depicting the generic or common soldier, to remembering the significant contributions of women, children and African Americans and finally relating the stories of men and women who served their country in their own words.

The evolution from hero worship to a history of the common person from realistic to conceptual art is represented in the Statehouse public art collection. It traces our development as a state and nation and our growing appreciation and understanding of democratic principles upon which our state was founded.

We hope that you explore the collection of monuments and statues on the grounds of the Ohio Statehouse and learn about the significance that these works of art pay tribute to.