They call it the People’s House but most Ohioans seem not to know they can tour the Ohio Statehouse for free. Some kids get to visit on school field trips but I was never so lucky.

Since I have visited other statehouses, it seemed appropriate to tour my own.

Ohio became a state on March 1, 1803 but Columbus didn’t became the State Capital until 1817. Before that, the Capital was located in Chillicothe and then Zanesville and then Chillicothe again before being permanently established in Columbus where it would be central to all Ohioans.

It was surprising to learn that we came very close to losing this building in the late eighties thanks to overcrowding, decades of neglect and absolutely no ADA access. It’s a shame to think that razing this nice old building was an actual option. Luckily, someone saw value in the history and they finished a museum quality restoration of the statehouse in 1996.

The cornerstone for this building was laid in 1839 but it wasn’t opened to the public until 1857. The building was constructed using a workforce of prison laborers from the Ohio Penitentiary.

These skilled laborers had experience building the nearby Ohio Lunatic Asylum. In the museum, you’ll find a display containing tools used in the construction, a photo of some of the inmates and a ball and chain that was worn by one of those prisoners while he worked.

Can you imagine doing manual labor like that with a ball and chain in tow? One guy on my tour was shocked to see this particular artifact, exclaiming “I didn’t think that was a real thing!”

There’s so many noteworthy to tell you about this place. Look closely and you’ll notice fossils in the stone from a local quarry. In fact, college classes come to study the fossils throughout the building.

It was wired for electricity in 1892 but prior to that, natural light was vital. That’s why the building was designed with four light courts. These areas had slate floors and no roofs, allowing plenty of natural light and fresh air into interior offices through windows that opened into the light courts.

After the advent of electricity, these light courts were all enclosed to pack in a bunch of small offices that our tour guide suggested were cramped and a poorly planned fire hazard. During the renovation, these offices were removed and one of the light courts was transformed to accommodate an elevator.

The Rotunda is the centerpiece of this building and a glass dome allows sunlight to shine down on the place where President Lincoln’s body lay in state during the trip from Washington D.C. to Springfield, Illinois.

Look closely at the skylight and you’ll notice something in the center. You would need binoculars to tell what it is but it’s an 1847 version of Ohio’s seal. This area features some gorgeous, ginormous paintings including William H. Powell’s Perry’s Victory.

Our tour guide told us the Statehouse is a popular wedding venue and that they are currently booked 30 months out for weddings. Event planners, florists and caterers were all abuzz preparing for a wedding that was taking place in the rotunda that evening. In fact, they had booked the entire building with the ceremony, bar and dining all happening in different areas.

The event planner in my little nerd heart was impressed with their decor choices and overwhelmed with the cost of it all. It was magnificent.

Anyway, the building is filled with symbolism and themes like flowers and circles. There are lots of stairs too and they are said to symbolize power, control and authority. Climbing them takes you to higher levels and reminds you there is no elevator to success.

This tour takes you behind the locked doors of the Senate Chambers where you’ll find elaborate decor, stained glass, chandeliers and lamps. The floral carpet is a reproduction of the 1856 original. If the Senate is in session, you’re welcome to sit in on their discussions and votes.

If you go, it takes just an hour for the guided tour and then you’re welcome to explore independently.

There is a nice museum that you’ll want to explore. It covers Ohio history and voting rights in Ohio through the centuries. You do have to go through security to get in the building. There’s an underground parking garage with reasonable rates but the tour is free.