page_title: Ohio Statehouse
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Ohio Statehouse / History
caption_attribution_description: English: From 1810 to 1812, Zanesville, Ohio was the state capitol. In 1809 this building was erected. After the capitol was moved back to Chillicothe, Ohio, this building served as the county courthouse of Muskingum County, Ohio until 1874, when the present courthouse was built.
context_page_description: The Ohio Statehouse is the state capitol building and seat of government for the U.S. state of Ohio. The Greek Revival building is located on Capitol Square in downtown Columbus. The capitol houses the Ohio General Assembly, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate. It also contains the ceremonial offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, state treasurer, and state auditor. Built between 1839 and 1861, it is one of the oldest working statehouses in the United States.
  The statehouse's prominent architecture has earned it several landmark designations, including as a National Historic Landmark. The building sees about 500,000 visitors per year.
context_section_description: Upon achieving statehood in 1803, Chillicothe was Ohio's original state capital. Due to political fighting among state leaders, the Ohio General Assembly temporarily moved the capital to Zanesville in 1810. Legislation enacted that same year provided for the selection of a new state capital "not more than 40 miles (64 km) from what may be deemed the common center of the state." In 1812, the General Assembly restored Chillicothe as the temporary state capital until the new capitol could be built.
  State leaders faced ongoing pressure to make the capital city more accessible by moving it closer to the center of the state. In response, the legislature appointed a committee to evaluate potential options for the new capital city. Four prominent Franklinton area land owners proposed a largely empty tract of land across the river from Franklinton. The land owners offered to donate two 10 acres (4.0 ha) parcels of land to the state and proposed spending up to $50,000 to build structures and make other improvements to the area.
  On February 14, 1812, the General Assembly created a new capital city on the "High Banks opposite Franklinton at the Forks of the Scioto most known as Wolf's Ridge". Approximately a week later, after intense debate, the legislature selected Columbus as the name of the new town. in the following months the new town was surveyed and laid out in rectangular grid. The layout set aside two 10 acres (4.0 ha) parcels of land, one for a statehouse, at the location of the present day Statehouse, and the other parcel would become the site of the Ohio State Penitentiary. Public sale of town lots for the new city began in June 1812. In 1816, the General Assembly met in Columbus for the first time in a brick building on the corner of High and State Streets.
caption: Second statehouse, in Zanesville
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