AV 70 Shook Construction Collection

              AV 70
Shook Construction Collection
1
OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Manuscripts/ Audiovisual Collections
AV 70
Shook Construction Collection
1994 - 1996
OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION
Number:
AV 70
Title:
Shook Construction Collection
Creator:
Shook National Corporation
Dates:
1994 - 1996
Media:
Color photographs and 35mm negatives
Quantity:
5 cubic feet
Location:
Ohio Historical Center
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE COLLECTION
The Ohio Statehouse complex represents one of America's finest examples of Greek Revival in public architecture, and is one of the oldest working statehouses in the United States.
In 1834 Governor Robert Lucas urged for the construction of a new Statehouse. In 1838 the General Assembly passed an act to create a three- member commission to conduct a contest to find the best design for the new Statehouse. The Greek Revival design of Henry Walter of Cincinnati won first prize, second went to Martin E. Thompson and third went to landscape artist Thomas Cole. The current Statehouse most closely resembles Cole’s design. Four Ohio citizens donated the ten- acre piece of land that was known as Public Square ( now Capitol Square), where the new capitol was to be located. On July 4, 1839, the cornerstone was laid. In 1840 construction stopped when the legislature repealed the Statehouse Law and ordered the foundation be covered with earth. Construction resumed in 1846. The original Columbus Statehouse of 1814 burnt to the ground on February 1, 1852, helping to facilitate the continuing work on the new Statehouse. Although it was not complete, the General Assembly occupied it on January 5, 1857. It was finally completed in 1861.
Changes were made to Walter’s original plans. The dome that was originally included in the design was replaced by a conical roof cupola. Upon its completion, the Statehouse was 504 feet north to south, 184 feet east to west and 158 feet from ground to dome. Its north façade faces East Broad Street, south faces East State Street, east faces Third Street and the west façade faces South High Street. Prisoner labor was responsible for much of the work done on the Statehouse. Many of the prisoners were already trained as stone cutters because they had just finished work on the Ohio Penitentiary.