STATEHOUSE NEWS

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The Ohio Statehouse will celebrate Earth Day by offering a FREE fossil tour on Capitol Square. The special tour will take place Friday, April 19 from noon until 1 p.m. The tour will depart from the Map Room, located on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse. Participants will explore the building stones that make up the Ohio Statehouse and Senate Office Building. The tour will be conducted by Dale M. Gnidovic, Curator of the OSU Orton Geological Museum, and Mike Angle, Assistant Division Chief at ODNR Division of Geological Survey. While the event is free, participants are asked to RSVP to Luke Stedke at lstedke@csrab.state.oh.us or 614/728-2130.

The Ohio Statehouse is constructed of Columbus Limestone. Columbus Limestone is of the Middle Devonian age and was named for the city where it has long been quarried. A large vein of Columbus Limestone formed in a north-south line, from the Glacial Grooves of Kelleys Island in Lake Erie, south to Columbus, Ohio. Four hundred million years ago the limestone was the sandy bottom of a tropical ocean that covered the state. Fossils of marine animals are abundant in Columbus Limestone and can be seen throughout the Capitol Square complex.

To view this press release and others, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is more than a monument to our past; it's where history happens! The Ohio Statehouse is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed holidays. The Ohio Statehouse Museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends from noon to 4 p.m.; closed holidays. Admission is free. Free guided tours are offered weekdays on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and weekends from noon to 3 p.m. Tours depart from the Map Room easily accessible from the Third Street entrance. Groups of 10 or more are requested to call in advance to ensure a guide is available. Contact 888/OHIO-123 for more information or to schedule a group tour. For more information about the Ohio Statehouse visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is handicapped accessible and senior friendly. The Capitol Square complex was restored to allow for greater access by individuals living with disabilities. Ohio Statehouse public programs and events are held in accessible and barrier free areas of the building so that everyone can participate. Ohio Statehouse visitors needing disability-related accommodations in order to fully participate in an event may contact the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board at statehouse@csrab.state.oh.us or 614/752-9777 to communicate special needs. Please allow three weeks for arrangements to be completed.

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) is responsible for maintaining the historic character of the Statehouse and Capitol Square while providing for the health, safety and convenience of those who work in or visit the complex. The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center coordinates tours of Capitol Square and provides information about the buildings, their history and Ohio's government.

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