Christopher Columbus Statue on Statehouse Grounds by atufft
The bronze Christopher Columbus statue located near the southwest corner of the Ohio Statehouse, is the lessor of two significant such statues in town, and was not originally commissioned for by the state. Rather, the statue was constructed by W.H. Mullins company of Salem, Ohio, for the grounds of a Catholic Seminary founded by Monsignor Joseph Jessings. In 1932, the seminary moved to larger location on the north side of the city, and the statue, made of hammered copper plates riveted together, was donated to the state. In 1992, with a great ceremony that was attended by the most important state officials and dignitaries from Genoa, Italy, and from the Catholic Church, the statue was rededicated on the current base that includes a fountain. The statue emphasizes the introspective, intellectual, and discoverer part of the Christoper Columbus persona.
