This week, I had the honor of giving a keynote address at the Ohio Supreme Court’s conference on my book, Rage and the Republic, and our founding principles. I must confess to some embarrassment at being unaware of the history and beauty of the Ohio Supreme Court. I was instantly overwhelmed by the building and eagerly accepted Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy’s offer of a tour.
This is a court with a deep and inspiring history. It was founded in 1803 and has the distinction of putting the first woman (Florence Allen) on its highest court in 1923. Chief Justice Kennedy holds the distinction of being the first female Chief Justice of Ohio. She is also a former police officer.
It is also the court that produced John McLean, who went on to serve over 30 years on the U.S. Supreme Court (March 12, 1829 – April 4, 1861). A fierce opponent to slavery, McLean was one of two dissenters to the Dred Scott decision.
First built in 1930 and designed by Harry Hake, it is a tour de force of Art Deco. Windows look over the Scioto River.
The first thing that you learn upon entering the court is the intense pride and love for this building from the staff to the jurists. Chief Justice Kennedy and all of the staff have their favorite rooms and elements. Marshal Rod Tyler and Deputy Marshal Mike West not only helped supply security but also offered their own stories about the building and its history.
The building itself goes back to the 1930s. However, shortly after construction, it sustained extensive damage from a natural gas explosion that destroyed much of the interior. The explosion blew off the ornate bronze doors (sculpted by Alvin Meyer) and killed 11 people. Doug Stein, the Civic Education Manager, was kind enough to send me this image of the damage to one of the gorgeous mosaics. Here is the image from the explosion and the image of the current mosaic.
The main courtroom is stunning with its hand-carved wood trim, marble support, and painted ceiling.
The building houses five stories of library with a massive reading room.
There are small hearing rooms with lovely artistic elements showing industry, Native American heritage, and our founding. Even the elevators are magnificent period pieces.
I have long admired great courthouses. However, few could rival the Ohio Supreme Court. It is not ordinarily a stop for tourists, but I could not recommend it more highly. You will find a stupendous structure filled with staff who cherish its history and beauty. Give it a visit on your next trip to Columbus. You can schedule a tour at CourtTours@sc.ohio.gov. You will not regret it.
Are those Thomas Hart Benton paintings? They are certainly in his style, promoting the honor and value of work produced by the everyday man. Thank you for the look at the sights.
This is how civilization looks.
No it does not. Maybe if you’re a hillbilly, that is.
Thanks you for the inside look and tour. I agree with your compliments on the building architecture and design elements, but the design appears more ‘Art Nouveau’ to me, not ‘Art Deco’…….
Wow! Superb Art Deco.
Wish that the pics were all full size…
https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/docs/Publications/MJC.pdf
thank you for posting that.
Beautiful, and congratulations, Professor.
…A very Special Consideration of Art and Beauty with a touch of Elegance…not something to be expected of a Court House…usually they are massive monuments to Justice and Conformity…after graduating from High School in 1963 in Ohio I moved to Arizona which at that time was more primitive and full of opportunities to explore…I have completed my life cycle pretty much (81 yrs) but will hope to see and experience Ohio soon before fading away…will try to see this magnificent building before departure…
A lot of supreme courts have a syllabus at the beginning of decisions that summarizes the decision. It is informative but legally meaningless. Except, for the Ohio Supreme Court. The syllabus at the beginning of an Ohio Supreme Court decision is the holding in the case. The rest is dicta, informative but legally meaningless.
I can’t wait to hear X’s explanation of why the exposures and composition of the photographs are all wrong. C’mon X, don’t let us down!
That is an incredible montage of photos. I live in the Midwest and never heard anything about this courthouse. Absolutely beautiful. I travel to Columbus periodically, to see my sisters. Maybe I can wrangle a visit over there and we all visit the court. Seems well worth the effort. Makes me think of the Long Room at Trinity College. Although the floor plan is different, the beauty is comparable.
Absolutely beautiful and certainly worthy of dedicated preservation.
Unfortunately, also likely to be a target of antifa, should they ever gain the upper hand there. May Iconodules always be successful in protecting this beautiful edifice 🙏
Great pictures. Thank you.
When I was in law school, the Supreme Court was housed in the Rhodes Office Tower (which made it easy for me to do some research on my lunch hour as I was an evening student and worked for a state agency during the day). It was nice but very modern. The Court made another good decision to move to it’s current home in 2004, formerly known as the Ohio Departments Building, which housed state administrative entities.
I attended some sort of ceremony there associated with it’s opening in 2004. The difference between the former and current home is amazing.
Breathtaking. It says a good something about us in how we value the rule of law, and the role of the thin black line of the judiciary.
Thanks for sharing the photos Jonathan! I was born in Ohio but never knew about this. – Dave
Thanks for the tour! Truly a treat for the eyes! The artistry required in the craftsmen who created those wonderful carvings and murals would be hard to match today.