Statehouse in Chillicothe, Ohio   Save
Ohio Guide Photographs
Description: This is a photographic reproduction of an illustration depicting the Ross County courthouse, which became Ohio's first statehouse in 1803. The building was torn down in 1852. Chillicothe was named the capital of the Northwest Territory in 1800 and became the first capital of the State of Ohio in 1803. The presence of influential men such as Thomas Worthington, the "father of Ohio statehood" and Edward Tiffin, Ohio's first governor, near Chillicothe made the city a convenient place to locate the capital. Zanesville served as the capital city from 1810 to 1812. In 1812, the capital was again moved to Chillicothe, where it remained until 1816. The Statehouse in Zanesville held the Ohio legislature from 1810-1812. The building in Zanesville closely resembled the capitol building at Chillicothe, but was built in the Federal style. In 1812 the capital was temporarily moved back to Chillicothe where it remained until December 1816. The capital returned to Chillicothe from 1812-1816 before finally being located at its permanent site of Columbus, which was considered a more central location. The main office of the Chillicothe Gazette now occupies a replica of this building on the site of the original. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: SA1039AV_B02F02_016
Subjects: Chillicothe (Ross County, Ohio)--History
Places: Chillicothe (Ohio); Ross County (Ohio)