Ohio Governor's Mansion
Encyclopedia
The Ohio Governor's Residence and Heritage Garden is the official residence
of the Governor of Ohio. The residence was built during 1923–1925 by industrialist Malcolm D. Jeffrey and has served as the official home of the governor since 1957. The mansion is located at 358 North Parkview Avenue in Bexley
, a suburb of the state capital, Columbus
.
, was purchased after an embarrassing incident in 1916 occurred with the governor-elect James M. Cox
. Governors were expected to find their own housing and Mr. Cox was expecting to move into a house after his recent election. Unfortunately, this house was rented to the newly elected Secretary of State, William D. Fulton
. In an effort to avoid such incidents, House Bill 559 was passed to secure a residence for the governor during his tenure.
The first house was purchased in 1919 and had been built in 1905 for Charles H. Lindenberg, a local business owner and a founder of M.C. Lilley and Company. The house served as the official residence of the Ohio Governor until the late 1950s after the house became dilapidated and needed extensive repairs and renovations. When it was discovered these repairs were not covered in the budget, the state found it would be cheaper to find a new residence altogether.
The residence in Bexley, Ohio was commissioned by Malcolm Jeffrey, the son of J. A. Jeffrey, founder of Jeffrey Manufacturing Company. It was designed by Robert Gilmore Hanford, a Columbus-based architect. Ground was broken for the house in 1923 and it was completed in 1925. The Jeffreys occupied the home until Malcolm Jeffrey's widow died in 1936, when it passed to Florence Jeffrey Carlile, Malcolm Jeffrey's sister. Under Mrs. Carlile's ownership the house gained a master suite on the second floor as well as a screened porch. Upon Mrs. Carlile's death in 1954, the house was turned over to the Very Reverend Charles U. Harris, who in turn offered the residence to the state. The house has been occupied by Ohio's governors ever since, except for 1975–1983, the third and fourth terms of Governor James A. Rhodes. (He had lived in the house during his first two terms, from 1963–1971, but then acquired a Columbus residence of his own and remained there after his return to the governorship.)
Current Governor, John Kasich
, has a residence in Westerville and does not use the Governor's Mansion.
As one starts from the Carriage House and passes by the northern gates, the Geologic Walk is presented. This walk circles the entire residence and begins the tour of the geological regions of Ohio. The Allegheny Garden extends along the length of the property wall from the entry gates on Maryland Avenue to the entry gate on Parkview Avenue. This garden depicts the northeastern area of Ohio. Several trees and plants present in this garden are not from the Allegheny region but have remained due to being part of the original landscape. At the end of this garden is a 16 ton boulder carried by a glacier from Canada to Ohio during the Ice Age.
The rest of the west lawn consists of the Governor’s Grove and celebrates the residents of the home. Each governor has planted a tree in this area, such as the Honey locust
planted by C. William O'Neill
, the Higan cherry planted by John J. Gilligan
, and the six Redbuds
planted by Dick Celeste
, in honor of his six children. A Kentucky coffeetree
was given to the residence as a gift from Governor Ernie Fletcher
of Kentucky
.
Extending from the entrance to the residence is the Arrival Plaza, a starting point for anyone touring the premises, which then forms the First Lady’s Courtyard. The Heritage Fountain is a centerpiece to the courtyard. Symmetrical plantings surround the courtyard and two flagpoles flying the national
and state flag
frame the western end of the courtyard.
The Meadow Garden and the Woodland Garden frame the southern border of the property. The County Walk, a collection of stones bearing the names of each county, leads from the drive to the gardens and past the Taxus
Hedge into the Dogwood Glade. A large brick depiction of the Great Seal of Ohio sits to the south of the glade and is a gift from Licking County during the George Voinovich
administration.
Past the state seal are the Sister State Cherry Trees given to Ohio from the Saitama Prefecture
in Japan. These trees frame the First Family Patio. Standing to the south of the patio is a clone of a Tidal Basin Yoshino cherry tree in the District of Columbia. The tree was formally donated by the United States National Arboretum
.
The Water Garden sits to the north of the patio and consists of 6 pools with 2 large urns in the corners to recirculate the water. The water garden features a diverse collection of aquatic plants. The Black Swamp Garden is located to the east of the patio, and above this is a crab apple grove with the sculpture named “To Life.” This sculpture by Alfred Tibor
depicts a father with a child on his shoulders, a mother, and two children playing around them.
The Headlands Sand Dune Garden, representing the Lake Erie
shoreline, is located to the east of the apple grove, with the Oak Openings Sand Dune, representing the landscape to the west of Toledo
, framing the path on the other side. These gardens represent an area of Ohio made when glaciers deposited a yellow-brown sand from the bed of Lake Erie. When the glaciers retreated and the lake levels dropped, the sand was left and formed hills and ridges making its own unique habitat. Some notable plants in this garden are the blue sundial lupine and the prickly pear cactus. The old willow tree standing in the garden dates back to when the house was built and provides some shade to the garden.
The Alvar Rock Garden & Fen contains two somewhat circular flower beds with large bare slabs of dolomite and limestone. The larger “island” contains slabs with glacial striations and planting of hardy plants such as the Lakeside Daisy
. The smaller “island” contains a slab containing numerous fossils and is surrounded by the same plant varieties found in the larger bed.
The Appalachian Garden frames the southeastern corner of the gardens and represents the Appalachian Plateau
. The garden consists of raised beds with outcropping of rocks. These resemble the rocky “hanging gardens” in which plants creep out and hang over the edges of cliff sides and outcrops of the area. These hanging gardens feature large stones from the washed out covered bridge near Zanesville
and large Peebles dolomite from Adams County
.
The Pioneer Garden is located in the center of the eastern garden. The focal point is a cutting-grown apple tree of one of the few living trees planted by Johnny "Appleseed" Chapman. Surrounding this area are plants with major significant roles in the lives of the early pioneers of Ohio.
The Earth's Harvest Agricultural Garden is directly in front of the greenhouse. The garden was planted originally by Governor Celeste and was expanded to its current size. The many raised beds allow a great variety of plants to grow, as well as room for rows of fruit trees, berry plants, and grapevines. Hammy Birthday Ohio, a large sculpture sponsored by the Ohio Bicentennial Commission, was placed in this garden after participating in Cincinnati
's Big Pig Gig
event. http://www.governorsresidence.ohio.gov/residence/favorites.aspx The sides of the pig depict a bicentennial barn on one side and a cornfield on the other.
The Walled Garden in the far northeast corner of the property provides enough flowers for the decoration of the house, and plenty of vegetables for the daily consumption of the residence. The garden also houses several plants found only along the banks of the Ohio River, including the renowned Ammon’s Blue
.
The Greenhouse sits between the garden and the Carriage House/Gift Shop. The main charge of the Greenhouse is to nurse sick plants back to health and to start new plants for the gardens. The Gift Shop and Service Building was built to benefit the Friends of the Governor’s Residence and Heritage Garden, a non-profit organization with the responsibility of the maintenance of the property. Large solar panels grace the roof of these structures and supply the residence with electricity with the extra power being sold back to the city.
The Kettle Lake Bog rests directly to the south of the carriage house. The Kettle Lake Bog Garden is partially enclosed by curved brick walls with built in benches. In the center is a depression once used as a fishpond, but was partially filled with quartz gravel and was transformed into a bog. Cranberry
, Pitcher plant
, Peat
, Sphagnum moss
and Bog orchid
are some of the plants that fill the current garden.
The Garden of the Lost also rests in the location as the bog and illustrate the many plants that were lost to Ohio due to glacial movements and climate changes. Some of the plants in this garden are Sweetbay magnolia and Florida corkwood.
The reverse L-shaped Jeffrey-Carlile Rose Garden is located at the northern end of the East Terrace and contain several varieties of roses bred by Ohioans. There has been a rose garden located in the area ever since the building of the house. The roses planted by the Carliles died due to soil-borne illnesses and disease. Master gardeners were hired to replant and cultivate the gardens.
Across the East Lawn from the Rose Garden is the L-shaped Prairie Garden. River gravel lines the beds and represents the western half of the state. Among the plants found in the garden are Shooting stars
, Spiderwort, and Purple coneflower. The pergola runs along the southern border of this garden and has several climbing plants such as Wisteria
and Clematis
.
The front entrance is reached by a flight of stairs and sits within a two-story gabled projection. Doric pilasters are carved into the sides of the door frame and support carved rosettes located above and around the door. As the projection reaches towards the sky, machicolation adds interest to the vertical plane. The large oak door rests on massive hinges and has several carved recessed panels and serves as a transition to the inside.
The entrance hall is laid out over a polished slate
stone floor and carved oak paneling reaching up to the oak-beamed
ceiling. A staircase with a carved open strapwork
- pattern balustrade graces the hall. Two torchiere
s and chairs original to the house are located to either side of the door as well as a chest belonging to Mrs. Carlile, the last private resident of the house.
The formal dining room is located to the left of the entrance hall and has full oak paneling and plaster
ceiling decorations shaped like rosettes
. A carved stone fireplace
and mantel is recessed into the wall to the right. The fireplace has a decorative carved frieze
supporting the mantel
and is resting on Doric
pilaster
s. A bay window is the focal point of the room and has a small lip forming the base. The bay is formed by six large rectangular bottom windows with six smaller square windows on top. To the left of the room is are two sets of french doors with a rectangular window above. A large dining table rests in the middle of the room, with a gold and crystal chandelier
hanging above the table.
The sunken living room
is located to the right of the entrance hall and also has full oak paneling and plaster decorative rosettes on the ceiling. A fireplace identical to the one in the dining room sits across from the entrance hall doors. To the right is a large bay window much like the one in the dining room, which overlooks the front yard and gardens. Two large french doors frame the fireplace and lead to the sitting room beyond.
Official residence
An official residence is the residence at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside...
of the Governor of Ohio. The residence was built during 1923–1925 by industrialist Malcolm D. Jeffrey and has served as the official home of the governor since 1957. The mansion is located at 358 North Parkview Avenue in Bexley
Bexley, Ohio
Bexley is an affluent suburban city in Franklin County, Ohio. Founded as a village over a hundred years ago, the City of Bexley is an old, tree-lined suburb of Columbus, the state capital of Ohio, situated on the banks of Alum Creek next to Driving Park and Wolfe Park, just east of the Franklin...
, a suburb of the state capital, Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
.
History
The current mansion that houses the governor is the second governor’s mansion and was purchased in 1957 to house the governor and his family. The original residence, located at 1234 East Broad Street in ColumbusColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, was purchased after an embarrassing incident in 1916 occurred with the governor-elect James M. Cox
James M. Cox
James Middleton Cox was the 46th and 48th Governor of Ohio, U.S. Representative from Ohio and Democratic candidate for President of the United States in the election of 1920....
. Governors were expected to find their own housing and Mr. Cox was expecting to move into a house after his recent election. Unfortunately, this house was rented to the newly elected Secretary of State, William D. Fulton
William D. Fulton
right|250pxWilliam Duane Fulton was a Democratic politician in the U. S. State of Ohio who served in the Ohio House of Representatives and was Ohio Secretary of State 1917-1919.-Biography:...
. In an effort to avoid such incidents, House Bill 559 was passed to secure a residence for the governor during his tenure.
The first house was purchased in 1919 and had been built in 1905 for Charles H. Lindenberg, a local business owner and a founder of M.C. Lilley and Company. The house served as the official residence of the Ohio Governor until the late 1950s after the house became dilapidated and needed extensive repairs and renovations. When it was discovered these repairs were not covered in the budget, the state found it would be cheaper to find a new residence altogether.
The residence in Bexley, Ohio was commissioned by Malcolm Jeffrey, the son of J. A. Jeffrey, founder of Jeffrey Manufacturing Company. It was designed by Robert Gilmore Hanford, a Columbus-based architect. Ground was broken for the house in 1923 and it was completed in 1925. The Jeffreys occupied the home until Malcolm Jeffrey's widow died in 1936, when it passed to Florence Jeffrey Carlile, Malcolm Jeffrey's sister. Under Mrs. Carlile's ownership the house gained a master suite on the second floor as well as a screened porch. Upon Mrs. Carlile's death in 1954, the house was turned over to the Very Reverend Charles U. Harris, who in turn offered the residence to the state. The house has been occupied by Ohio's governors ever since, except for 1975–1983, the third and fourth terms of Governor James A. Rhodes. (He had lived in the house during his first two terms, from 1963–1971, but then acquired a Columbus residence of his own and remained there after his return to the governorship.)
Current Governor, John Kasich
John Kasich
John Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
, has a residence in Westerville and does not use the Governor's Mansion.
Exterior
The residence is framed by Parkview Avenue to the west, Maryland Avenue to the north, and Columbia Avenue to the east. The house is surrounded on all sides by the Heritage Garden; to the northeast is the Carriage House, Gift Shop & Guest Services, and Greenhouse. Directly in front of the main entrance is the Heritage Fountain.Heritage Garden
When the Governor’s Residence was relocated to its current location the grounds were occupied by some plants and trees. Over time several works of art, perimeter fencing and low garden walls were installed and resulted in the development of the current gardens. The Heritage Garden was developed and planted in 2001, under the guidance of First Lady Hope Taft. The purpose of the garden is to depict the diverse geological areas of Ohio. The new gardens and recent additions such as the solar panels and porous driveway have led to recognition as the grounds being the greenest governor’s residence in America.As one starts from the Carriage House and passes by the northern gates, the Geologic Walk is presented. This walk circles the entire residence and begins the tour of the geological regions of Ohio. The Allegheny Garden extends along the length of the property wall from the entry gates on Maryland Avenue to the entry gate on Parkview Avenue. This garden depicts the northeastern area of Ohio. Several trees and plants present in this garden are not from the Allegheny region but have remained due to being part of the original landscape. At the end of this garden is a 16 ton boulder carried by a glacier from Canada to Ohio during the Ice Age.
The rest of the west lawn consists of the Governor’s Grove and celebrates the residents of the home. Each governor has planted a tree in this area, such as the Honey locust
Honey locust
The Honey locust, Gleditsia triacanthos, is a deciduous tree native to central North America. It is mostly found in the moist soil of river valleys ranging from southeastern South Dakota to New Orleans and central Texas, and as far east as eastern Massachusetts.-Description:Honey locusts, Gleditsia...
planted by C. William O'Neill
C. William O'Neill
C. William O'Neill was a Republican politician from Ohio. He was born in Marietta, Ohio. He was the 59th Governor of Ohio. He graduated from both Marietta College and The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law...
, the Higan cherry planted by John J. Gilligan
John J. Gilligan
John Joyce Gilligan is a American Democratic politician from the state of Ohio who served as a U.S. Representative and the 62nd Governor of Ohio. He is the father of Kathleen Sebelius...
, and the six Redbuds
Cercis
Cercis , is a genus of about 10 species in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to warm-temperate regions. It contains small deciduous trees or large shrubs commonly known as Redbuds...
planted by Dick Celeste
Dick Celeste
Richard Frank "Dick" Celeste is an American politician from Ohio, and a member of the Democratic Party. He served as the 64th Governor of Ohio from 1983-1991.-Early life and career:...
, in honor of his six children. A Kentucky coffeetree
Kentucky coffeetree
The Kentucky Coffeetree, Gymnocladus dioicus, is a tree in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to the midwest of North America.-Introduction:...
was given to the residence as a gift from Governor Ernie Fletcher
Ernie Fletcher
Ernest Lee "Ernie" Fletcher is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. In 1999, he was elected to the first of three consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives; he resigned in 2003 after being elected the 60th governor of Kentucky and served in that office...
of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
.
Extending from the entrance to the residence is the Arrival Plaza, a starting point for anyone touring the premises, which then forms the First Lady’s Courtyard. The Heritage Fountain is a centerpiece to the courtyard. Symmetrical plantings surround the courtyard and two flagpoles flying the national
Flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
and state flag
Flag of Ohio
The flag of the state of Ohio was adopted in 1902 and designed by John Eisemann, for the 1901 Pan-American Exposition.-Design:The large blue triangle represents Ohio's hills and valleys, and the stripes represent roads and waterways...
frame the western end of the courtyard.
The Meadow Garden and the Woodland Garden frame the southern border of the property. The County Walk, a collection of stones bearing the names of each county, leads from the drive to the gardens and past the Taxus
Taxus
Taxus is a genus of yews, small coniferous trees or shrubs in the yew family Taxaceae. They are relatively slow-growing and can be very long-lived, and reach heights of 1-40 m, with trunk diameters of up to 4 m...
Hedge into the Dogwood Glade. A large brick depiction of the Great Seal of Ohio sits to the south of the glade and is a gift from Licking County during the George Voinovich
George Voinovich
George Victor Voinovich is a former United States Senator from the state of Ohio, and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served as the 65th Governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1998, and as the 54th mayor of Cleveland from 1980 to 1989.-Personal life:Born in Cleveland, Ohio, his father was...
administration.
Past the state seal are the Sister State Cherry Trees given to Ohio from the Saitama Prefecture
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
in Japan. These trees frame the First Family Patio. Standing to the south of the patio is a clone of a Tidal Basin Yoshino cherry tree in the District of Columbia. The tree was formally donated by the United States National Arboretum
United States National Arboretum
The United States National Arboretum is an arboretum in Washington, D.C., operated by the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service as a division of the Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center...
.
The Water Garden sits to the north of the patio and consists of 6 pools with 2 large urns in the corners to recirculate the water. The water garden features a diverse collection of aquatic plants. The Black Swamp Garden is located to the east of the patio, and above this is a crab apple grove with the sculpture named “To Life.” This sculpture by Alfred Tibor
Alfred Tibor
Alfred Tibor is a Holocaust survivor and sculptor. His artwork can be found in nearly 500 private collections and museums throughout the world, including the Yad Vashem memorial in Jerusalem.- Tibor's life :...
depicts a father with a child on his shoulders, a mother, and two children playing around them.
The Headlands Sand Dune Garden, representing the Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
shoreline, is located to the east of the apple grove, with the Oak Openings Sand Dune, representing the landscape to the west of Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, framing the path on the other side. These gardens represent an area of Ohio made when glaciers deposited a yellow-brown sand from the bed of Lake Erie. When the glaciers retreated and the lake levels dropped, the sand was left and formed hills and ridges making its own unique habitat. Some notable plants in this garden are the blue sundial lupine and the prickly pear cactus. The old willow tree standing in the garden dates back to when the house was built and provides some shade to the garden.
The Alvar Rock Garden & Fen contains two somewhat circular flower beds with large bare slabs of dolomite and limestone. The larger “island” contains slabs with glacial striations and planting of hardy plants such as the Lakeside Daisy
Hymenoxys
Hymenoxys is a genus of the botanical family Asteraceae. Plants of this genus are toxic to sheep due to the presence of the sesquiterpene lactone hymenoxon...
. The smaller “island” contains a slab containing numerous fossils and is surrounded by the same plant varieties found in the larger bed.
The Appalachian Garden frames the southeastern corner of the gardens and represents the Appalachian Plateau
Appalachian Plateau
The Appalachian Plateau is the western part of the Appalachian mountains, stretching from New York and Alabama. The plateau is a second level United States physiographic region....
. The garden consists of raised beds with outcropping of rocks. These resemble the rocky “hanging gardens” in which plants creep out and hang over the edges of cliff sides and outcrops of the area. These hanging gardens feature large stones from the washed out covered bridge near Zanesville
Zanesville, Ohio
Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,586 at the 2000 census.Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road through present-day Ohio...
and large Peebles dolomite from Adams County
Adams County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,330 people, 10,501 households, and 7,613 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 11,822 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
.
The Pioneer Garden is located in the center of the eastern garden. The focal point is a cutting-grown apple tree of one of the few living trees planted by Johnny "Appleseed" Chapman. Surrounding this area are plants with major significant roles in the lives of the early pioneers of Ohio.
The Earth's Harvest Agricultural Garden is directly in front of the greenhouse. The garden was planted originally by Governor Celeste and was expanded to its current size. The many raised beds allow a great variety of plants to grow, as well as room for rows of fruit trees, berry plants, and grapevines. Hammy Birthday Ohio, a large sculpture sponsored by the Ohio Bicentennial Commission, was placed in this garden after participating in Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
's Big Pig Gig
Big Pig Gig
The Big Pig Gig was a public art exhibit displayed in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, from May 14 to October 31, 2000. In the large-scale event, local artists and schools decorated fiberglass pig statues and installed them throughout the downtown area....
event. http://www.governorsresidence.ohio.gov/residence/favorites.aspx The sides of the pig depict a bicentennial barn on one side and a cornfield on the other.
The Walled Garden in the far northeast corner of the property provides enough flowers for the decoration of the house, and plenty of vegetables for the daily consumption of the residence. The garden also houses several plants found only along the banks of the Ohio River, including the renowned Ammon’s Blue
Passiflora incarnata
Passiflora incarnata, commonly known as maypop, purple passionflower, true passionflower, wild apricot, and wild passion vine, is a fast growing perennial vine with climbing or trailing stems. A member of the passionflower genus Passiflora, the maypop has large, intricate flowers with prominent...
.
The Greenhouse sits between the garden and the Carriage House/Gift Shop. The main charge of the Greenhouse is to nurse sick plants back to health and to start new plants for the gardens. The Gift Shop and Service Building was built to benefit the Friends of the Governor’s Residence and Heritage Garden, a non-profit organization with the responsibility of the maintenance of the property. Large solar panels grace the roof of these structures and supply the residence with electricity with the extra power being sold back to the city.
The Kettle Lake Bog rests directly to the south of the carriage house. The Kettle Lake Bog Garden is partially enclosed by curved brick walls with built in benches. In the center is a depression once used as a fishpond, but was partially filled with quartz gravel and was transformed into a bog. Cranberry
Cranberry
Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus Oxycoccus of the genus Vaccinium. In some methods of classification, Oxycoccus is regarded as a genus in its own right...
, Pitcher plant
Pitcher plant
Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. It has been widely assumed that the various sorts of pitfall trap evolved from rolled leaves, with selection pressure favouring more deeply cupped leaves over...
, Peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
, Sphagnum moss
Sphagnum
Sphagnum is a genus of between 151 and 350 species of mosses commonly called peat moss, due to its prevalence in peat bogs and mires. A distinction is made between sphagnum moss, the live moss growing on top of a peat bog on one hand, and sphagnum peat moss or sphagnum peat on the other, the...
and Bog orchid
Habenaria
Habenaria, commonly called bog orchids, are a far ranging genus of orchid, one of approximately 800 described Orchidaceae genera within that large and diverse family. There are species in both tropical and temperate zones.-Description:...
are some of the plants that fill the current garden.
The Garden of the Lost also rests in the location as the bog and illustrate the many plants that were lost to Ohio due to glacial movements and climate changes. Some of the plants in this garden are Sweetbay magnolia and Florida corkwood.
Leitneria
Leitneria floridana , the sole species in the genus Leitneria, is a deciduous dioecious shrub or small tree, found only in the southeastern United States states of Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri and Texas....
The reverse L-shaped Jeffrey-Carlile Rose Garden is located at the northern end of the East Terrace and contain several varieties of roses bred by Ohioans. There has been a rose garden located in the area ever since the building of the house. The roses planted by the Carliles died due to soil-borne illnesses and disease. Master gardeners were hired to replant and cultivate the gardens.
Across the East Lawn from the Rose Garden is the L-shaped Prairie Garden. River gravel lines the beds and represents the western half of the state. Among the plants found in the garden are Shooting stars
Dodecatheon
Dodecatheon is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the Primrose family Primulaceae. The species have basal clumps of leaves and nodding flowers that are produced at the top of tall stems that rise from where the leaves join the crown. They are commonly called Shooting Stars because of the...
, Spiderwort, and Purple coneflower. The pergola runs along the southern border of this garden and has several climbing plants such as Wisteria
Wisteria
Wisteria is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae, that includes ten species of woody climbing vines native to the eastern United States and to China, Korea, and Japan. Aquarists refer to the species Hygrophila difformis, in the family Acanthaceae, as Water Wisteria...
and Clematis
Clematis
Clematis is a genus of about 300 species within the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Their garden hybrids have been popular among gardeners beginning with Clematis × jackmanii, a garden standby since 1862; more hybrid cultivars are being produced constantly. They are mainly of Chinese and Japanese...
.
Residence
The residence is of the Jacobean Revival style, with a few modern elements blending into the original scheme. The walls consist of a combination of stucco and limestone with Bedford stone quoins on the corners, capping of the gables, and framing the windows and doorframes. The stone exterior are broken up by portions of half-timbered panels on the second floor. The gable roof is of sturdy pitched slate with several large brick chimneys protruding from the house. The second floor also contains several bay windows.The front entrance is reached by a flight of stairs and sits within a two-story gabled projection. Doric pilasters are carved into the sides of the door frame and support carved rosettes located above and around the door. As the projection reaches towards the sky, machicolation adds interest to the vertical plane. The large oak door rests on massive hinges and has several carved recessed panels and serves as a transition to the inside.
Interior
The first floor of the residence serves as public rooms and reception areas. These rooms feature works of notable Ohioans or are historic to the house collections. The second floor houses the private quarters of the governor and his family and represents the preferences of the governor.The entrance hall is laid out over a polished slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
stone floor and carved oak paneling reaching up to the oak-beamed
Beam (structure)
A beam is a horizontal structural element that is capable of withstanding load primarily by resisting bending. The bending force induced into the material of the beam as a result of the external loads, own weight, span and external reactions to these loads is called a bending moment.- Overview...
ceiling. A staircase with a carved open strapwork
Strapwork
In the history of art and design, the term strapwork refers to a stylised representation in ornament of strips or bands of curling leather, parchment or metal cut into elaborate shapes, with piercings and often interwoven...
- pattern balustrade graces the hall. Two torchiere
Torchiere
A torchiere , or torch lamp, is a lamp with a tall stand of wood or metal. Originally, torchieres were candelabra, usually with two or three lights...
s and chairs original to the house are located to either side of the door as well as a chest belonging to Mrs. Carlile, the last private resident of the house.
The formal dining room is located to the left of the entrance hall and has full oak paneling and plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
ceiling decorations shaped like rosettes
Rosette (design)
A rosette is a round, stylized flower design, used extensively in sculptural objects from antiquity. Appearing in Mesopotamia and used to decorate the funeral stele in Ancient Greece...
. A carved stone fireplace
Fireplace
A fireplace is an architectural structure to contain a fire for heating and, especially historically, for cooking. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; a chimney or other flue allows gas and particulate exhaust to escape...
and mantel is recessed into the wall to the right. The fireplace has a decorative carved frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
supporting the mantel
Mantel
Mantel is a municipality in the district of Neustadt in Bavaria in Germany....
and is resting on Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s. A bay window is the focal point of the room and has a small lip forming the base. The bay is formed by six large rectangular bottom windows with six smaller square windows on top. To the left of the room is are two sets of french doors with a rectangular window above. A large dining table rests in the middle of the room, with a gold and crystal chandelier
Chandelier
A chandelier is a branched decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture with two or more arms bearing lights. Chandeliers are often ornate, containing dozens of lamps and complex arrays of glass or crystal prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light...
hanging above the table.
The sunken living room
Living room
A living room, also known as sitting room, lounge room or lounge , is a room for entertaining adult guests, reading, or other activities...
is located to the right of the entrance hall and also has full oak paneling and plaster decorative rosettes on the ceiling. A fireplace identical to the one in the dining room sits across from the entrance hall doors. To the right is a large bay window much like the one in the dining room, which overlooks the front yard and gardens. Two large french doors frame the fireplace and lead to the sitting room beyond.