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Caroline Van Deusen
Ohio State Liaison
1799 W. 5th Ave #220
Columbus, OH 43212
(469) 533-8824 (F)
https://www.cetconnect.org/lincolnlegacy/
www.ohiostatehouse.org
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In August 2005, Caroline Van Deusen was appointed Ohio state liaison to the ALBC governor's council honoring the legacy of America's greatest president – Abraham Lincoln. Since her appointment she has been working with area and statewide institutions planning current and future Ohio events and programs such as "Lincoln Legacy—A Cincinnati Celebration of Freedom" which has received endorsement by the ALBC. Other planning partners are Ohio Historical Center, Ohio Statehouse as well is the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board. In 2006 and 2007 she attended the national ALBC state liaisons meetings in Washington, D.C and most recently, participated in Kentucky's kick off events in April 2008.
Caroline Van Deusen's role as state liaison blends her diverse business background with her personal passion - historical research. Originally from Simsbury, Connecticut, Caroline earned an associate's degree from Dean College and bachelor's degree from S.C.S.U. After college, she worked for the State of Connecticut and then moved to Washington, D.C. where she worked in marketing for the commercial real estate industry. Since 1999, Caroline has worked with automobile manufacturers and automobile dealer groups providing professional services associated to software and online automotive retail sales.
Caroline Van Deusen's ancestors had a close friendship with Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln. Her great grandfather was editor of the National Intelligencer, and was known to have advised President Lincoln and was also respected by John Wilkes Booth, as noted in Booth's diary. Her great-great grandmother was the loyal friend of Mary Todd Lincoln who aided and comforted the First Lady throughout the night long vigil at the Peterson House. Caroline is in the process of transcribing and compiling her family's collection of Lincoln related documents and memorabilia associated with their Lincoln friendship and their years in Washington. www.lincolnfriends.org
She lives in Columbus, Ohio with her husband who is an architect for OSU. They have three children ages 8, 15, and 17, who of course, all love Lincoln along with OSU Buckeye football.
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ABOUT THE BICENNTENNIAL OF LINCOLN’S BIRTH
The Ohio Statehouse has joined the national movement to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln which occurred on February 12, 1809. The Ohio Statehouse will host a variety of special events, re-enactments and exhibits throughout 2009.
Two centuries after Lincoln's birth, the Ohio Statehouse continues to educate its visitors on the three historic visits by this great leader. The Ohio Statehouse Bicentennial commemoration of Lincoln’s life and legacy will be a bright beacon in carrying on the legacy of our nation’s 16th president.
STATEHOUSE BICENTENNIAL EVENTS
Through educational programs, public forums, arts projects and special events, the Ohio Statehouse Lincoln Bicentennial will provide an opportunity for all Ohioans to learn about our nation's 16th President and the struggles he endured to hold the nation together.
Detailed information about each of the special events is available at www.ohiostatehouse.org.
February 12, 2009
Bicentennial Celebration of the 200th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Birth
Rededication of the Lincoln-Vicksburg Monument; Unveiling of Lincoln Photo Display in Rotunda and Special Historical Presentations
Public Ceremony and Celebration at 10 a.m.
Presentations at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Ohio Statehouse Rotunda and Atrium, Free!
The Ohio Statehouse will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln with a birthday celebration, complete with cake; a rededication ceremony of the Lincoln-Vicksburg Monument; the unveiling of photo exhibit; special presentations and Statehouse Museum Shop sale. This day of special events will provide an opportunity for all Ohioans to learn about our nation's 16th President and his connection to Ohio Statehouse history.
A special presentation highlighting the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln will take place in the Statehouse Atrium at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to bring their brown bag lunch or purchase their lunch in the Capitol Cafe for the noon presentation. Lincoln historian, Gary Kersey, will provide an educational presentation utilizing historical photographs, stories, artifacts and educational materials. Each presentation is 45 minutes in length.
Detailed information about each of the special events is available at www.ohiostatehouse.org.
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April 24 and 25, 2009; 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Civil War Encampment - Special Presentations on Friday by Abraham Lincoln Re-enactor
Special Friday presentations by Lincoln Re-enactor, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
West Plaza (High Street Lawn), Free!
Learn what camp life was like during the Civil War and meet our nation’s 16th President. Walk among soldier's tents, see how to fire the cannon every hour and help the Ladies Aid Society deliver comfort to the troops. Fun for the whole family!
Detailed information about each of the special events is available at www.ohiostatehouse.org.
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April 29, 2009 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
The Repose of President Lincoln - Replica Lincoln's Casket on View
Ohio Statehouse Rotunda, Free!
The 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery A, Civil War re-enactors will provide an honor guard from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the site where the slain President lay in state in the Ohio Statehouse Rotunda on April 29, 1865.
Detailed information about each of the special events is available at www.ohiostatehouse.org.
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June 10, 2009; 10 a.m.
Ohio Statehouse Museum Grand Opening
Ohio Statehouse Crypt, Free!
The new 15,000 square foot Ohio Statehouse Museum will open to the public. Be among the first to experience the new exhibits on the ground floor of the Capitol building.
The new exhibits at the Ohio Statehouse will shine a light on the history of the great edifice, its symbolic meaning and its vital historic and ongoing connections to the daily lives of Ohioans. The new exhibits will welcome visitors and invite them to participate in its on-going legacy. New wayfinding and interpretive elements will help visitors individually and in groups to more easily navigate the Statehouse and find access to its many stories.
Detailed information about each of the special events is available at www.ohiostatehouse.org.
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July 22, 2009; 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Abraham Lincoln on Screen Public Program
Ohio Statehouse Atrium, Free!
President Lincoln is the most frequently portrayed American historical figure in history of the film and television arts, having been featured in more than 300 productions since the birth of the motion picture medium. Lincoln historian, author and film producer, Mark Reinhart, will present a public program on the subject of Lincoln-related film and television. The presentation will be presented at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Statehouse Atrium. Free and open to the public.
Detailed information about each of the special events is available at www.ohiostatehouse.org.
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September 16, 2009; 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Abraham Lincoln Re-enactor Presents Program and Commemorates Lincoln’s First Visit to the Statehouse on September 16, 1859
Ohio Statehouse Atrium, Free!
Explore Ohio’s connection with Abraham Lincoln with a visit with President Lincoln on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 in the Statehouse Atrium. Our nation’s 16th President will provide an hour presentation at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Free and open to the public.
Abraham Lincoln presenter, Pete Raymond from Wooster, Ohio, will commemorate Lincoln’s first visit to the Ohio Statehouse on September 16, 1859. Raymond will tell the story of Lincoln’s life from birth to assassination in character as the 16th president. After his presentation, the program will conclude with a question and answer session.
Detailed information about each of the special events is available at www.ohiostatehouse.org.
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Lincoln’s Connection to Ohio
Because of the state's political stature, the Ohio Statehouse has been visited by a number of dignitaries, including Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln visited the Ohio Statehouse three times. In 1859, he spoke to a small crowd on the east terrace; in 1861, he spoke to a joint session of the Ohio Legislature in the House Chamber; and finally, on April 29, 1865, President Lincoln lay in state in the Rotunda for six and a half hours. As his casket was being transported from Washington, D.C., to its final resting place in Illinois, more than 50,000 people came to Columbus to pass by the fallen President’s body. This continues to be the highest attended event at the Ohio Capitol to date. It is important to note that all of central Ohio only had a population of 31,000 residents at the time of Lincoln’s assassination.
Lincoln's First Ohio Statehouse Visit
In 1859, he spoke to a small crowd on the east terrace of the Statehouse. Only about 50 people came to hear him speak, though he went on for more than two hours on the subject that would grip the entire nation: the slavery question and the preservation of the Union. Such a small crowd seems unusual, but it is important to recall that Lincoln at this time was not well known and had not become "Lincoln the Legend," the historical icon that we are aware of today. Clean shaven, and not yet wearing the mourning black that he would take up as President, the Abraham Lincoln who visited Columbus in 1859 was just becoming more well known outside of his home state of Illinois.
Lincoln's Second Ohio Statehouse Visit
Lincoln was making his way to Washington, DC to be sworn in as President when he stopped in Columbus in the spring of 1861. While at the Statehouse, Lincoln visited with the Governor William Dennison and then spoke to a joint session of the Ohio Legislature in the House Chamber. During his conversation with Governor Dennison, Lincoln received a telegram informing him that the election results had been duly certified and he was indeed President-Elect. In contrast to the small crowd that had greeted him two years earlier, a newspaper account stated that the welcoming crowd around the Statehouse was "packed together like pickles in a jar" and that the uniformed members of the honor guard had to open a path into the Capitol building.
Lincoln's Third Ohio Statehouse Visit
Less than four years later an even larger crowd would witness the arrival of Lincoln to the Statehouse, but the jubilant welcome given the President-Elect would be replaced by grim sadness as Ohio joined the rest of the nation in mourning a fallen leader. On April 29, 1865, President Lincoln, the first President to be assassinated, lay in state in the Rotunda for six and a half hours. As his casket was being transported from Washington, D.C. to its final resting place in Illinois, more than 50,000 people came to Columbus to pay their respects to the President, walking past his open casket. This is the busiest day at the Ohio Capitol to date, especially considering that central Ohio only had a population of 31,000 residents at the time.
Each year on April 29 (held on the Friday before if April 29 falls over a weekend), the Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center and 1st Ohio Light Artillery Battery A provides an honor guard from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Rotunda. This is the site where the slain President lay in state in the Ohio Statehouse April 29, 1865. Changing of the guard occurs every 20 minutes.
ABOUT THE OHIO STATEHOUSE
The Ohio Statehouse was completed in 1861 at the beginning of America’s Civil War. The Statehouse is considered to be one of the most significant architectural accomplishments of the early republic. Its Greek Revival Doric architectural details and proportions give the impression of permanence, elegance and grandeur deserved by the original State Legislature who passed a law on January 26, 1838 to build the new Statehouse. Restored to its 1861 appearance, the Ohio Statehouse maintains its historic character as it continues to function as the center of state government in Ohio.
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. Free guided tours are offered Monday through Friday on the hour from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from noon until 3 p.m. Tours depart from the Third Street Information Desk. 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.
