The north side and on the south side of the Ohio Statehouse are bookended by sundials.
Whereas the sundial on the north side of the Statehouse is a tribute to George Washington, the sundial on the south side is dedicated in honor of the Grand Army of the Republic. The simple inscription on the sundial is “Lest We Forget.”
Circumstances quickly gave that inscription a special poignancy. The sundial was presented by the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War on September 14, 1941 — less than three months before the bombing of Pearl Harbor hurled America headlong into World War II and required yet another generation of Americans to fight for freedom.
The sundial is anachronistic in this digital era and has turned a pleasant blue green in the decades since its dedication, but its inscription is timeless.
Public Art At The Ohio Statehouse (VII)
Public Art At The Ohio Statehouse (VI)
Public Art At The Ohio Statehouse (V)
Public Art At The Ohio Statehouse (IV)
Public Art At The Ohio Statehouse (III)
