Ground Floor Native American Plaques

The Ground Floor pays tribute to Ohio’s American Indian history. The mosaic ceilings, carved elevator doors, ornate window grills, and bow-and-arrow light fixtures were inspired by American Indian design and complement much of the Art Deco works found elsewhere in the building. Art Deco, one of the most popular decorative styles of the 20th century, was inspired in part by the geometric patterns found in American Indian art. Four bronze plaques portray tribal leaders often associated with Ohio: Pontiac, Tecumseh, Logan, and Little Turtle.

1. Pontiac (c. 1714 - April 20, 1769) Pontiac became a war leader of the Ottawa Indians as early as 1747 and his reputation rests on the role he played in the Indian War of 1763. He was neither the originator nor the strategist of the rebellion, but he encouraged it by daring to act. His early successes, ambition, and determination won him temporary notoriety not enjoyed by other American Indian leaders. He formally surrendered to the British in 1766 and lived out his life with his family on the banks of the Maumee River.

2. Tecumseh (c. 1768 - Oct. 5, 1813) Tecumseh’s oratorical skills, charismatic leadership, courage, and passion made his plans for tribal unity credible to large numbers of American Indians. He toured the South, the Upper Mississippi and the Illinois Rivers, seeking unity with the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Missouri, Delaware and Shawnee, Osage, Sac, Fox, Sante Sioux, Potawatomi, and Kickapoo Indians. During the War of 1812, Tecumseh proved himself a versatile and aggressive military leader. He died during the Battle of the Thames while fighting for the British.

3. Logan (c. 1725 - 1780) Logan was born in Pennsylvania and moved to Ohio c. 1770 with the Shawnee woman he married. Though a Mingo war chief, he was against attacking whites until a group of Virginia homesteaders murdered 13 Mingos — Logan’s mother and sister among them. Logan set out on a series of raids to avenge the deaths, sparking Lord Dunmore’s War, which ended in peace talks that Logan refused to attend. Instead, he sent a speech, which came to be known as Logan’s Lament, in which he pledged to continue fighting the English. He stayed true to his pledge until the end of his life, but was unable to stop the settlers from moving into the Ohio Country.

4. Little Turtle (1752 - July 1812) Little Turtle was born on the Eel River near Fort Wayne, Ind. By 1790, he was the chief military leader of the Miami Indians. After the American Indians were defeated at the legendary Battle at Fallen Timbers, Little Turtle urged the Miami to abstain from alcohol and learn the principles of farming. Little Turtle’s counsel kept the majority of the Miami from joining Tecumseh’s anti-American confederation. When he died, he was buried with full military honors.