Twentieth Century Commerce in Ohio 1932
Noted Cincinnati artist and educator, H.H. Wessel, painted the 11 murals adorning this room. These murals depict the development and growth of commerce in Ohio in the 19th and 20th centuries. On the north wall (to your right as you enter the room) are illustrations of a pristine forest and early traders bartering with American Indians. In the center, an Ohio map depicts various types of transportation and trade routes, including the National Road, Lake Erie, the Ohio & Erie Canal, and other waterways. The south wall is adorned with a map illustrating commerce in the state and the transportation methods available in the 1930s when the building was constructed.