"In the 1860s, the flush toilets at the Statehouse were a tourist attraction," said guide Terry Moses. "It was the only public building in central Ohio to have them, and only a few were installed in private homes. People would stand in long lines to be able to say that they had used this modern convenience."

During tours, guides point out the best of the building, old and new, including how natural light from the original skylights was so important before the age of electricity.

Special tours at the Statehouse help bring history to life even more. For example, what better place to experience a ghostly tour at Halloween? During Lantern Light Tours organized for families, guides combine history and legend and relate ghostly sightings in the building many consider to be haunted.

One group tour focuses on the very real Emma Jones, who lived in her family's home on Capital Square from 1850-1938.

"Miss Emma's Table," available to groups of 20 or more, recalls the early history of Ohio with a special combination of Statehouse tour and Victorian tea or boarding house-style supper reminiscent of the type of hospitality that the Columbus socialite may have provided to guests.

Many group tours can be extended to include favorite Columbus landmarks and nearby neighborhoods, such as Short North and German Village.

Tree-shaded brick streets and quaint houses mark historic German Village just south of downtown. In the early 1960s, residents organized to preserve the Old World charm that was the heritage of the German immigrants who settled there in the 19th century near where they worked as factory laborers, brewers, butchers and sausage makers.

Traditional German sausage-making remains important to the Schmidt family businesses, established on East Kossuth in 1886. Their spicy Bahama Mama sausages are sold regionally and at the popular Schmidt's Restaurant and Sausage Haus.

In a restored brick building, a former livery stable, the restaurant also has become famous for its sweet and airy cream puffs, fudge from the nearby Fudge Haus and its works by German Village artists on the walls.

A "short" distance "north" of the Statehouse, the commercial area along High Street has become a mecca for art lovers. "Gallery Hops" are scheduled the first Saturday of each month, but the arts scene is lively at all times. My favorite bakery, Elani Christini, is tucked in on Russell, a half block off High Street.

Along High Street you can find works by regional and nationally recognized painters, glass artists and sculptors. Or, for art lovers with a sense of humor, stop in Cow Town Art.

Restaurants, fine art galleries and off-beat shops are mixed in with residential spaces to give Short North a cosmopolitan feel.

Ohio Statehouse: Broad and High streets, Columbus. Free one-hour tours on the hour 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday and noon-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.

Special tours

• Ghost Tours by Lantern Light - Family Edition: $5, $2 ages 16 and under. 5:30, 6, 6:30 and 7 p.m. Thursday, 7, 7:30, 8 and 8:30 p.m. Friday.

• Welcome to Miss Emma's Table: Special group tour for 20 or more. $12.95-$15.95. Tour Reservations: (888) 644-6123, option 1 (8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday).

Information

• German Village: (614) 221-8888.

• Schmidt's Sausage Haus & Restaurant: 240 E. Kossuth. (614) 444-6808.

• Short North. (866) 397-2657; www.ExperienceColumbus.com.