About the Friends

Who We Are

Founded in 2006, the Friends of the Ohio Governor's Residence and Heritage Garden is a non-partisan, privately funded non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, conservation, and education of this historic home that is the Ohio Governor’s Residence and Heritage Garden in Bexley, Ohio.

The Friends oversee the continual enhancement of the property, as well as education about the Ohio Governor’s Residence and the five major physiographic regions (or eco-regions) of Ohio represented in the garden.

Additionally, the Friends oversee volunteer opportunities including tours open to the public, as well as the Governor’s Gardeners program.

Meet Our Leadership

The Friends of the Ohio Governor's Residence and Heritage Garden is comprised of non-partisan business and community leaders from across the state.

Board Chair

Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine

Natalie Baur

President

Catherine Adams

Mary Jane Carpenter

Jen Castellini

Mary Crall

Maryellen Fedeli

Bruce Harkey

Kathy Holcombe

Treasurer

Julie Johnson

Holly Kastan

Jim Kunk

Burt Logan

Barbara Mills

Cynthia Mucher

Buck Niehoff

Elaine Pierce

Deborah Pryce

Jill Rudler

Hope Taft

Sara Walsh

David Weaver

Megan Wood

About the Residence

The Ohio Governor’s Residence and Heritage Garden, often referred to as “The People’s House,” is a unique and historic home that represents all corners of Ohio. The home and garden are a symbol of Ohio’s history and a living showcase of the state’s artistry, culture, industry, and landscape.

Each Governor of Ohio can live at the Ohio Governor’s Residence and use the property for official state business and ceremonial events. Since 1957, 11 Governors and their families have lived and worked at the Ohio Governor’s Residence and Heritage Garden.

About the Heritage Garden

The Heritage Garden at the Ohio Governor’s Residence demonstrates Ohio’s natural history in a series of gardens representing Ohio’s five major eco-regions, known as physiographic regions. Each region has a special combination of soil type, water, climate, and land topography based on it’s geologic and glacial history.

The Heritage Garden incorporates Ohio’s diverse landscape, such as the sand dunes of Lake Erie and the rugged terrain of the Appalachian region, as well as types of habitats common to all of Ohio, such as woodlands and meadows.

History of the Ohio Governor’s

Residence and Heritage Garden

The Ohio Governor’s Residence was built in 1925 by businessman Malcolm D. Jeffrey. It remained a private residence until 1955 when the property was donated by the heirs of Florence Jeffrey Carlile to the State of Ohio to serve as an executive residence.

In 1957, Governor C. William O’Neill was the first Governor to live at the Ohio Governor’s Residence. In total, 11 Ohio Governors and their families have called the Residence home.

Governors have hosted many visitors at the Ohio Governor’s Residence and Heritage Garden for official and private events. For example, Governor Michael DiSalle hosted then Senator John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. while Governor during the 1960s.

Another visitor included then Governor Ronald Reagan in 1980. Ohio Governor James Rhodes and then Governor Governor Reagan held a press conference in the Heritage Garden.

Significant restoration efforts of the property first began in the 1980s. The Celeste administration recognized the need for continual preservation efforts of the property, which were not covered by the state budget. During this time, the Ohio Governor’s Residence was also placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

During the 1990’s, then First Lady Janet Voinovich bought many antique items from various state institutions and tag sales to furnish the Ohio Governor’s Residence. Additionally, Mrs. Florence Jeffrey Carlile’s daughter donated several items which had been used at the Residence when it was a private home.

In 2000, the Taft administration added an ADA-compliant walkway to the front entrance of the Ohio Governor’s Residence.

The Friends of the Ohio Governor’s Residence and Heritage Garden partnered with then First Lady Karen Kasich in 2010s to enhance the Residence’s interior to include additional era-specific furnishings from the 1920s. This includes the couches and chandelier in the living room.

Recent restoration efforts led by current First Lady Fran DeWine have included the establishment of the First Lady’s Terrace Garden in the Heritage Garden and rebuilding the pergola in the Heritage Garden.

Key Accomplishments

Since it’s founding in 2006, the Friends of the Ohio Governor’s Residence and Heritage Garden have overseen dozens of projects to preserve the interior and exterior of the property. Key accomplishments include:

Commission of a Jacobean-inspired and hand forged Ohio artisan chandelier.
Installation of a museum-quality art hanging system throughout the first floor to preserve the original wood paneling and stonework.
Acquisition of living and dining room furnishings, as well as Ohio glass and pottery.
Secured donation of the state chinaware, as well as a permanent loan of Heisey Glass.
Restoration of Alfred Tibor sculpture in the Heritage Garden.
Installation of brick paver driveway.

An in-ground cistern system to collect and store rainwater.
Ongoing maintenance and enhancement of the native gardens that represent the five distinct geographic regions of Ohio.
Instillation of The Tale of Peter Rabbit Storybook Trail in the Heritage Garden.
Design and instillation of eight physiographic informational signs in the Heritage Garden for additional context about many of Ohio’s native plants.
Establishing the First Lady’s Terrace Garden in the Heritage Garden.