Governor James Rhodes with guests

Photograph showing Governor James A. Rhodes with attendees of an "Early Bird" dinner at the Governor's Mansion, June 10, 1978. Located on Parkview Avenue in Bexley, Ohio, the 25-room Tudor-Norman mansion was a gift to the state of Ohio in 1955, and has been the residence of Ohio's governors since 1957. Rhodes was born on September 13, 1909, in Coalton, Ohio. He began his political career by winning election to the school board of Columbus, Ohio, in 1937, then serving as Columbus city auditor. In 1943, he was elected mayor of Columbus, an office he held from 1944 until 1952. Rhodes served as Ohio Auditor from 1952 until 1962, when he won election to his first term as Ohio governor. During his four terms as governor (1962-1970 and 1974-1982), Rhodes oversaw the building of airports, state office buildings, prisons, community colleges, museums and other public structures. He is also notable as the governor who ordered Ohio National Guard troops to Kent State University during a series of student protests against the Vietnam War. On May 4, 1970, the guardsmen fired into a crowd of protestors, killing four and injuring nine. Rhodes retired from politics following an unsuccessful run for a fifth term in 1986, and died March 4, 2001