Barriers inside the Statehouse atrium and rotunda signal the making of a historic moment. Friday, the body of former Senator John Glenn will lie in repose at the Ohio Statehouse. “I remember as a school kid them rolling a TV in our classroom and watching his flights back then,” said John Flores, who says he plans to attend Glenn’s memorial service on Saturday at 2 p.m. “I just think he's a true American hero.” Glenn's body will be the center of honorable attention on Friday afternoon. His casket will sit in the statehouse rotunda under the Ohio State seal. Light fixtures inside the rotunda are draped in black. The outside windows outside of the Statehouse are also be draped in black.

Each person entering the Statehouse will go through metal detectors before they are allowed to view Glenn's body.



“We will have x-rays that have been part of the statehouse security upgrade since for about the last 18 months,” said Stedke.



Stedke says the Glenn family asked that the former astronaut’s body lie in repose here overnight from Friday at noon until about noon on Saturday. That means his body will be guarded for 24 hours by the U.S. Marine’s Honor Guard until his body is transported to Mershon Auditorium on Ohio State’s campus. Senator Glenn's body will be escorted on foot by the Honor Guard going North on High Street.



Stedke says he expects to see a large crowd on Friday afternoon. “Be patient and be respectful,” he said. “It is remembering and paying respect to an American legend.”



Historically, there have only been nine people to lie in repose at the Ohio Statehouse. According to Ohio administrative code, those who lie in repose at the Statehouse are usually current or former Governors of Ohio, Speakers of the Ohio House or Presidents of the Ohio Senate, current legislators or other statewide elected office holders.