In 1779, the Virginia legislature voted to move the capital from Williamsburg to Richmond. Reasons for this move included westward population movement, Richmond’s trade location, and distance from English attack. Shockoe Hill was selected as the new location, providing the Capitol with a panoramic view of the James River. The Richmond Capitol was planned by Thomas Jefferson and based on the model of the Maison Carrée an ancient Roman temple at Nîmes France. Ground was broken in 1785 to start construction on the Capitol Building and Governor Patrick Henry was in attendance.
As Capitol Square was being planned in the early 1780s, Capitol Street became its northern edge. This street ran from Ninth Street on the west to Governor Street on the east (3 blocks), parallel to Broad Street. Capitol Street was closed to vehicular traffic in the early 1980s to plant the Colgate Darden Memorial Garden.
Colgate Whitehead Darden, Jr., was born near Franklin in Southampton County, Virginia. He served in World War I as an ambulance driver with the French Army at Verdun and the Argonne. When the United States entered the war, Darden switched to the Navy and then the Marines. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1930-33); the United States Congress (1933-37, 1939-41); served as Governor of Virginia (1942-46); and was the third president of the University of Virginia (1947-59). He died on June 9, 1981, and the Colgate Whitehead Darden, Jr. Memorial Garden on Capitol Square was dedicated on November 11, 1983.
This garden area includes plantings on the south side of the General Assembly Building and the Patrick Henry Building. Closing the street gave legislators and visitors a walkway between the General Assembly Building (on Ninth Street) and the Capitol.
circa 1809
north section of Capitol Square
Inscription: (plaque) COLGATE W. DARDEN, JR.
(1897-1981)
MEMORIAL GARDEN
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THIS NOTABLE VIRGINIA CITIZEN AND SELFLESS PUBLIC OFFICIAL:
MARINE AVIATOR IN WORLD WAR I
STATE LEGISLATOR
CONGRESSMAN
GOVERNOR DURING WORLD WAR II
CHANCELLOR OF COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY
PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
DELEGATE TO THE UNITED NATIONS
PHILANTHROPIST
INSPIRATIONAL LEADER, AS REFLECTED IN THESE WORDS:
"...THE NOBLE ENDS TOWARD WHICH MEN HAVE TOILED FOR COUNTLESS CENTURIES CONTINUE TO BECKON AND WE CAN SUCCEED IF WE DO NOT LOSE HEART." (FROM 1978 ADDRESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.)
1983
The Executive Mansion stands just east of the Capitol within the grounds of Capitol Square. Designed by Boston architect Alexander Parris, the Federal-era mansion has been the official residence of Virginia governors and their families since its completion in March 1813. It is the oldest governor's mansion in the nation still being used for its original purpose, and many presidents and foreign dignitaries have been entertained here.
The Executive Mansion is both a Virginia and a National Historic Landmark. An extensive $7 million renovation took place during 1999-2000. The original rooms across the front of the mansion contain most of their original woodwork, plaster cornices, and ornamental ceilings. During the Civil War, the mansion served Governors John Letcher and William Smith as the center of state executive leadership, when Richmond was also the capital of the Confederate States of America.
The Executive Mansion is often the site of a now symbolic tax ceremony between Virginia Indians and the Governor of Virginia that has been held since the 17th century.
The traditional Indian tax-paying ceremony traces its history to a treaty signed on May 29, 1677, between Governor Herbert Jeffreys, Esq., and several Indian leaders representing the Pamunkey, Nansemond, Nottoway, Appomattox, and other tribes. The treaty was signed at Middle Plantation (now Williamsburg) on the birthday of King Charles II, with more than 1,000 English soldiers present.
This 1677 treaty in part required each Indian King and Queen to visit the Governor every March "at the place of his residence, wherever it shall be, and then and there pay the accustomed rent of twentie beaver skins," plus three Indian arrows. [Wiseman, Samuel and Michael Leroy Oberg. Samuel Wiseman's Book Of Record: The Official Account of Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia, 1676-1677. Lexington Books, 2005]
Today, Chiefs of the Pamunkey and Mattaponi tribes honor the spirit of the treaty by bringing wild game and hand-crafted gifts for the Governor and First Lady at their official place of residence in Capitol Square. Each year the Governor observes the spirit of the treaty by hosting a breakfast for Indian dignitaries at the Executive Mansion and by issuing a proclamation affirming the importance of Virginia Indians in the ongoing history of the Commonwealth. Traditional Indian music and dancing are part of the tax ceremony, held each November in honor of American Indian Month.
Built: 1813
Location: northeast section of Capitol Square
Designed by Paul-Alexis Sabbaton, the distinctive cast-iron and wrought-iron fence encloses the 12-acre Capitol Square. The main posts represent fasces, a bundle of rods tied around the shaft of an axe, which was used by the ancient Romans to symbolize unity and civic authority. The fasces is also used in the State Seal, the statue of Washington in the Rotunda, and in the painted corners of the Capitol dome.
1818
perimeter of Capitol Square
The Capitol Building was erected in 1785-88. During construction, builder Samuel Dobie altered Jefferson's design. The low podium that Jefferson intended was replaced by a full basement to hold offices, which Jefferson had planned to place on the third floor. Builders executed one large portico two columns deep and eliminated the front steps so the basement offices along the southern front could have windows. When the Capitol was occupied in 1788, it had a temporary flat lead roof, which was later replaced with slate. This roof was replaced in 1798 with a slate shingled A-line roof. During this time, the building also received a stucco exterior, and was scored to appear like stone. In 1801, a pediment window was inserted. In 1830, the Capitol was painted yellow ochre with off-white trim. Running water was first supplied to the Capitol through iron pipes in 1832.
1785; designed by Thomas Jefferson and based on the model of the Maison Carree an ancient Roman temple at Nîmes France.
center section of Capitol Square
The Bell Tower was originally a guardhouse for the Virginia Public Guard, the predecessors of the modern-day Virginia Capitol Police, and a signal tower for emergencies and public meetings. While the tower is architecturally significant, the building is also noteworthy because of its history and its location in Capitol Square. Designed by builder Levi Swain and erected in 1824-25, the square, Neoclassical building has one bay surrounded by blind arches on each side and is topped by an arcaded, octagonal cupola. The brick tower is laid in Flemish bond and accented with Aquia sandstone.
This building replaced an earlier wooden Bell Tower that stood closer to the Capitol. The bell was rung to warn the city of fire and other emergencies. During the Civil War, the bell rang to alert Richmond to events such as the approach of the Federal gunboat Pawnee in April 1861 and again on February 7, 1864, to sound the alarm for Dahlgren’s Raid, a Union Cavalry attack on the Confederate capital of Richmond. It was also used to summon local soldiers to duty.
The original bell was removed prior to 1900 and given to a local fire company. The Bell Tower fell into disuse in the late 19th century, but in the early 20th century, interest in historic preservation prompted its restoration. Today the bell in the tower still calls the Virginia General Assembly into session, as it has since the 1930s. Over the years, the Bell Tower also has served as a gunsmith shop and offices for state employees, including a Lieutenant Governor. The Virginia Tourism Corporation maintains a tourist information center on the tower's first floor, which is open Monday through Friday.
1824-25
southwest section of Capitol Square
(plaque) THE BELL TOWER
THIS TOWER WAS BUILT IN 1824, ON THE SITE OF A FRAME BUILDING. IT LONG SERVED AS A GUARDHOUSE FOR THE STATE GUARD. THE BELL WAS A FIRE ALARM AND WAS ALSO RUNG IN EMERGENCIES. IN 1861–65 IT WAS USED TO CALL OUT LOCAL DEFENDERS, NOTABLY ON APRIL 21, 1861 (PAWNEE SUNDAY) AND ON FEBRUARY 7, 1864
TOWER RESTORED BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
BELL DONATED BY COMMONWEALTH CHAPTER N.S.D.A.R. 1933
As Capitol Square was being planned in the early 1780s, Capitol Street became its northern edge. This street ran from Ninth Street on the west to Governor Street on the east (3 blocks), parallel to Broad Street. Capitol Street was closed to vehicular traffic in the early 1980s to plant the Colgate Darden Memorial Garden.
Colgate Whitehead Darden, Jr., was born near Franklin in Southampton County, Virginia. He served in World War I as an ambulance driver with the French Army at Verdun and the Argonne. When the United States entered the war, Darden switched to the Navy and then the Marines. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1930-33); the United States Congress (1933-37, 1939-41); served as Governor of Virginia (1942-46); and was the third president of the University of Virginia (1947-59). He died on June 9, 1981, and the Colgate Whitehead Darden, Jr. Memorial Garden on Capitol Square was dedicated on November 11, 1983.
This garden area includes plantings on the south side of the General Assembly Building and the Patrick Henry Building. Closing the street gave legislators and visitors a walkway between the General Assembly Building (on Ninth Street) and the Capitol.
circa 1809
north section of Capitol Square
(plaque) COLGATE W. DARDEN, JR.
(1897-1981)
MEMORIAL GARDEN
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THIS NOTABLE VIRGINIA CITIZEN AND SELFLESS PUBLIC OFFICIAL:
MARINE AVIATOR IN WORLD WAR I
STATE LEGISLATOR
CONGRESSMAN
GOVERNOR DURING WORLD WAR II
CHANCELLOR OF COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY
PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
DELEGATE TO THE UNITED NATIONS
PHILANTHROPIST
INSPIRATIONAL LEADER, AS REFLECTED IN THESE WORDS:
"...THE NOBLE ENDS TOWARD WHICH MEN HAVE TOILED FOR COUNTLESS CENTURIES CONTINUE TO BECKON AND WE CAN SUCCEED IF WE DO NOT LOSE HEART." (FROM 1978 ADDRESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.)
1983
The statue of General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824-May 10, 1863) is on the north side of the Capitol, between the George Washington Equestrian Monument and the Executive Mansion. It was unveiled on October 26, 1875, before a large crowd, including many veterans who served under General Jackson during the Civil War. Designed by Irish sculptor John Henry Foley, the bronze sculpture was the gift of English gentlemen, in honor of the great Virginia soldier.
1875
northeast section of Capitol Square
PRESENTED BY ENGLISH GENTLEMEN
AS A TRIBUTE OF ADMIRATION FOR
THE SOLDIER AND PATRIOT
THOMAS J. JACKSON,
AND GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED BY VIRGINIA
IN THE NAME OF THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE.
DONE A.D. 1875.
IN THE HUNDREDTH YEAR OF THE COMMONWEALTH.
"LOOK! THERE IS JACKSON STANDING LIKE A STONE WALL."
A large equestrian statue of George Washington (February 22, 1732- December 14, 1799) atop a granite pedestal was conceived to honor Washington and to glorify Virginia's contributions to the nation's independence. Virginia's role in the Revolution is depicted by six of her sons surrounding the figure of General Washington, who is dressed in a military uniform. Smaller allegorical figures below the six pedestrian statues are inscribed with themes reflecting each patriot's contribution: Andrew Lewis, Colonial Times; Patrick Henry, Revolution; George Mason, Bill of Rights; Thomas Jefferson, Independence; Thomas Nelson, Jr., Finance; and John Marshall, Justice.
In 1849, the Virginia General Assembly held an architectural competition and selected a design by Thomas Crawford, an American sculptor working in Rome. The design Crawford submitted largely conforms to the completed George Washington Equestrian Monument in place today with its base in the shape of a star fort and the three-tiered pedestal for sculptural figures. The stonework of the base was complete by 1854.
Discussions repeatedly took place to relocate the remains of Washington there, but his heir Bushrod Washington refused the request. The hope of making Capitol Square Washington's last resting place became a symbolic hope, and Crawford's design includes a cenotaph, or symbolic tomb, in the stone base.
Crawford finished the sculptures of Washington, Jefferson, and Henry. He had the George Washington Equestrian statue cast in Munich, Germany shortly before his death in 1857. His American colleague, Randolph Rogers, completed the statues of Mason, Marshall, Nelson, and Lewis, as well as the allegorical figures, the last of which was put into place in 1869.
A United States frigate transported the equestrian figure to Richmond. A group of men and boys hauled the statue to Capitol Square from Rocketts Landing, breaking down a section of fence in the process. Charles Dimmock, an engineer, rigged an ingenious wooden derrick to hoist the statue onto the base, and legend has it he threatened workers at gunpoint when they appeared to be letting go of the rope. The unveiling of the statue was an event of national importance, which took place on Washington's birthday, February 22, 1858. The statue was one of Richmond's most prominent attractions. The Commonwealth erected a cast-iron fence around the base in the 1870s to prevent visitors from climbing on the base. [National Park Service]
1850-69
northwest section of Capitol Square
As a planned urban park, Capitol Square is one of the oldest in the nation. In 1850, John Notman redesigned Maximilian Godefroy's earlier landscape plan of Capitol Square and added water fountains for focal points. Work on the western dell was completed in the early 1850s and work on the eastern dell was completed in the late 1850s. There are currently three fountains located on the Capitol Grounds. The fountain in the southwest corner in front of the Bell Tower, completed in the 1850s, was replaced in the early 1900s with the current one. This fountain was originally at the home of Westmoreland Davis, former Governor of Virginia. A second fountain is in the southeast area in front of the Washington Building. The fountain in front of the Executive Mansion was installed in the early 1970s; it replaced a sculptural heron fountain. A fourth fountain on the west side of the Capitol was removed when the wings were added in 1904-06.
1850s
various (southwest corner, southeast corner, northeast corner)
The Executive Mansion stands just east of the Capitol within the grounds of Capitol Square. Designed by Boston architect Alexander Parris, the Federal-era mansion has been the official residence of Virginia governors and their families since its completion in March 1813. It is the oldest governor's mansion in the nation still being used for its original purpose, and many presidents and foreign dignitaries have been entertained here.
The Executive Mansion is both a Virginia and a National Historic Landmark. An extensive $7 million renovation took place during 1999–2000. The original rooms across the front of the mansion contain most of their original woodwork, plaster cornices, and ornamental ceilings. During the Civil War, the mansion served Governors John Letcher and William Smith as the center of state executive leadership, when Richmond was also the capital of the Confederate States of America.
The Executive Mansion is often the site of a now symbolic tax ceremony between Virginia Indians and the Governor of Virginia that has been held since the 17th century.
The traditional Indian tax-paying ceremony traces its history to a treaty signed on May 29, 1677, between Governor Herbert Jeffreys, Esq., and several Indian leaders representing the Pamunkey, Nansemond, Nottoway, Appomattox, and other tribes. The treaty was signed at Middle Plantation (now Williamsburg) on the birthday of King Charles II, with more than 1,000 English soldiers present.
This 1677 treaty in part required each Indian King and Queen to visit the Governor every March "at the place of his residence, wherever it shall be, and then and there pay the accustomed rent of twentie beaver skins," plus three Indian arrows. [Wiseman, Samuel and Michael Leroy Oberg. Samuel Wiseman's Book Of Record: The Official Account of Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia, 1676–1677. Lexington Books, 2005]
Today, Chiefs of the Pamunkey and Mattaponi tribes honor the spirit of the treaty by bringing wild game and hand-crafted gifts for the Governor and First Lady at their official place of residence in Capitol Square. Each year the Governor observes the spirit of the treaty by hosting a breakfast for Indian dignitaries at the Executive Mansion and by issuing a proclamation affirming the importance of Virginia Indians in the ongoing history of the Commonwealth. Traditional Indian music and dancing are part of the tax ceremony, held each November in honor of American Indian Month.
1813
northeast section of Capitol Square
1818
perimeter of Capitol Square
1850s
various (southwest corner, southeast corner, northeast corner)
With the exception of periodic repairs to the roof and skylights, there were few changes to the Capitol Building during this timeframe. In 1842, new copper gutters were installed. A thorough overhaul of the building was accomplished in 1846, and at that time, a hot-air furnace was installed for the House of Delegates. Gas lighting was installed in 1851. In an effort to add space, architect Albert Lybrock developed measured drawings and recommended adding a bay to the rear of the building and rearranging some of the interior spaces. He also recommended removing the side steps and building the front steps that Jefferson had intended. The Civil War ensued and few of his recommendations were put into place. However, windows on the second floor were increased in size to extend to the floor. In 1865, the Capitol changed colors once again, being painted a medium tan.
1785; designed by Thomas Jefferson and based on the model of the Maison Carree an ancient Roman temple at Nîmes France.
center section of Capitol Square
The Henry Clay (April 12, 177-June 29, 1852) statue, by Joel T. Hart, was dedicated on April 12, 1860. Shortly after, it was placed in a gazebo located on the west side of Capitol Square near Ninth Street. The aging gazebo was removed in the early 1930s and the statue was relocated inside to the Old Hall of the House of Delegates. The statue is currently on display in the Capitol Extension.
Henry Clay, though born in Virginia, represented Kentucky in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. He also served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and as Secretary of State.
1860
no longer on the grounds (former location: southwest section of Capitol Square; current location: Capitol Extension)
HENRY CLAY
The Bell Tower was originally a guardhouse for the Virginia Public Guard, the predecessors of the modern-day Virginia Capitol Police, and a signal tower for emergencies and public meetings. While the tower is architecturally significant, the building is also noteworthy because of its history and its location in Capitol Square. Designed by builder Levi Swain and erected in 1824-25, the square, Neoclassical building has one bay surrounded by blind arches on each side and is topped by an arcaded, octagonal cupola. The brick tower is laid in Flemish bond and accented with Aquia sandstone.
This building replaced an earlier wooden Bell Tower that stood closer to the Capitol. The bell was rung to warn the city of fire and other emergencies. During the Civil War, the bell rang to alert Richmond to events such as the approach of the Federal gunboat Pawnee in April 1861 and again on February 7, 1864, to sound the alarm for Dahlgren’s Raid, a Union Cavalry attack on the Confederate capital of Richmond. It was also used to summon local soldiers to duty.
The original bell was removed prior to 1900 and given to a local fire company. The Bell Tower fell into disuse in the late 19th century, but in the early 20th century, interest in historic preservation prompted its restoration. Today the bell in the tower still calls the Virginia General Assembly into session, as it has since the 1930s. Over the years, the Bell Tower also has served as a gunsmith shop and offices for state employees, including a Lieutenant Governor. The Virginia Tourism Corporation maintains a tourist information center on the tower's first floor, which is open Monday through Friday.
1824-25
southwest section of Capitol Square
(plaque) THE BELL TOWER
THIS TOWER WAS BUILT IN 1824, ON THE SITE OF A FRAME BUILDING. IT LONG SERVED AS A GUARDHOUSE FOR THE STATE GUARD. THE BELL WAS A FIRE ALARM AND WAS ALSO RUNG IN EMERGENCIES. IN 1861–65 IT WAS USED TO CALL OUT LOCAL DEFENDERS, NOTABLY ON APRIL 21, 1861 (PAWNEE SUNDAY) AND ON FEBRUARY 7, 1864
TOWER RESTORED BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
BELL DONATED BY COMMONWEALTH CHAPTER N.S.D.A.R. 1933
As a planned urban park, Capitol Square is one of the oldest in the nation. In 1850, John Notman redesigned Maximilian Godefroy's earlier landscape plan of Capitol Square and added water fountains for focal points. Work on the western dell was completed in the early 1850s and work on the eastern dell was completed in the late 1850s. There are currently three fountains located on the Capitol Grounds. The fountain in the southwest corner in front of the Bell Tower, completed in the 1850s, was replaced in the early 1900s with the current one. This fountain was originally at the home of Westmoreland Davis, former Governor of Virginia. A second fountain is in the southeast area in front of the Washington Building. The fountain in front of the Executive Mansion was installed in the early 1970s; it replaced a sculptural heron fountain. A fourth fountain on the west side of the Capitol was removed when the wings were added in 1904-06.
1850s
various (southwest corner, southeast corner, northeast corner)
As a planned urban park, Capitol Square is one of the oldest in the nation. In 1850, John Notman redesigned Maximilian Godefroy's earlier landscape plan of Capitol Square and added water fountains for focal points. Work on the western dell was completed in the early 1850s and work on the eastern dell was completed in the late 1850s. There are currently three fountains located on the Capitol Grounds. The fountain in the southwest corner in front of the Bell Tower, completed in the 1850s, was replaced in the early 1900s with the current one. This fountain was originally at the home of Westmoreland Davis, former Governor of Virginia. A second fountain is in the southeast area in front of the Washington Building. The fountain in front of the Executive Mansion was installed in the early 1970s; it replaced a sculptural heron fountain. A fourth fountain on the west side of the Capitol was removed when the wings were added in 1904-06.
1850s
various (southwest corner, southeast corner, northeast corner)
As Capitol Square was being planned in the early 1780s, Capitol Street became its northern edge. This street ran from Ninth Street on the west to Governor Street on the east (3 blocks), parallel to Broad Street. Capitol Street was closed to vehicular traffic in the early 1980s to plant the Colgate Darden Memorial Garden.
Colgate Whitehead Darden, Jr., was born near Franklin in Southampton County, Virginia. He served in World War I as an ambulance driver with the French Army at Verdun and the Argonne. When the United States entered the war, Darden switched to the Navy and then the Marines. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1930-33); the United States Congress (1933-37, 1939-41); served as Governor of Virginia (1942-46); and was the third president of the University of Virginia (1947-59). He died on June 9, 1981, and the Colgate Whitehead Darden, Jr. Memorial Garden on Capitol Square was dedicated on November 11, 1983.
This garden area includes plantings on the south side of the General Assembly Building and the Patrick Henry Building. Closing the street gave legislators and visitors a walkway between the General Assembly Building (on Ninth Street) and the Capitol.
circa 1809
north section of Capitol Square
(plaque) COLGATE W. DARDEN, JR.
(1897-1981)
MEMORIAL GARDEN
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THIS NOTABLE VIRGINIA CITIZEN AND SELFLESS PUBLIC OFFICIAL:
MARINE AVIATOR IN WORLD WAR I
STATE LEGISLATOR
CONGRESSMAN
GOVERNOR DURING WORLD WAR II
CHANCELLOR OF COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY
PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
DELEGATE TO THE UNITED NATIONS
PHILANTHROPIST
INSPIRATIONAL LEADER, AS REFLECTED IN THESE WORDS:
"...THE NOBLE ENDS TOWARD WHICH MEN HAVE TOILED FOR COUNTLESS CENTURIES CONTINUE TO BECKON AND WE CAN SUCCEED IF WE DO NOT LOSE HEART." (FROM 1978 ADDRESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.)
1983
The sculpture was unveiled on Memorial Day, May 30, 1906. Sculpted by Frederick William Sievers, from a William Ludwell Sheppard design, it was cast by the foundry of Aubry Brothers & Company. The bronze statue is 7½ feet tall on a 9-foot tall granite base.
1906
north section of Capitol Square
(on front of granite base) WILLIAM SMITH. VIRGINIA.
BORN SEPT 6TH 1797. DIED MAY 18TH 1887.
1836–40. 1841–42.
MEMBER OF VIRGINIA SENATE.
1846–49.
GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA.
1841–43. 1853–61.
MEMBER OF UNITED STATES CONGRESS.
1861–62.
MEMBER OF CONFEDERATE STATES CONGRESS.
1861–62.
COLONEL 49TH VIRGINIA VOLUNTEERS.
1862–63.
BRIG. GENERAL CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
1863–64.
MAJOR GENERAL CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
1864–65.
GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA.
(On northwest side of granite base) CALLED FROM THE ARMY TO GUIDE AGAIN THE DESTINIES OF THE COMMONWEALTH DURING 1864–65, HE DISPLAYED SUCH ENERGY, RESOURCE AND UNSHAKEN RESOLUTION, AS DREW TO HIM THE HEART OF THE WHOLE SOUTHERN PEOPLE. TRIED BY BOTH EXTREMES OF FORTUNE HE PROVED EQUAL TO THE TRIAL, AND DIED AS HE HAD LIVED, A VIRGINIAN OF VIRGINIANS.
(On back of granite base) THOUGH PAST THREE SCORE, HE ENTERED THE MILITARY SERVICE AS COLONEL OF VIRGINIA INFANTRY AND ROSE BY SHEER MERIT TO THE RANK OF MAJOR GENERAL. AT FIRST MANASSAS, SEVEN PINES, THE SEVEN DAYS BATTLE, CEDAR MOUNTAIN, SECOND MANASSAS, SHARPSBURG, FREDERICKSBURG, CHANCELLORSVILLE AND GETTYSBURG HIS FIERY YET CHEERFUL COURAGE WAS EVERYWHERE CONSPICUOUS AND THE ONLY FAULT IMPUTED TO HIM BY HIS SUPERIORS WAS "A TOO RECKLESS EXPOSURE OF HIS PERSON." THRICE WOUNDED AT SHARPSBURG, HE REFUSED TO LEAVE THE FIELD, AND REMAINED IN COMMAND OF HIS REGIMENT UNTIL THE END OF THAT SANGUINARY ENGAGEMENT.
(On southeast side of granite base) A MAN OF STRONG CONVICTIONS, BRED IN THE STRICT STATES RIGHTS SCHOOL, HE YIELDED PARAMOUNT ALLEGIANCE TO HIS MOTHER STATE, AND MAINTAINED WITH FEARLESS AND IMPASSIONED ELOQUENCE, IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES THE SOVEREIGNTY OF VIRGINIA. WHEN THE STORM OF WAR BURST, "HIS VOICE WAS IN HIS SWORD".
1875
northeast section of Capitol Square
PRESENTED BY ENGLISH GENTLEMEN
AS A TRIBUTE OF ADMIRATION FOR
THE SOLDIER AND PATRIOT
THOMAS J. JACKSON,
AND GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED BY VIRGINIA
IN THE NAME OF THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE.
DONE A.D. 1875.
IN THE HUNDREDTH YEAR OF THE COMMONWEALTH.
"LOOK! THERE IS JACKSON STANDING LIKE A STONE WALL."
1904
northeast section of Capitol Square
(front) TO HUNTER HOLMES McGUIRE, M.D., LL.D.,
PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL AND OF THE AMERICAN SURGICAL ASSOCIATIONS; FOUNDER OF THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE; MEDICAL DIRECTOR, JACKSON'S CORPS. ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA; AN EMINENT CIVIL AND MILITARY SURGEON, AND BELOVED PHYSICIAN; AN ABLE TEACHER AND VIGOROUS WRITER, A USEFUL CITIZEN AND BROAD HUMANITARIAN, GIFTED IN MIND AND GENEROUS IN HEART, THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED BY HIS MANY FRIENDS.
(back)
HUNTER HOLMES McGUIRE
BORN OCT. 11, 1835.
DIED SEPT. 19, 1900.
1929 by Jonathan Bryan
north section of Capitol Square - 37°32'23.00" N, 77°26'4.00" W
(south side) ZERO MILESTONE
VIRGINIA HIGHWAYS
(east side) POINT FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF DISTANCES FROM RICHMOND ON HIGHWAYS OF VIRGINIA
(north side) NORTH LATITUDE 37°32'23"
WEST LONGITUDE 77°26'04"
ELEVATION 166.45 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL
(west side) ERECTED A.D. 1929
THE GIFT OF JONATHAN BRYAN
A large equestrian statue of George Washington (February 22, 1732- December 14, 1799) atop a granite pedestal was conceived to honor Washington and to glorify Virginia's contributions to the nation's independence. Virginia's role in the Revolution is depicted by six of her sons surrounding the figure of General Washington, who is dressed in a military uniform. Smaller allegorical figures below the six pedestrian statues are inscribed with themes reflecting each patriot's contribution: Andrew Lewis, Colonial Times; Patrick Henry, Revolution; George Mason, Bill of Rights; Thomas Jefferson, Independence; Thomas Nelson, Jr., Finance; and John Marshall, Justice.
In 1849, the Virginia General Assembly held an architectural competition and selected a design by Thomas Crawford, an American sculptor working in Rome. The design Crawford submitted largely conforms to the completed George Washington Equestrian Monument in place today with its base in the shape of a star fort and the three-tiered pedestal for sculptural figures. The stonework of the base was complete by 1854.
Discussions repeatedly took place to relocate the remains of Washington there, but his heir Bushrod Washington refused the request. The hope of making Capitol Square Washington's last resting place became a symbolic hope, and Crawford's design includes a cenotaph, or symbolic tomb, in the stone base.
Crawford finished the sculptures of Washington, Jefferson, and Henry. He had the George Washington Equestrian statue cast in Munich, Germany shortly before his death in 1857. His American colleague, Randolph Rogers, completed the statues of Mason, Marshall, Nelson, and Lewis, as well as the allegorical figures, the last of which was put into place in 1869.
A United States frigate transported the equestrian figure to Richmond. A group of men and boys hauled the statue to Capitol Square from Rocketts Landing, breaking down a section of fence in the process. Charles Dimmock, an engineer, rigged an ingenious wooden derrick to hoist the statue onto the base, and legend has it he threatened workers at gunpoint when they appeared to be letting go of the rope. The unveiling of the statue was an event of national importance, which took place on Washington's birthday, February 22, 1858. The statue was one of Richmond's most prominent attractions. The Commonwealth erected a cast-iron fence around the base in the 1870s to prevent visitors from climbing on the base. [National Park Service]
1850-69
northwest section of Capitol Square
As a planned urban park, Capitol Square is one of the oldest in the nation. In 1850, John Notman redesigned Maximilian Godefroy's earlier landscape plan of Capitol Square and added water fountains for focal points. Work on the western dell was completed in the early 1850s and work on the eastern dell was completed in the late 1850s. There are currently three fountains located on the Capitol Grounds. The fountain in the southwest corner in front of the Bell Tower, completed in the 1850s, was replaced in the early 1900s with the current one. This fountain was originally at the home of Westmoreland Davis, former Governor of Virginia. A second fountain is in the southeast area in front of the Washington Building. The fountain in front of the Executive Mansion was installed in the early 1970s; it replaced a sculptural heron fountain. A fourth fountain on the west side of the Capitol was removed when the wings were added in 1904-06.
1850s
various (southwest corner, southeast corner, northeast corner)
The Executive Mansion stands just east of the Capitol within the grounds of Capitol Square. Designed by Boston architect Alexander Parris, the Federal-era mansion has been the official residence of Virginia governors and their families since its completion in March 1813. It is the oldest governor's mansion in the nation still being used for its original purpose, and many presidents and foreign dignitaries have been entertained here.
The Executive Mansion is both a Virginia and a National Historic Landmark. An extensive $7 million renovation took place during 1999-2000. The original rooms across the front of the mansion contain most of their original woodwork, plaster cornices, and ornamental ceilings. During the Civil War, the mansion served Governors John Letcher and William Smith as the center of state executive leadership, when Richmond was also the capital of the Confederate States of America.
The Executive Mansion is often the site of a now symbolic tax ceremony between Virginia Indians and the Governor of Virginia that has been held since the 17th century.
The traditional Indian tax-paying ceremony traces its history to a treaty signed on May 29, 1677, between Governor Herbert Jeffreys, Esq., and several Indian leaders representing the Pamunkey, Nansemond, Nottoway, Appomattox, and other tribes. The treaty was signed at Middle Plantation (now Williamsburg) on the birthday of King Charles II, with more than 1,000 English soldiers present.
This 1677 treaty in part required each Indian King and Queen to visit the Governor every March "at the place of his residence, wherever it shall be, and then and there pay the accustomed rent of twentie beaver skins," plus three Indian arrows. [Wiseman, Samuel and Michael Leroy Oberg. Samuel Wiseman's Book Of Record: The Official Account of Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia, 1676–1677. Lexington Books, 2005]
Today, Chiefs of the Pamunkey and Mattaponi tribes honor the spirit of the treaty by bringing wild game and hand-crafted gifts for the Governor and First Lady at their official place of residence in Capitol Square. Each year the Governor observes the spirit of the treaty by hosting a breakfast for Indian dignitaries at the Executive Mansion and by issuing a proclamation affirming the importance of Virginia Indians in the ongoing history of the Commonwealth. Traditional Indian music and dancing are part of the tax ceremony, held each November in honor of American Indian Month.
1813
: northeast section of Capitol Square
Designed by Paul-Alexis Sabbaton, the distinctive cast-iron and wrought-iron fence encloses the 12-acre Capitol Square. The main posts represent fasces, a bundle of rods tied around the shaft of an axe, which was used by the ancient Romans to symbolize unity and civic authority. The fasces is also used in the State Seal, the statue of Washington in the Rotunda, and in the painted corners of the Capitol dome.
1818
perimeter of Capitol Square
By the latter part of the 19th century, electricity was in place in the Capitol Building, however, it is interesting to note that at this time, gas was considered more reliable than electricity. As a result, many light fixtures were outfitted with both electric and gas supplies. The Capitol received its first telephones in 1884. In 1890, the Capitol takes on a Victorian color scheme of light-colored walls and dark trim.
The Capitol remained overcrowded and poorly maintained and in 1902, a design competition was initiated by the General Assembly. Proposals were rejected that would significantly alter the exterior appearance. The design of architect John K. Peebles was selected, as it complemented Jefferson's original design. Peebles’s plan added the front steps that Jefferson envisioned as well as flanking classical wings for the Senate and House of Delegates. These wings were attached to the original Capitol by hyphens, which had staircases that led directly to the halls outside the House and Senate Chambers. The renovations took place 1904-06, at which time, the stucco was revamped on the original Capitol and the completed structure was painted the white color that citizens are accustomed to today.
1785; designed by Thomas Jefferson and based on the model of the Maison Carree an ancient Roman temple at Nîmes France.
center section of Capitol Square
The Capitol was expanded and the wings were added in 1904-06.
1904-06
center section of Capitol Square
The Capitol was expanded and the wings were added in 1904-06.
1904-06
center section of Capitol Square
The Neoclassical building, begun in 1893 and occupied in 1895 as the Commonwealth's first state library building, stands to the east of the Capitol and south of the Executive Mansion. The building was enlarged and then rededicated as the Oliver W. Hill, Sr. (May 1, 1907-August 5, 2007) Building on October 28, 2005, with Oliver Hill attending the ceremony. Today, the Lieutenant Governor and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services have offices in the building.
1893-1895
east section of Capitol Square
The Bell Tower was originally a guardhouse for the Virginia Public Guard, the predecessors of the modern-day Virginia Capitol Police, and a signal tower for emergencies and public meetings. While the tower is architecturally significant, the building is also noteworthy because of its history and its location in Capitol Square. Designed by builder Levi Swain and erected in 1824-25, the square, Neoclassical building has one bay surrounded by blind arches on each side and is topped by an arcaded, octagonal cupola. The brick tower is laid in Flemish bond and accented with Aquia sandstone.
This building replaced an earlier wooden Bell Tower that stood closer to the Capitol. The bell was rung to warn the city of fire and other emergencies. During the Civil War, the bell rang to alert Richmond to events such as the approach of the Federal gunboat Pawnee in April 1861 and again on February 7, 1864, to sound the alarm for Dahlgren’s Raid, a Union Cavalry attack on the Confederate capital of Richmond. It was also used to summon local soldiers to duty.
The original bell was removed prior to 1900 and given to a local fire company. The Bell Tower fell into disuse in the late 19th century, but in the early 20th century, interest in historic preservation prompted its restoration. Today the bell in the tower still calls the Virginia General Assembly into session, as it has since the 1930s. Over the years, the Bell Tower also has served as a gunsmith shop and offices for state employees, including a Lieutenant Governor. The Virginia Tourism Corporation maintains a tourist information center on the tower's first floor, which is open Monday through Friday.
1824-25
southwest section of Capitol Square
(plaque) THE BELL TOWER
THIS TOWER WAS BUILT IN 1824, ON THE SITE OF A FRAME BUILDING. IT LONG SERVED AS A GUARDHOUSE FOR THE STATE GUARD. THE BELL WAS A FIRE ALARM AND WAS ALSO RUNG IN EMERGENCIES. IN 1861–65 IT WAS USED TO CALL OUT LOCAL DEFENDERS, NOTABLY ON APRIL 21, 1861 (PAWNEE SUNDAY) AND ON FEBRUARY 7, 1864
TOWER RESTORED BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
BELL DONATED BY COMMONWEALTH CHAPTER N.S.D.A.R. 1933
As a planned urban park, Capitol Square is one of the oldest in the nation. In 1850, John Notman redesigned Maximilian Godefroy's earlier landscape plan of Capitol Square and added water fountains for focal points. Work on the western dell was completed in the early 1850s and work on the eastern dell was completed in the late 1850s. There are currently three fountains located on the Capitol Grounds. The fountain in the southwest corner in front of the Bell Tower, completed in the 1850s, was replaced in the early 1900s with the current one. This fountain was originally at the home of Westmoreland Davis, former Governor of Virginia. A second fountain is in the southeast area in front of the Washington Building. The fountain in front of the Executive Mansion was installed in the early 1970s; it replaced a sculptural heron fountain. A fourth fountain on the west side of the Capitol was removed when the wings were added in 1904-06.
1850s
various (southwest corner, southeast corner, northeast corner)
As a planned urban park, Capitol Square is one of the oldest in the nation. In 1850, John Notman redesigned Maximilian Godefroy's earlier landscape plan of Capitol Square and added water fountains for focal points. Work on the western dell was completed in the early 1850s and work on the eastern dell was completed in the late 1850s. There are currently three fountains located on the Capitol Grounds. The fountain in the southwest corner in front of the Bell Tower, completed in the 1850s, was replaced in the early 1900s with the current one. This fountain was originally at the home of Westmoreland Davis, former Governor of Virginia. A second fountain is in the southeast area in front of the Washington Building. The fountain in front of the Executive Mansion was installed in the early 1970s; it replaced a sculptural heron fountain. A fourth fountain on the west side of the Capitol was removed when the wings were added in 1904-06.
1850s
various (southwest corner, southeast corner, northeast corner)
The Washington Building, formerly the State Office Building, was dedicated on February 22, 1924. It is 122,980 square feet and is used for state offices. Renovation on the building is scheduled for completion in 2009.
1924
southeast section of Capitol Square
As Capitol Square was being planned in the early 1780s, Capitol Street became its northern edge. This street ran from Ninth Street on the west to Governor Street on the east (3 blocks), parallel to Broad Street. Capitol Street was closed to vehicular traffic in the early 1980s to plant the Colgate Darden Memorial Garden.
Colgate Whitehead Darden, Jr., was born near Franklin in Southampton County, Virginia. He served in World War I as an ambulance driver with the French Army at Verdun and the Argonne. When the United States entered the war, Darden switched to the Navy and then the Marines. He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1930-33); the United States Congress (1933-37, 1939-41); served as Governor of Virginia (1942-46); and was the third president of the University of Virginia (1947-59). He died on June 9, 1981, and the Colgate Whitehead Darden, Jr. Memorial Garden on Capitol Square was dedicated on November 11, 1983.
This garden area includes plantings on the south side of the General Assembly Building and the Patrick Henry Building. Closing the street gave legislators and visitors a walkway between the General Assembly Building (on Ninth Street) and the Capitol.
Capitol Street circa 1809
(Colgate Darden Memorial Garden 1983)
north section of Capitol Square
(plaque) COLGATE W. DARDEN, JR.
(1897-1981)
MEMORIAL GARDEN
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THIS NOTABLE VIRGINIA CITIZEN AND SELFLESS PUBLIC OFFICIAL:
MARINE AVIATOR IN WORLD WAR I
STATE LEGISLATOR
CONGRESSMAN
GOVERNOR DURING WORLD WAR II
CHANCELLOR OF COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY
PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
DELEGATE TO THE UNITED NATIONS
PHILANTHROPIST
INSPIRATIONAL LEADER, AS REFLECTED IN THESE WORDS:
"...THE NOBLE ENDS TOWARD WHICH MEN HAVE TOILED FOR COUNTLESS CENTURIES CONTINUE TO BECKON AND WE CAN SUCCEED IF WE DO NOT LOSE HEART." (FROM 1978 ADDRESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.)
1983
The statue of Harry F. Byrd, Sr., (June 10, 1887-October 20, 1966) stands 10 feet high on a 2-foot high dark marble platform. He is depicted carrying the Federal budget in his left hand, as he was known for his "pay as you go" policies. He served as a U.S. Senator and Governor of Virginia.
1976
north section of Capitol Square
(on plaque in front of statue) HARRY FLOOD BYRD
STATE SENATOR 1916-26 GOVERNOR 1926-30 UNITED STATES SENATOR 1933-65
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA ON MARCH 9, 1974, AUTHORIZE THIS MEMORIAL TO HARRY FLOOD BYRD, OF WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA, DECLARING THAT "THE SUM TOTAL OF THIS ONE LIFE HAS HAD A LARGER AND MORE LASTING EFFECT UPON THE HISTORY AND DESTINY OF VIRGINIA AND HER PEOPLE THAN ANY OTHER IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY; ESTABLISHED PERSONAL INTEGRITY AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AS FIRST PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC LIFE AND PUBLIC SERVICE; AND EXEMPLIFIED THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS ESTABLISHED BY THE OUTSTANDING STATESMEN PRODUCED BY THIS COMMONWEALTH DURING ITS LONG HISTORY."
THIS STATUE, FINANCED ENTIRELY BY PRIVATE DONATIONS, WAS DEDICATED JUNE 10, 1976, AS A PERMANENT MEMORIAL TO SENATOR BYRD AND IN APPRECIATION OF HIS DEVOTION THROUGHOUT A LONG PUBLIC CAREER TO GOVERNMENTAL RESTRAINT AND PROGRAMS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA.
WILLIAM M. MCVEY, SCULPTOR
HARRY FLOOD BYRD MEMORIAL COMMISSION
MILLS E. GODWIN, JR., GOVERNOR
JOHN N. DALTON, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
JOHN WARREN COOKE, SPEAKER, HOUSE OF DELEGATES
E. BLACKBURN MOORE, LESLIE CHEEK, JR., LANGBORNE M. WILLIAMS
Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968), born in Atlanta, Georgia, believed that all people would someday live in a world governed by equality, justice, and peace. After graduating from Morehouse College and completing his Ph.D at Boston University, Dr. King accepted the pastorale of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. A pivotal figure in the Civil Rights Movement, he was a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and in 1955, while president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, accepted the leadership for the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted 382 days. In 1957 he was elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and during the next 11 years Dr. King traveled over six million miles, spoke over 2,500 times, and wrote numerous books and articles. Dr. King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech to over 250,000 people in Washington D.C., conferred with Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, and in 1964 became the youngest man to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
On the evening of April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was to lead a protest march with striking garbage workers, Dr. King was assassinated.
[Source: Nobel Lectures, Peace 1951-1970 Editor Frederick W. Haberman, Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1972.]
2001
north section of Capitol Square
(plaque) OAK TREE PLANTED IN HONOR OF
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL, AUTHOR, NOBEL LAUREATE,
CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER, AND DRUM MAJOR FOR JUSTICE.
DEDICATED BY MRS. CORETTA SCOTT KING, GOV. JAMES S. GILMORE, III
AND THE CITIZENS OF VIRGINIA ON NOVEMBER 14, 2001
William Smith (September 6, 1797-May 18, 1887) twice served as Governor of Virginia, as well as a U.S. Congressman, a state senator, and a general in the Confederate States Army. He earned the nickname "Extra Billy" in 1831 for repeatedly requesting extra compensation as a mail carrier from Washington, D.C. to Milledgeville, Georgia.
The sculpture was unveiled on Memorial Day, May 30, 1906. Sculpted by Frederick William Sievers, from a William Ludwell Sheppard design, it was cast by the foundry of Aubry Brothers & Company. The bronze statue is 7½ feet tall on a 9-foot tall granite base.
1906
north section of Capitol Square
(on front of granite base) WILLIAM SMITH. VIRGINIA.
BORN SEPT 6TH 1797. DIED MAY 18TH 1887.
1836–40. 1841–42.
MEMBER OF VIRGINIA SENATE.
1846–49.
GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA.
1841–43. 1853–61.
MEMBER OF UNITED STATES CONGRESS.
1861–62.
MEMBER OF CONFEDERATE STATES CONGRESS.
1861–62.
COLONEL 49TH VIRGINIA VOLUNTEERS.
1862–63.
BRIG. GENERAL CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
1863–64.
MAJOR GENERAL CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY.
1864–65.
GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA.
(On northwest side of granite base) CALLED FROM THE ARMY TO GUIDE AGAIN THE DESTINIES OF THE COMMONWEALTH DURING 1864–65, HE DISPLAYED SUCH ENERGY, RESOURCE AND UNSHAKEN RESOLUTION, AS DREW TO HIM THE HEART OF THE WHOLE SOUTHERN PEOPLE. TRIED BY BOTH EXTREMES OF FORTUNE HE PROVED EQUAL TO THE TRIAL, AND DIED AS HE HAD LIVED, A VIRGINIAN OF VIRGINIANS.
(On back of granite base) THOUGH PAST THREE SCORE, HE ENTERED THE MILITARY SERVICE AS COLONEL OF VIRGINIA INFANTRY AND ROSE BY SHEER MERIT TO THE RANK OF MAJOR GENERAL. AT FIRST MANASSAS, SEVEN PINES, THE SEVEN DAYS BATTLE, CEDAR MOUNTAIN, SECOND MANASSAS, SHARPSBURG, FREDERICKSBURG, CHANCELLORSVILLE AND GETTYSBURG HIS FIERY YET CHEERFUL COURAGE WAS EVERYWHERE CONSPICUOUS AND THE ONLY FAULT IMPUTED TO HIM BY HIS SUPERIORS WAS "A TOO RECKLESS EXPOSURE OF HIS PERSON." THRICE WOUNDED AT SHARPSBURG, HE REFUSED TO LEAVE THE FIELD, AND REMAINED IN COMMAND OF HIS REGIMENT UNTIL THE END OF THAT SANGUINARY ENGAGEMENT.
(On southeast side of granite base) A MAN OF STRONG CONVICTIONS, BRED IN THE STRICT STATES RIGHTS SCHOOL, HE YIELDED PARAMOUNT ALLEGIANCE TO HIS MOTHER STATE, AND MAINTAINED WITH FEARLESS AND IMPASSIONED ELOQUENCE, IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES THE SOVEREIGNTY OF VIRGINIA. WHEN THE STORM OF WAR BURST, "HIS VOICE WAS IN HIS SWORD".
The statue of General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824-May 10, 1863) is on the north side of the Capitol, between the George Washington Equestrian Monument and the Executive Mansion. It was unveiled on October 26, 1875, before a large crowd, including many veterans who served under General Jackson during the Civil War. Designed by Irish sculptor John Henry Foley, the bronze sculpture was the gift of English gentlemen, in honor of the great Virginia soldier.
1875
northeast section of Capitol Square
PRESENTED BY ENGLISH GENTLEMEN
AS A TRIBUTE OF ADMIRATION FOR
THE SOLDIER AND PATRIOT
THOMAS J. JACKSON,
AND GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED BY VIRGINIA
IN THE NAME OF THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE.
DONE A.D. 1875.
IN THE HUNDREDTH YEAR OF THE COMMONWEALTH.
"LOOK! THERE IS JACKSON STANDING LIKE A STONE WALL."
Dr. Hunter McGuire (October 11, 1835-September 19, 1900) came to Richmond following his military service during the Civil War, where he was medical director for "Stonewall" Jackson's Corps. He went on to distinguish himself in Virginia by establishing a hospital, advocating a new medical college, and later by becoming president of the American Medical and the American Surgical Associations. The Hunter McGuire Memorial Association was formed in November 1900 to erect a memorial to the distinguished doctor on Capitol Square near the monument to his old friend and commander, General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. It was dedicated on Thursday, January 7, 1904.
1904
northeast section of Capitol Square
(front) TO HUNTER HOLMES McGUIRE, M.D., LL.D.,
PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL AND OF THE AMERICAN SURGICAL ASSOCIATIONS; FOUNDER OF THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE; MEDICAL DIRECTOR, JACKSON'S CORPS. ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA; AN EMINENT CIVIL AND MILITARY SURGEON, AND BELOVED PHYSICIAN; AN ABLE TEACHER AND VIGOROUS WRITER, A USEFUL CITIZEN AND BROAD HUMANITARIAN, GIFTED IN MIND AND GENEROUS IN HEART, THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED BY HIS MANY FRIENDS.
(back)
HUNTER HOLMES McGUIRE
BORN OCT. 11, 1835.
DIED SEPT. 19, 1900.
Dedicated in February 2008 and unveiled on July 21, 2008, the Virginia Civil Rights Memorial, an 18-figure sculpture by Stanley Bleifeld, was the first addition to Capitol Square's statuary in 32 years. It is the first statue on the grounds of the historic Capitol to include depictions of blacks and women in prominent roles.
The south side of the memorial pays tribute to Barbara Rose Johns, standing tall and proud, her fellow students, and those families who participated in the 1951 Robert R. Moton High School protest about their separate and unequal educational facilities, with the inscription above: IT SEEMED LIKE REACHING FOR THE MOON. BARBARA JOHNS. The north side of the memorial shows six bronze figures representing the future, with the inscription: THE LEGAL SYSTEM CAN FORCE OPEN DOORS AND SOMETIMES EVEN KNOCK DOWN WALLS. BUT IT CANNOT BUILD BRIDGES. THAT JOB BELONGS TO YOU AND ME. JUSTICE THURGOOD MARSHALL. The west side of the memorial honors Reverend L. Francis Griffin, a nationally recognized leader who fought for equal education. His name is inscribed above his image. The east side of the memorial honors Oliver White Hill, Sr., and Spottswood Robinson III, two civil rights attorneys from Virginia who filed suit in the Federal District Court in Richmond for the immediate integration of Prince Edward County schools Their names are inscribed above their images.
2008
northeast section of Capitol Square
(plaque)
ON APRIL 23, 1951, 16-YEAR-OLD BARBARA JOHNS AND SEVERAL FELLOW STUDENTS LED A STRIKE TO PROTEST THE DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS AT THEIR RACIALLY SEGREGATED PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY SCHOOL. THE REV. L. FRANCIS GRIFFIN UNITED PARENTS IN SUPPORT OF THE STRIKE AND ENCOURAGED THE STUDENTS TO CONTACT NAACP ATTORNEYS OLIVER HILL AND SPOTTSWOOD ROBINSON. THE LAWSUIT THAT FOLLOWED WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE U.S. SUPREME COURT AND JOINED WITH FOUR OTHER CASES AS BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF TOPEKA (1954), IN WHICH THE COURT RULED THAT RACIALLY SEPARATE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS ARE INHERENTLY UNEQUAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
THIS MEMORIAL IS DEDICATED TO THESE VIRGINIANS AND COUNTLESS OTHERS WHO COURAGEOUSLY FOUGHT FOR THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THE NATION AND THIS COMMONWEALTH WERE FOUNDED.
1929 by Jonathan Bryan
north section of Capitol Square - 37°32'23.00" N, 77°26'4.00" W
(south side) ZERO MILESTONE
VIRGINIA HIGHWAYS
(east side) POINT FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF DISTANCES FROM RICHMOND ON HIGHWAYS OF VIRGINIA
(north side) NORTH LATITUDE 37°32'23"
WEST LONGITUDE 77°26'04"
ELEVATION 166.45 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL
(west side) ERECTED A.D. 1929
THE GIFT OF JONATHAN BRYAN
A large equestrian statue of George Washington (February 22, 1732-December 14, 1799) atop a granite pedestal was conceived to honor Washington and to glorify Virginia's contributions to the nation's independence. Virginia's role in the Revolution is depicted by six of her sons surrounding the figure of General Washington, who is dressed in a military uniform. Smaller allegorical figures below the six pedestrian statues are inscribed with themes reflecting each patriot's contribution: Andrew Lewis, Colonial Times; Patrick Henry, Revolution; George Mason, Bill of Rights; Thomas Jefferson, Independence; Thomas Nelson, Jr., Finance; and John Marshall, Justice.
In 1849, the Virginia General Assembly held an architectural competition and selected a design by Thomas Crawford, an American sculptor working in Rome. The design Crawford submitted largely conforms to the completed George Washington Equestrian Monument in place today with its base in the shape of a star fort and the three-tiered pedestal for sculptural figures. The stonework of the base was complete by 1854.
Discussions repeatedly took place to relocate the remains of Washington there, but his heir Bushrod Washington refused the request. The hope of making Capitol Square Washington's last resting place became a symbolic hope, and Crawford's design includes a cenotaph, or symbolic tomb, in the stone base.
Crawford finished the sculptures of Washington, Jefferson, and Henry. He had the George Washington Equestrian statue cast in Munich, Germany shortly before his death in 1857. His American colleague, Randolph Rogers, completed the statues of Mason, Marshall, Nelson, and Lewis, as well as the allegorical figures, the last of which was put into place in 1869.
A United States frigate transported the equestrian figure to Richmond. A group of men and boys hauled the statue to Capitol Square from Rocketts Landing, breaking down a section of fence in the process. Charles Dimmock, an engineer, rigged an ingenious wooden derrick to hoist the statue onto the base, and legend has it he threatened workers at gunpoint when they appeared to be letting go of the rope. The unveiling of the statue was an event of national importance, which took place on Washington's birthday, February 22, 1858. The statue was one of Richmond's most prominent attractions. The Commonwealth erected a cast-iron fence around the base in the 1870s to prevent visitors from climbing on the base. [National Park Service]
1850-69
northwest section of Capitol Square
As a planned urban park, Capitol Square is one of the oldest in the nation. In 1850, John Notman redesigned Maximilian Godefroy's earlier landscape plan of Capitol Square and added water fountains for focal points. Work on the western dell was completed in the early 1850s and work on the eastern dell was completed in the late 1850s. There are currently three fountains located on the Capitol Grounds. The fountain in the southwest corner in front of the Bell Tower, completed in the 1850s, was replaced in the early 1900s with the current one. This fountain was originally at the home of Westmoreland Davis, former Governor of Virginia. A second fountain is in the southeast area in front of the Washington Building. The fountain in front of the Executive Mansion was installed in the early 1970s; it replaced a sculptural heron fountain. A fourth fountain on the west side of the Capitol was removed when the wings were added in 1904-06.
1850s
various (southwest corner, southeast corner, northeast corner)
The Executive Mansion stands just east of the Capitol within the grounds of Capitol Square. Designed by Boston architect Alexander Parris, the Federal-era mansion has been the official residence of Virginia governors and their families since its completion in March 1813. It is the oldest governor's mansion in the nation still being used for its original purpose, and many presidents and foreign dignitaries have been entertained here.
The Executive Mansion is both a Virginia and a National Historic Landmark. An extensive $7 million renovation took place during 1999-2000. The original rooms across the front of the mansion contain most of their original woodwork, plaster cornices, and ornamental ceilings. During the Civil War, the mansion served Governors John Letcher and William Smith as the center of state executive leadership, when Richmond was also the capital of the Confederate States of America.
The Executive Mansion is often the site of a now symbolic tax ceremony between Virginia Indians and the Governor of Virginia that has been held since the 17th century.
The traditional Indian tax-paying ceremony traces its history to a treaty signed on May 29, 1677, between Governor Herbert Jeffreys, Esq., and several Indian leaders representing the Pamunkey, Nansemond, Nottoway, Appomattox, and other tribes. The treaty was signed at Middle Plantation (now Williamsburg) on the birthday of King Charles II, with more than 1,000 English soldiers present.
This 1677 treaty in part required each Indian King and Queen to visit the Governor every March "at the place of his residence, wherever it shall be, and then and there pay the accustomed rent of twentie beaver skins," plus three Indian arrows. [Wiseman, Samuel and Michael Leroy Oberg. Samuel Wiseman's Book Of Record: The Official Account of Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia, 1676–1677. Lexington Books, 2005]
Today, Chiefs of the Pamunkey and Mattaponi tribes honor the spirit of the treaty by bringing wild game and hand-crafted gifts for the Governor and First Lady at their official place of residence in Capitol Square. Each year the Governor observes the spirit of the treaty by hosting a breakfast for Indian dignitaries at the Executive Mansion and by issuing a proclamation affirming the importance of Virginia Indians in the ongoing history of the Commonwealth. Traditional Indian music and dancing are part of the tax ceremony, held each November in honor of American Indian Month.
1813
northeast section of Capitol Square
Designed by Paul-Alexis Sabbaton, the distinctive cast-iron and wrought-iron fence encloses the 12-acre Capitol Square. The main posts represent fasces, a bundle of rods tied around the shaft of an axe, which was used by the ancient Romans to symbolize unity and civic authority. The fasces is also used in the State Seal, the statue of Washington in the Rotunda, and in the painted corners of the Capitol dome.
1818
perimeter of Capitol Square
In 1936, air conditioning was installed in the Capitol. In 1962-64, the Capitol underwent another significant renovation whereby new electrical systems were installed. The hyphen steps were removed, and the exteriors walls were expanded out, creating interior staircases in each wing and additional office space.
In the early 1970s, the General Assembly once again explored methods to further expand office space in the Capitol. A plan was developed that would include six tiers constructed in the hillside in front of the Capitol, with sunken courtyards and an underground garage. Public opposition was strong and by 1972, the plans were abandoned.
In 2003, the Virginia General Assembly appropriated $104.5 million to restore and preserve the Virginia State Capitol and bring it up to 21st-century standards for a working seat of government. Problems of moisture penetration, outdated electrical and plumbing systems (some of them 100 years old), and insufficient space were addressed in a comprehensive plan. In addition, a 27,000-square-foot underground extension beneath the Capitol’s South Lawn was added and is now accessed via a new public entrance on Bank Street. The expansion, which took place from 2004-07, is largely “invisible architecture” in deference to the Classical symmetry of the existing building. Two significant surprises came to light during the Capitol’s restoration. Decorative wall and ceiling paintings done in 1908 were discovered under 24 layers of paint. It was also discovered that some 18th-century woodwork was still in place. The completed Capitol now appears, inside and out, much as it did 100 years ago. 1785; designed by Thomas Jefferson and based on the model of the Maison Carree an ancient Roman temple at Nîmes France.
center section of Capitol Square
Near the Bell Tower is a seated statue of Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809-October 7, 1849). Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Poe was adopted by the John Allan family of Richmond, Virginia, and later attended the University of Virginia. He returned to Richmond in 1835 to edit The Southern Literary Messenger and died in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1849. Poe is depicted holding a tablet in his left hand and a pen in his right, with three books stacked beneath his chair. This bronze figure by Charles Rudy (1904-86) is approximately 5 feet high and sits on a 4-foot pink granite base. [The Museum of Edgar Allan Poe, Richmond, Virginia]
1958
southwest section of Capitol Square
(on front of granite base) EDGAR ALLAN POE
PRESENTED TO THE PEOPLE
OF VIRGINIA
BY GEORGE EDWARD BARKSDALE, M.D.
AND GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED BY THE
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
AS A TRIBUTE OF ADMIRATION FOR POE'S
SCHOLARLY GENIUS AS AN EMINENT
AND VIGOROUS WRITER AND POET
A.D. 1958
(on back of granite base) EDGAR ALLAN POE
1809–1849
1893-95
east section of Capitol Square
The Bell Tower was originally a guardhouse for the Virginia Public Guard, the predecessors of the modern-day Virginia Capitol Police, and a signal tower for emergencies and public meetings. While the tower is architecturally significant, the building is also noteworthy because of its history and its location in Capitol Square. Designed by builder Levi Swain and erected in 1824–25, the square, Neoclassical building has one bay surrounded by blind arches on each side and is topped by an arcaded, octagonal cupola. The brick tower is laid in Flemish bond and accented with Aquia sandstone.
This building replaced an earlier wooden Bell Tower that stood closer to the Capitol. The bell was rung to warn the city of fire and other emergencies. During the Civil War, the bell rang to alert Richmond to events such as the approach of the Federal gunboat Pawnee in April 1861 and again on February 7, 1864, to sound the alarm for Dahlgren’s Raid, a Union Cavalry attack on the Confederate capital of Richmond. It was also used to summon local soldiers to duty.
The original bell was removed prior to 1900 and given to a local fire company. The Bell Tower fell into disuse in the late 19th century, but in the early 20th century, interest in historic preservation prompted its restoration. Today the bell in the tower still calls the Virginia General Assembly into session, as it has since the 1930s. Over the years, the Bell Tower also has served as a gunsmith shop and offices for state employees, including a Lieutenant Governor. The Virginia Tourism Corporation maintains a tourist information center on the tower's first floor, which is open Monday through Friday.
1824-25
southwest section of Capitol Square
(plaque) THE BELL TOWER
THIS TOWER WAS BUILT IN 1824, ON THE SITE OF A FRAME BUILDING. IT LONG SERVED AS A GUARDHOUSE FOR THE STATE GUARD. THE BELL WAS A FIRE ALARM AND WAS ALSO RUNG IN EMERGENCIES. IN 1861–65 IT WAS USED TO CALL OUT LOCAL DEFENDERS, NOTABLY ON APRIL 21, 1861 (PAWNEE SUNDAY) AND ON FEBRUARY 7, 1864
TOWER RESTORED BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA
BELL DONATED BY COMMONWEALTH CHAPTER N.S.D.A.R. 1933
As a planned urban park, Capitol Square is one of the oldest in the nation. In 1850, John Notman redesigned Maximilian Godefroy's earlier landscape plan of Capitol Square and added water fountains for focal points. Work on the western dell was completed in the early 1850s and work on the eastern dell was completed in the late 1850s. There are currently three fountains located on the Capitol Grounds. The fountain in the southwest corner in front of the Bell Tower, completed in the 1850s, was replaced in the early 1900s with the current one. This fountain was originally at the home of Westmoreland Davis, former Governor of Virginia. A second fountain is in the southeast area in front of the Washington Building. The fountain in front of the Executive Mansion was installed in the early 1970s; it replaced a sculptural heron fountain. A fourth fountain on the west side of the Capitol was removed when the wings were added in 1904-06.
1850s
various (southwest corner, southeast corner, northeast corner)
As a planned urban park, Capitol Square is one of the oldest in the nation. In 1850, John Notman redesigned Maximilian Godefroy's earlier landscape plan of Capitol Square and added water fountains for focal points. Work on the western dell was completed in the early 1850s and work on the eastern dell was completed in the late 1850s. There are currently three fountains located on the Capitol Grounds. The fountain in the southwest corner in front of the Bell Tower, completed in the 1850s, was replaced in the early 1900s with the current one. This fountain was originally at the home of Westmoreland Davis, former Governor of Virginia. A second fountain is in the southeast area in front of the Washington Building. The fountain in front of the Executive Mansion was installed in the early 1970s; it replaced a sculptural heron fountain. A fourth fountain on the west side of the Capitol was removed when the wings were added in 1904-06.
1850s
various (southwest corner, southeast corner, northeast corner)
The Washington Building, formerly the State Office Building, was dedicated on February 22, 1924. It is 122,980 square feet and is used for state offices. Renovation on the building is scheduled for completion in 2009.
1924
southeast section of Capitol Square
The Capitol's Visitor Center Entrance is based on the Temperance Temple at Bremo Plantation in Fluvanna County, Virginia. This diminutive temple is actually a springhouse, which was modeled after a prototype in Athens—home of the Parthenon, an early Classical hilltop temple. The new entrance enhances the visitors' experience by providing the best view of the Capitol from the south, the way Thomas Jefferson intended the building to be seen.
2004-07
south section of Capitol Square