The new visitor entrance on Bank Street allows the general public to enter the Virginia State Capitol at street level and provides an area for buses to drop off visitors. The entrance enhances visitors' experiences by providing the best view of the Capitol from the south, the way Thomas Jefferson intended the building to be seen.
From the spring of 2004 to the spring of 2007, the Capitol underwent a restoration and expansion project to prepare the building for ongoing use in the 21st century. Excavation began in October 2004 to make way for a 27,000-square-foot underground extension, containing new facilities for members, employees, and visitors. When the excavation began, tons of earth and rock were removed and over 1,000 sensors were placed throughout the Capitol to detect the slightest movement and ensure the stability of the historic building.
On March 1, 2005, the Capitol was closed to the general public. It reopened on May 1, 2007, in time for a state visit on May 3, 2007, from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.
The completed Capitol restoration and expansion project has made the building more user-friendly for employees, officials, and visitors. The modern design shows respect for the historic building as well as the historic grounds of Capitol Square.
The Capitol's Visitor Center Entrance on Bank Street is based on the Temperance Temple, a springhouse at Bremo Plantation in Fluvanna County, Virginia, which was modeled after an ancient prototype at the Acropolis in Athens.
Extending the Capitol complex underground provided needed space without placing another visible building on Capitol Square. The extension amenities include better accessibility, a gift shop, a café, an exhibition space, state-of-the-art climate systems to reduce moisture and prevent deterioration of artwork and artifacts, enhanced security systems, and improved facilities for the media.
Inside the Bank Street entrance, a bronze Virginia State Seal is set into the floor of the lobby. This Seal was relocated from the first floor of the Capitol during the restoration. A time capsule was placed below it in 2007. Behind the Visitor's Desk is the inscribed quote, "Whenever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government.” (Thomas Jefferson in Paris to Richard Price, 8 January 1789.)
At the curving stairs near the top of the extension, natural light comes through a skylight surrounding another State Seal. This Seal is part of the plaza area (road) located above the Capitol Extension.
Above the curving stairs is the inscribed quote by Thomas Jefferson, "The most sacred of the duties of a government [is] to do equal and impartial justice to all its citizens." (Introductory note by Thomas Jefferson in Destutt de Tracy's A Treatise on Political Economy, Georgetown: Joseph Milligan, 1817.)
Above the curving stairs is the inscribed quote, "The most sacred of the duties of a government [is] to do equal and impartial justice to all its citizens." (Introductory note by Thomas Jefferson in Destutt de Tracy's A Treatise on Political Economy, Georgetown: Joseph Milligan, 1817.)
Extending the Capitol complex underground provided needed space without placing another visible building on Capitol Square.
The light fixtures in the hallway and throughout the Capitol are handcrafted reproductions by Crenshaw Lighting in Floyd County, Virginia, from the original early 20th-century lighting. Period photographs and product catalogues inspired the design of the reproductions. In the formal rooms, the globes in the lighting bases are etched with an image of the dogwood flower, the state flower and state tree, and were made in the Czech Republic.
Upon entering the first floor from the Capitol Extension, the floor material changes from terrazzo with granite steps to white marble tiles and black limestone tiles inlaid with plant and marine animal fossils. The tiles in the hallway were installed during the recent restoration, replacing a similar floor from the 1930s. Most of the other marble and limestone tiles throughout the Virginia State Capitol have been in place for more than a century.
Upon entering the first floor from the extension, the floor material changes from terrazzo with granite steps to white marble tiles and black limestone tiles inlaid with plant and marine animal fossils. The tiles in the Lower Rotunda were installed during the recent restoration, replacing a similar floor from the 1930s. Most of the other marble and limestone tiles throughout the Capitol have been in place for more than a century.
The light fixtures throughout the Capitol are handcrafted reproductions by Crenshaw Lighting in Floyd County, Virginia, from the original early 20th-century lighting. Period photographs and product catalogues inspired the design of the reproductions. In the formal rooms, the globes in the lighting bases are etched with an image of the dogwood flower, the state flower and state tree, and were made in the Czech Republic.
The portrait on the south wall is of Nancy Langhorne, Viscountess Astor, painted by James Gunn. Born in Danville, Virginia, on May 19, 1879, Lady Astor was the first woman member of the British Parliament, elected November 28, 1919, and represented Plymouth, Sutton Division.
The portrait of Lady Astor, dressed in attire that she customarily wore when sitting as a Member of the British Parliament, was presented in 1937 to Governor George C. Peery by a committee representing the ladies of the Commonwealth.
The clock located in the Jefferson Room on the second floor of the Capitol was a gift from Lady Astor.
Upon entering the first floor from the extension, the floor material changes from terrazzo with granite steps to white marble tiles and black limestone tiles inlaid with plant and marine animal fossils. The tiles in the hallways were installed during the recent restoration, replacing a similar floor from the 1930s. Most of the other marble and limestone tiles throughout the Virginia State Capitol have been in place for more than a century.
In Thomas Jefferson's original design of the Capitol Building, the Rotunda was a two-story central space, which he called a "conference room", and included a balcony supported by enormous columns, a large skylight and a space in the center for a marble sculpture of George Washington. Samuel Dobie, the actual builder of the Capitol, adjusted Jefferson's plans by placing the balcony on brackets rather than using columns. While Jefferson made no reference to a dome in his first written description of the Rotunda, a dome was added to the building in 1794, six years after it was first occupied. The 30-foot dome in the Rotunda is directly under an exterior skylight on the gable roof. Whether adding the dome was a later idea of Jefferson's or another modification made by Samuel Dobie remains unknown. The artwork in the four corners of the ceiling near the base of the dome shows alternating depictions of the Virginia State Seal and a Roman 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.
It is known that Jefferson intended for a statue of Washington to be placed in the center of the Rotunda. A magnificent life-size marble statue of George Washington stands under an interior dome in the two-story Rotunda, located in the central portion of the Capitol. In June 1784, the Virginia General Assembly commissioned this statue "of the finest marble and best workmanship" as a tribute to Virginia's most respected citizen-soldier. Governor Benjamin Harrison wrote to Thomas Jefferson, who was serving on a diplomatic mission in Paris, requesting that he engage a sculptor. Jefferson secured the services of Jean-Antoine Houdon, a noted French sculptor. In the fall of 1785, just as Charles-Louis Clérisseau was completing the plans for the Capitol, Houdon insisted on visiting Mount Vernon to study George Washington. During a two-week stay in October 1785, he made a plaster mask of Washington's face, took detailed measurements of his body, and modeled a terra cotta bust. The original terra cotta bust is at Mount Vernon, and the mask is at the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York.
The statue, sculpted in France from fine Carrara marble, bears Houdon's signature and the date 1788. As Virginia's Capitol was under construction when the statue was completed, shipment to America was delayed until the building was ready. In the interim, it was exhibited at the Louvre in Paris. Three cases containing the statue and pedestal were shipped from France in January 1796 and arrived in Richmond in early May. The statue was erected in the Rotunda on May 14, 1796. It still stands on the spot it was placed and has been on nearly continuous display since 1796.
The statue was viewed by many of Washington's contemporaries, all of whom attested that it was a perfect likeness. "The general was received at the capital, built in imitation of the square house of Nimes, and welcomed in a speech by Chief Justice Marshall, in presence of the civil and military officers, and a vast concourse of citizens." (Levasseur, A. Lafayette in America in 1824 and 1825; or Journal of a Voyage to the United States. Translated by John D. Godman, M.D. Philadelphia: Carey and Lea, 1829. Originally published as Lafayette en Amerique, en 1824 et 1825, ou Journal d'Un Voyage aux Etas Unis (Paris: Houdaille et Veniger, 1829).) Lafayette said "the statue was 'a fac similie of Washington's person.'" (McRae, Sherwin. The Houdon Statue, Its History and Value. Senate of Virginia, 1878.)
Dramatic natural lighting on the statue is achieved by the skylights in the Rotunda's ceiling. Houdon's statue alludes to the similarities between Washington and the ancient Roman general Cincinnatus who, when Rome no longer needed him, gave up his military power and returned to the simple life of a farmer. The artist carefully balanced the military and civilian elements of Washington's career: his sword is by his side and he rests his left hand on a fasces, but he carries a civilian walking cane and stands next to a plow. Washington wears his Revolutionary uniform, but his head is uncovered and his facial expression is fatherly. Houdon's monument to America's foremost hero recalls Washington's life as a soldier, statesman, and private citizen.
The Houdon statue holds great importance because it is the authoritative likeness of Washington, and no other castings and measurements were taken of him. Many artists wished to make casts and moldings from the statue. There were a total of thirty-three replicas produced of the Houdon statue, each of which caused some damage to the original. As a result, in 1910, the Virginia General Assembly passed a bill banning any future castings from the Houdon statue. In addition to the damage caused by repeated castings, according to an 1866 newspaper story, the statue was damaged in a pistol duel that caused some cracking of Washington's cane and tassel.
In 1784, the Virginia General Assembly commissioned a marble bust of the Marquis de Lafayette with the intent that it would be placed in the new Capitol as a symbol of public virtue from the Old and the New Worlds. The bust was also done from life by Jean-Antoine Houdon. Lafayette was voted a citizen of Virginia by an Act of Assembly in 1785 for his valuable services on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia during the American Revolution. His bust was received from France in 1789.
In 1930, the Virginia General Assembly authorized the placing of seven marble busts in the Rotunda as a Virginia "Hall of Presidents." (Virginia is known as the "Mother of Presidents" with eight of her sons, including Washington, serving in that office.) Jefferson's bust, a copy by Attilio Piccirilli of an original done from life by Houdon, was the gift of a group of French citizens; the other busts were gifts from Virginia citizens. The busts depict: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, Woodrow Wilson, and the Marquis de Lafayette.
Thomas Jefferson once wrote that "architecture is my delight." After the American Revolution, Virginians turned to Jefferson to design a new Virginia State Capitol, combining "economy with elegance and utility." Jefferson designed the Capitol to be "a temple of sovereignty." He hoped to impress foreign visitors with its timeless beauty, raise Virginia's reputation in the eyes of the world, and inspire the citizens of Virginia.
Jefferson recommended the Shockoe hilltop location, chose the Classical temple form, and arranged the interior floor plans to accommodate the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Virginia's new "Commonwealth" government. Prior to the addition of the Portico steps in 1906, the entire southern front of the Capitol was one large room with a small anteroom, which first held the Supreme Court of Appeals and then was used as the Senate Chamber. Once the steps were installed, a central hallway was created, dividing the space into what is now the Old Senate Chamber and the Jefferson Room.
Paying homage to Thomas Jefferson, the Jefferson Room contains a large, full-length portrait painted by George Catlin, who copied an original portrait by Thomas Sully on exhibit at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Also on display is a plaster model of Jefferson's original 1785-86 architectural design for the new Virginia State Capitol commissioned from Jean-Pierre Fouquet (1752-1829), one of the most accomplished artisans working in the French architectural model-making tradition of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The model for the Virginia State Capitol is his earliest work still in existence. Fouquet's model, constructed of plaster of Paris at a scale of 1:60, or one inch to every five feet, and reinforced with internal iron rods, displayed the architectural details with precision. Jefferson described Fouquet as "an artist who had been employed by the Ambassador of France to Constantinople, in making models of the most celebrated remains of ancient architecture in that country."
The plaster model for the Capitol arrived in Richmond in late 1786. Jefferson intended to provide "models of the front and side" in "plaister of Paris" along with the drawings of his design prepared by Charles-Louis Clérisseau. Jefferson justified the additional expense of the model by proclaiming it "absolutely necessary for the guide of workmen not very expert in their art." One side of the model shows varying paint colors. It is believed that each time the Capitol received a new color scheme, the model was painted to match. The stucco of the actual Capitol Building has been repaired and replaced over the years. Consequently, the model bears the most comprehensive history of the paint changes of the Capitol Building itself. The second model of the Capitol is a reproduction of the Fouquet model made by Colonial Williamsburg conservators in 2000-03.
A painting of George Mason (1725-92) is on the wall behind the Fouquet model. George Mason wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights in May 1776. The U.S. Bill of Rights is based on this document. He also served as a Virginia delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787.
Two contemporaries of Jefferson are depicted in the paintings on the north and east walls of the room: George Rogers Clark (November 19, 1752-February 13, 1818) and John Randolph of Roanoke (June 2, 1773-May 24, 1833). Born in Albemarle County, Virginia, George Rogers Clark, brother of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, was a prominent Virginia military leader on the northwest frontier during the American Revolution. He was commissioned as Lt. Colonel of Virginia Forces by Governor Patrick Henry and served as Colonel Commander of the Virginia troops in 1778. John Randolph of Roanoke Plantation served as a U.S. Senator and was also a cousin of Thomas Jefferson. Randolph was a member of the Virginia Constitutional Convention held in Richmond in 1829. He is buried at Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. Randolph's painting was a gift from Harmanus Bleeker.
A copy of the Declaration of Independence of the United States hangs on the center of the east wall. This copy is almost identical to the original document in word and signatures, but the font and blocking, especially at top, were reformatted to be more of a framed presentation piece. This enlarged 1818 version was produced for sale to the general public to place on display in their homes. Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe each acquired one.
On the south wall is the Lady Astor clock (1750-1760s), which is still in working condition. Also referred to as an "Act of Parliament" clock, tavern clock, or coaching inn clock, this 18th-century English dial clock was a gift to the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1947 by Nancy Langhorne, Viscountess Astor (May 19, 1879-May 2, 1964). Born Nancy Witcher Langhorne in Danville, Virginia, she married William Waldorf Astor, heir to one of the largest American fortunes of the early 20th century. The Astors lived exclusively in England, and in 1919 she became the first woman to sit in the British Parliament, where she remained in office until 1945. Never forgetting her Virginia roots, Lady Astor made several gifts to her home state prior to her death. Her portrait, by James Gunn, is located in the Lower Rotunda of the Capitol.
In 1797, Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger introduced a five-shilling duty on all clocks in Great Britain, except those exhibited in public places and those with a 24-inch or larger dial. This tax induced many people to get rid of their personal timepieces and to rely on public clocks such as those in taverns and coaching inns. The tax was unpopular and had such an adverse effect on the British clock and watch trade and their suppliers that it was promptly repealed. Evidence indicates that this wall case clock form existed much earlier in the century and has continued in popularity to the current day.
A painting of Virginia native Henry Clay (April 12, 1777-June 29, 1852), another of Jefferson's contemporaries, hangs on the west wall. The painting by Edward Peticolas (1793-1853) is a copy of the original, 1843 painting by John Neagle, which is now housed at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Though born in Virginia, Clay represented Kentucky when he served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and as a member of the U.S. Senate. He also served as U.S. Secretary of State.
The room contains original woodwork and Federal-style draperies. When the Capitol was restored in 2004-07, the decision was made to use the original 1908 colors. An exception is the color of the wall above the chair rail. It was considered "too mint" in color and a pale yellow was chosen because of its use throughout other areas of the Capitol.
Prior to the addition of the Portico steps in 1906, the entire southern front of the Capitol was one large room with a small anteroom. Once the steps were installed, a central hallway was created, dividing the space into what is now the Old Senate Chamber and the Jefferson Room.
The Old Senate Chamber served for more than 50 years as the meeting place for the Supreme Court of Appeals, precursor to the present-day Supreme Court of Virginia. Around 1840, the room was converted for use by the Senate. During the Civil War, the room was remodeled to serve as the "Hall of Congress" for Confederate legislators. The Senate returned to the Chamber in 1865 and held its last session here in 1904. The Old Senate Chamber is now used for occasional committee meetings.
The room contains original woodwork and Federal-style draperies. When the Capitol was restored in 2004-07, the decision was made to use the original 1908 colors. An exception is the color of the wall above the chair rail. It was considered "too mint" and a pale yellow was chosen because of its use throughout other areas of the Capitol.In contrast to the Old Hall of the House of Delegates, the Old Senate Chamber contains paintings rather than statuary:
A portrait of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (1874-1960) hangs on the south wall. American painter Fred W. Wright created this painting from a 1947 portrait done from life by the English artist Frank O. Salisbury. In 1942, Senate Joint Resolution No. 10 made John D. Rockefeller, Jr., an honorary citizen of Virginia, due in large part to his generous philanthropy to restore Colonial Williamsburg. The painting was dedicated on February 22, 1962.
The paintings on the west wall are of Captain John Smith, a leader of the 1607 English settlement of Virginia, and Chief Powhatan's daughter Matoaka, whom Smith nicknamed "Pocahontas." The Pocahontas painting is a large, oval, oil-on-canvas portrait in a Louis XV-style gold gilt frame and is on loan from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. This painting is by an unknown artist in the style of Thomas Sully.
Storming of a British Redoubt by American Troops at Yorktown, the oversized painting on the north wall by the French artist Eugène Louis Lami, shows an American attack on a British redoubt at Yorktown in October 1781. That same month British General Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington and the Colonies won independence on the fields of Virginia. The painting was a gift to the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1878 from Virginia-born philanthropist William Corcoran.
The Arrival of the First Permanent English Settlers off Jamestown Island, May 13, 1607, painted by Griffith Baily Coale in 1949, was authorized by the Virginia General Assembly with public funds to pay tribute to the 104 settlers who established the first permanent English settlement in the New World. The painting depicts the three ships, Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery, bringing the first settlers to Virginia in May 1607 to establish the colony at Jamestown. The 174-year historical journey from Jamestown to Yorktown transformed Virginia from a colony into a Commonwealth. "Commonwealth" refers to a form of government which relies on the consent of its citizens rather than the power of an absolute monarch.
The Old Hall of the House of Delegates, also called the Old House Chamber, is located off the north end of the Rotunda. It is the largest room in Thomas Jefferson's original Capitol building, measuring 76 feet long. A dramatic coved ceiling, projecting cornices, and carved interior woodwork reflect the building's Roman Classicism.
From 1788 to 1904, the Old Hall of the House of Delegates was the meeting place of the Virginia House of Delegates. Delegates assembled here in rows of seats arranged around the Speaker's chair. As there was no other large meeting hall in the area, the room was also used for community events and church services in its early years, with Episcopal and Presbyterian congregations meeting on alternate Sundays.
The room has also been the setting for many historic events. It was here, in 1807, that Aaron Burr was acquitted of treason in a federal trial presided over by John Marshall, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. The Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1830 held part of its sessions here, as did the Constitutional Conventions of 1850-51, 1868-69, and 1901-02. The Virginia Secession Convention of 1861 met here during part of its first Session. It was also a meeting place for the Provisional Confederate Congress. The room was restored in 1929 to reflect its mid-19th-century appearance.
The Old Hall is filled with numerous pieces of historically important statuary. Most striking is the larger-than-life bronze statue of General Robert E. Lee by Rudulph Evans. The statue stands where Lee stood on April 23, 1861, when, at the age of 54, he accepted command of the armed forces of Virginia from Governor John Letcher.
Continuing around the room in a clockwise direction is the bust of Joseph E. Johnston (February 3, 1807-March 21, 1891) - Brigadier General USA, and General CSA (Edward V. Valentine, sculptor; after the original from life in the Valentine Museum). In the niche to the right is the bust of Alexander H. Stephens (1812-83) of Georgia. Although not a Virginian, he served as Vice President of the Confederate States of America (1861-65) and presided over sessions of the Confederate Senate held in this Capitol. To the right of Stephens is Fitzhugh Lee (1835-1905), former Governor of Virginia and the nephew of Robert E. Lee.
A bust of Rockbridge County, Virginia, native Cyrus Hall McCormick (1809-84), inventor of the grain reaper, is along the center of the west wall.
In the northwest corner is a bust of Sam Houston (1793-1863), a Rockbridge County native and second President of the Republic of Texas. (Texas State Library and Archives Commission exhibit: Triumph and Tragedy Presidents of the Republic of Texas and Sam Houston, by James L. Haley. University of Oklahoma Press, 2002.) Against the north wall is the bust of Richard Henry Lee (January 20, 1732-June 19, 1794), who was a U.S. Senator from Virginia and the 14th President of the Continental Congress.
The tall chair (with decorative point) is the original Victorian-style Speaker's chair used in the Old Hall of the House of Delegates from the mid-1880s until 1904, when the Virginia State Capitol was closed for renovation and two new wings were added for use as the House of Delegates and Senate Chambers.
On the wall behind the Speaker's chair is a plaque recognizing Thomas S. Bocock for his service as Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Confederate States of America, which met on the second floor of the Capitol from 1862-65.
A bust of George Mason (December 11, 1725-October 7, 1792), author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, is next to the plaque listing the PRESIDENTS OF VIRGINIA CONVENTIONS HELD IN THIS HALL.
The bust of Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774-October 11, 1809) was dedicated on August 18, 2008. Best known as the co-leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Lewis was educated by Parson Matthew Maury, an uncle of Matthew Fontaine Maury. He also served as Private Secretary to President Thomas Jefferson and as Governor of the Louisiana Territory.
The current House of Delegates mace, a ceremonial object symbolizing power and authority, is housed in a display case in the center of the room. It weighs approximately 10 pounds and is sterling silver with a 24-karat gold finish. Each day when the House is in session, the Sergeant at Arms carries the mace to the House Chamber where it is displayed in the front of the Speaker's podium until the House adjourns for the day. Today the mace is a symbol of the important political and legal traditions shared by the Commonwealth of Virginia and Great Britain.
The tall chair on a platform behind the House of Delegates mace is a 1962 reproduction of the House of Delegates Speaker's chair dating from the mid-1700s and originally used by the Virginia House of Burgesses in the colonial Capitol at Williamsburg. The original chair was brought to Richmond around 1780 and used for nearly a century by Speakers of the House of Delegates. The original chair was loaned by the Commonwealth of Virginia to Colonial Williamsburg in 1930. The accurate copy of the Speaker's chair, which is now on display here, was made by Johannas Heuval, a Colonial Williamsburg master cabinetmaker, and presented to the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1964.
A plaque on the wall lists the Speakers of the House of Delegates who served in this Hall. The tall chair near the plaque remains a mystery. It is an antique chair from the Gilded Age associated with the Virginia State Capitol, but its specific earlier function is not presently known.
Beside the replica of the Speaker's chair is a bust of John Marshall (September 24, 1755-July 6, 1835), fourth Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Marshall also served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia and served as Secretary of State under President John Adams. As a young man, Marshall worked as a lawyer and later represented Henrico County in the House of Delegates from 1784-87. [http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whoweare/exhibits/marshall/] A plaque notes Marshall presided over Aaron Burr's treason trial.
To the right of the plaque is a bust of Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736-June 6, 1799). Known for his "Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death!" speech, Henry was the first elected Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, served three terms as governor, from 1776 to 1779, and was elected for two more terms from 1784 to 1786. [Red Hill, Patrick Henry National Memorial, Brookneal, Virginia.]
In the northeast corner is the bust of George Wythe (1726-1806). Wythe was the first Virginia signer of the Declaration of Independence, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, helped design the Seal of Virginia, and the first law professor in the nation at the College of William and Mary. Some of his students included Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Marshall. Henry Clay worked for Wythe as a young law clerk. [Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.]
To the right of Wythe is the bust of Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824-May 10, 1863). Jackson is known as one of Virginia's most gifted tactical commanders and served as a corps commander in the Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee. As Jackson lay dying, General Robert E. Lee sent a message to Jackson through Chaplain Lacy, saying "Give General Jackson my affectionate regards, and say to him: he has lost his left arm but I my right." [Stonewall Jackson: The Man, The Soldier, The Legend, Dr. James I. Robertson. MacMillan Publishing, 1997, p. 746.]
James Ewell Brown "J.E.B." Stuart (February 6, 1833-May 12, 1864) served as a general in the Confederate States Army during the Civil War until mortally wounded in May of 1864. His hard work as a Cavalry leader made him the eyes and ears of Robert E. Lee's army.
A plaque commemorating the Capitol Disaster of 1870 is on the south wall and reads:
CAPITOL DISASTER THIS TABLET WAS ERECTED UNDER AN ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA, APPROVED MARCH 16, 1918 - TO MARK THE SCENE OF THE CAPITOL DISASTER WHICH OCCURRED ON APRIL 27, 1870, WHEN THE FLOOR OF THE COURT ROOM OF THE SUPREME COURT OF APPEALS WHICH WAS THEN ABOVE THIS HALL FELL, RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF SIXTY-TWO AND THE INJURING OF TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY-ONE OTHER PERSONS.
THE FALLING OF THE COURT ROOM WAS OCCASIONED BY THE ATTENDANCE OF AN UNUSUAL NUMBER OF PERSONS ASSEMBLED TO HEAR THE DECISION OF THE COURT IN THE CASE OF ELLYSON VS. CAHOON, KNOWN AS THE RICHMOND MAYORALTY CASE. REPORTED IN XIX GRATTAN, PAGE 673.
The Richmond Mayoralty case was an ongoing case to determine the mayor of Richmond. George Cahoon was appointed mayor by the military governor, while Henry K. Ellyson was elected by the people. On Wednesday, April 27, a large crowd was in attendance to hear the verdict of the Supreme Court of Appeals, which ruled in favor of Ellyson.
According to a report published in Harper's Weekly [May 14, 1870], a few years prior to the disaster, it had been noted that additional offices were needed in the Capitol. Thus, a second story was added over the Old Hall of the House of Delegates, as the ceilings are extremely high. Following this addition, pillars in the Old Hall of the House of Delegates were removed to improve its appearance, which weakened the support of the floor.
While the reported removal of the support beams is not certain, as early as 1834, the Superintendent of Public Buildings had reported that the floor sagged due to the extreme length of the floor joists. Unfortunately, no action was taken to correct the problem. On the day of the disaster, around eleven o'clock, the clerk of the court had just entered and placed his books on the table. One judge was in his seat and counsel, reporters, and spectators filled the space. Without warning, beams snapped and the floor of the gallery fell. The scene was terrible. Some survivors hung from window sills and a mantelpiece until they were rescued. The room was filled with dust and plaster. Firemen raised ladders to the windows of the Old Hall of the House of Delegates. The bodies of the dead and wounded were passed through the windows and laid under trees in Capitol Square. News of the disaster was reported around the world.
After the Capitol disaster, many felt the Capitol building should be replaced. "Were it not for Ballard T. Edwards, there might have not been a Jefferson-designed statehouse to renovate." (Jeff E. Shapiro "A New Old Capitol: Thomas Jefferson's Virginia Capitol is looking better than ever." State Legislatures July/August 2007: 69.) Edwards, a contractor and an African-American Republican member of the House of Delegates in 1870, convinced lawmakers that restoring the Capitol would cost far less than replacing it. Edwards also argued that the Capitol needed to be preserved because it was a symbol of Virginia's relationship with Thomas Jefferson. After much debate, funds were approved for the needed repairs of the Old Hall of the House of Delegates in February 1872. During the repairs, the House of Delegates met in the old Sycamore Church, located directly behind the Capitol on 11th Street between Broad and Marshall streets.
In the niche above the Capitol disaster plaque is a bust of Jefferson Davis (June 3, 1808-December 6, 1889). Davis served as President of the Confederate States of America from 1861 to 1865 and gave an inaugural address in Capitol Square on February 22, 1862.
Near the door is the bust of Matthew Fontaine Maury (January 14, 1806-February 1, 1873). Born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, he was a U.S. naval officer, pioneer hydrographer, and one of the founders of oceanography. He was nicknamed "Pathfinder of the Seas" and "Father of Modern Oceanography and Naval Meteorology." (Diane Fontaine Maury Corbin A Life of Matthew Fontaine Maury, London: Sampson Low, Marstan, Searle, & Rivington, 1888.)
The House of Delegates first met in its Chamber, or East Wing, in 1906 following completion of the Capitol wings designed by John K. Peebles. The House is comprised of 100 members (delegates), who are elected every two years. The Speaker of the House presides from the upper dais at the front of the Chamber. The Clerk of the House and the Clerk's staff work at the podium and lower desk. Both the Speaker and the Clerk are elected by House members for two-year terms.
Delegates sit at desks facing the Speaker. The Clerk of the House of Delegates assigns the members seating following an election. Members are traditionally seated by party affiliation and seniority.
House pages, students between 13 and 14 years of age, are appointed by the Speaker. They occupy the front benches and run errands for the Delegates, the Clerk of the House, and staff members.
Joint Sessions of the Virginia General Assembly meet in the House of Delegates Chamber. Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, both honorary citizens of Virginia, have addressed Joint Sessions of the Virginia General Assembly. In May 2007, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain addressed the Virginia General Assembly and other dignitaries in the House of Delegates Chamber. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness Prince Philip sat at the dais in chairs that now reside along the back wall in the House of Delegates Chamber. Each chair has a brass plate indicating which member of the Royal Family sat there.
To the left of the dais is a plaque of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom written by Thomas Jefferson. Dedicated on January 16, 1986, it was formally accepted by Governor Gerald L. Baliles. U.S. Senator John Warner was present at the dedication and relayed greetings from the President of the United States.
In 1916, a plaque to honor Nathaniel Bacon, who believed in governing by the consent of the people, was placed behind the dais in the Chamber by the Society of the Colonial Dames of America, an association that promotes national heritage.
The current House of Delegates mace is a ceremonial symbol of authority, weighs approximately 10 pounds, and is solid silver with a 24-karat gold finish. It is a successor to the mace presented to the Virginia House of Burgesses by the Royal Governor in 1700.
The skylight is an original feature of this room. Although it was covered up by the installation of an air-conditioning system in the 1960s, it was restored during the 2004-07 renovation.
The 1908 paint scheme in the Chambers was discovered after more than 20 layers of paint had been removed. Each layer of paint was examined under a microscope to determine its age. All paint layers were painstakingly catalogued throughout this process. Looking up at the ceiling in the House of Delegates Chamber, the public can view an exposed area where paint layers were removed to expose the original 1908 paint scheme of both Chambers.
The original 1908 faux damask panels were painted on canvas which was then applied to the wall. During the 2004-07 restoration, several attempts were made to uncover remnants of the panels, but it was not until a large plaque was removed from the back wall of the House of Delegates Chamber that an intact piece of canvas painted in the damask pattern was revealed. The panels were found to be red. This original panel also gave the painters clues as to how it was originally produced.
The gold color used to accentuate the architectural elements throughout the Chamber is not gold leaf. It is "Dutch metal," a substitute for gold leaf that is applied in a similar manner and achieves similar aesthetic results at a fraction of the cost.
To the right of the dais is a bas relief (or portrait relief) of Lila Meade Valentine (1865-1921). She was one of the founders of and the first President of the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia. (Marjorie Spruill Wheeler. New Women of the New South New York: Oxford University Press, 1993.) Senate Joint Resolution 1926 provided for this plaque "in recognition of her sacrificial services in behalf of the cause of woman suffrage." Her marble relief, by Harriet Frishmuth, was dedicated and unveiled in the Old Hall of the House of Delegates on October 20, 1936. Governor George C. Peery and Lady Astor, a Virginian who was the first woman member of the British Parliament, were among those who paid tribute at the ceremony.
The chairs that line the walls in the back of the Chamber are upholstered in two different types of fabric. Those with the thin vertical stripes are primarily used by staff and special guests. The chairs with the star pattern are primarily used by the press.
There are five wall-mounted, robotic cameras that capture the action on the House of Delegates floor. A team from WCVE public television controls the cameras and produces the broadcast each Session day. The feed is sent to the press in the press rooms located in the Capitol Extension and General Assembly Building. The video feed is also sent throughout the Capitol complex via a closed circuit television system.
On the walls on each side of the dais in the Chamber are the electronic voting boards. The top third of each board is used to display the video broadcast of the House of Delegates Session. The Virginia House of Delegates was the nation's first legislative body to install a wired voting system when it installed an electronic model in 1942.
The Virginia General Assembly meets annually in the Virginia State Capitol for the purpose of acting on legislation. The Session begins on the second Wednesday in January, and meets for 60 days in even-numbered years and for 30 days in odd-numbered years.
In 1906, the Virginia General Assembly appropriated $8,000 and asked then First Lady of Virginia, Mrs. Elizabeth Lyons Swanson, to assist in decorating the Virginia State Capitol, including the Senate and House Chambers. The 2004-07 restoration used Mrs. Swanson's color designs as its template.
The 1908 paint schemes in the House of Delegates and Senate Chambers were identical in color, but by the 1980s the primary color used in the House of Delegates Chamber was blue and the Senate Chamber was red. With this in mind, the 2007 restoration incorporated the colors into each Chamber's fabrics, carpets, and window treatments in areas where there was no evidence of previous color selection.
Photographs from the era did not have the resolution required to duplicate the details in the original carpet, therefore the new carpet in the Chambers is a close reproduction of the original with the seams handstitched together during the installation.
The light fixtures in the Chambers and throughout the Capitol are reproductions of turn-of-the-20th-century lighting, photographs and product catalogues inspired the design of the reproductions, and Crenshaw Lighting, located in Floyd County, Virginia, handcrafted the fixtures. The globes in the sconces are etched with an image of the dogwood flower, the state flower and state tree, and were made in the Czech Republic.
The Senate first met in its Chamber, or West Wing, in 1906 following the completion of the Capitol wings designed by John K. Peebles. The Senate is comprised of 40 members, who are elected every four years. The Lieutenant Governor, the President of the Senate, is elected to a four-year term in a statewide election. The Lieutenant Governor presides from the upper dais at the front of the Chamber. The Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk's staff work at the podium and lower desk. The Clerk is elected by the Senate members for a four-year term.
Senators sit at desks facing the President of the Senate. The Clerk of the Senate assigns each Senator a desk according to seniority, pursuant to the Rules of the Senate. Democrats are generally on the north side of the center aisle and Republicans on the south side.
Senate pages, students between 13 and 14 years of age, are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, the Senators, and the Clerk. They occupy the front and side benches and run errands for the Senators, the Clerk of the Senate, and staff members.
The Senators' desks are original to the room, dating to 1906. They were ordered from a catalog, but did not arrive for the start of the Senate Session on January 10, 1906. Senators sat in a semicircle of chairs until the desks arrived. The desks were restored to their 1906 appearance by furniture conservators who created the shellac by hand, using materials that would have been used for this purpose in that time period.
The Signers Tablet behind the dais commemorates the Virginians who signed the Declaration of Independence. It was presented to the Senate by the Virginia Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1922. The Virginia signers were George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, and Carter Braxton.
The Senate Seal was designed by Her Majesty's College of Arms in London, England, and presented to the Senate on January 22, 1981. It is displayed on the front of the Clerk's desk and on the Senators' chairs and desk blotters.
The original 1908 faux damask panels were painted on canvas, which was then applied to the wall. During the 2004-07 restoration, several attempts were made to uncover remnants of the panels, but it was not until a large plaque was removed from the back wall of the House of Delegates Chamber that an intact piece of canvas painted in the damask pattern was revealed. The panels were found to be red. This original panel also gave the painters clues as to how it was originally produced.
The gold color used to accentuate the architectural elements throughout the Chamber is not gold leaf. It is "Dutch metal," a substitute for gold leaf that is applied in a similar manner and achieves similar aesthetic results at a fraction of the cost.
The tables in the front of the Chamber are reserved for members of the press.
Portraits around the walls of the Chamber are those of former Lieutenant Governors. Prior to the 2004-07 restoration, plaques and portraits lined the walls of the Chamber in the areas where the 1908 damask panels are located. In deference to the work of the restoration artists, the plaques and portraits that would have hung there were relocated to the outside hallway.
The clock is an electronic replacement of a mahogany timepiece that was placed in the Chamber in 1906 by Colonel Joseph Button, Clerk of the Senate.
The five wall-mounted, robotic cameras capture the action on the Senate floor.
A conference room and a members lounge are located adjacent to the Chamber. The Clerk of the Senate's Office is located on the third floor of the Capitol. Prior to 2007, it was located in an anteroom of the Chamber.
The skylight is an original feature of this room. Although it was covered up by the installation of an air-conditioning system in the 1960s, it was restored during the 2004-07 renovation.
The Senate Gallery seats approximately 99 people and is open to the public when the Senate is in Session. The benches in the gallery are original to the room, dating back to 1906. They were restored in 2007.
The Virginia General Assembly meets annually in the Virginia State Capitol for the purpose of acting on legislation. The Regular Session begins on the second Wednesday in January, and meets for 60 days in even-numbered years and for 30 days in odd-numbered years.
In 1906, the Virginia General Assembly appropriated $8,000 and asked then First Lady of Virginia, Mrs. Elizabeth Lyons Swanson, to assist in decorating the Virginia State Capitol, including the Senate and House Chambers. The 2004-07 restoration used Mrs. Swanson's color designs as its template.
The 1908 paint schemes in the House of Delegates and Senate Chambers were identical in color, but by the 1980s the primary color used in the House of Delegates Chamber was blue and the Senate Chamber was red. With this in mind, the 2004-07 restoration incorporated the colors into each Chamber's fabrics, carpets, and window treatments in areas where there was no evidence of previous color selection.
The 1908 paint scheme in the Chambers was discovered after more than 20 layers of paint had been removed. Each layer of paint was examined under a microscope to determine its age. All paint layers were painstakingly catalogued throughout this process. Looking up at the ceiling in the House of Delegates Chamber, the public can view an area where paint layers were removed to expose the original 1908 paint scheme.
Photographs from the era did not have the resolution required to duplicate the details in the original carpet, therefore the new carpet in the Chambers is a close reproduction of the original with the seams handstitched together during the installation.
The light fixtures in the Chambers and throughout the Capitol are reproductions of turn-of-the-20th-century lighting. Period photographs and product catalogues inspired the design of the reproductions, and Crenshaw Lighting, located in Floyd County, Virginia, handcrafted the fixtures. The globes in the sconces are etched with an image of the dogwood flower, the state flower and state tree, and were made in the Czech Republic.
Visitors can see the original doorframe to the Capitol Rotunda in the wall opposite the entrance to the Gallery.
Visitors can see the original doorframe to the Capitol Rotunda in the wall opposite the entrance to the Gallery.
The fourth floor of the Virginia State Capitol is not open to the general public. For much of the 19th century, the State Archives were housed in the "attic" of the Capitol. From 1962-64, renovations were made to improve the functionality of this floor. Various offices have occupied this space since that time, including the House Appropriations Committee, the Department of Planning and Budget's Capitol Outlay section, the Director and Assistant Director of the Budget, the Allotment Secretary, and the Governor's television room. Since the completion of the 2004-07 renovations, the fourth floor has been occupied by the House of Delegates Indexing and Enrolling and Journal and Records staff offices.