As Virginia residents, we needed to visit the Virginia State Capitol.
Telling the kids of my first visit to Richmond in 1989, I described the beautiful statues of our heroes displayed throughout the grounds
The day before I downloaded the Visitor’s Guide, that contains lots of background information.
Many stunning statues on the grounds portray important figures in Virginia and America’s history.
George Washington Equestrian Statue
Most notably General Washington, tops an equestrian statue, beautifully set against the General Assembly building.
Allegorical forms representing the contributions of famous Virginia patriots encircle Washington.
- Andrew Lewis – Frontier
- Patrick Henry – Revolution
- George Mason – Bill of Rights
- Thomas Jefferson – Independence
- Thomas Nelson – Finance
- John Marshall – Justice
Capitol designed by Thomas Jefferson
Designed by Thomas Jefferson, after an ancient Roman temple in Nimes, France called the Maison Caree, Virginia’s capitol sits on the highest point in the area.
This Texas gal forgot how, um, small it was.
Virginia Capitol compared to Texas Capitol
A few years ago we took the kids to the state capitol of Texas which is massive.
In fact, the Texas capitol is even larger than the US Capitol!
While Texas population is 24.8 million, Virginia population is 7.926 million.
Texas has 31 state senators, whereas Virginia has 40 state senators.
Hmmm, Virginia likes their top leadership.
Furthermore, Texas has 150 state representatives, whereas Virginia has 100 delegates.
Hmmm, more representation for the people of Texas.
Personally, I have found keeping in the know about politics in Texas is much easier than in Virginia.
Virginia seems to keep everything a big secret. Hmmm…
Another difference is in the entrances to the capitol. As I recall in Texas we walk right through the doors to a grand hall, where there are always crowds of people to see all the Gilded Age beauty, historic statues, etc.
At the Virginia capitol, hardly anyone was around.
We entered through an underground tunnel that opens into a narrow hallway with low ceilings.
Native exhibit at entrance
Displayed is an exhibit called Beyond Jamestown, where we saw actual wampum of the native dress.
Wow! That is very similar to the costumes I sewed for my daughter and I when we studied Colonial America.
After looking at renderings from Powhattan’s tribe, I designed sewed our costume and she and my son designed the wampum and seashell necklaces.
After walking through lots of narrow hallways, we entered the central portion (more on that in a bit, that is the piece de resistance).
Texan featured in the old House of Delegates Chamber
Entering one of the doors off the central portion, we entered the original rooms for the Senate and House of Delegates.
Beautiful architecture, historically meaningful paintings and statues, and great stories filled the room, small in size.
Guess who I found in the Old General Assembly room?
None other than Sam Houston!
Born in Virginia, General Sam Houston won the war for Texas Independence by capturing Santa Anna.
He became the first president of the newly formed Republic of Texas.
When Texas entered the Union, he was the first Governor of Texas.
So the Texas state capitol has a statue of him, too, as does the US capitol!
Modern General Assembly Room
Then we went to the actual room where the General Assembly meets today.
The architecture is stunning and was recently restored, but smaller and less grand than the one in Texas.
Pages for the representatives
While we were in here, the tour guide explained the job of pages, who run errands for the representatives.
Since my son was the only one there who fit the requirements to be a page, she told him that he need only apply for the job and he could get paid to be a page.
One must be 13 or 14 years of age and be a resident of Virginia. That bit of information left me speechless.
My son wants to be president someday, though I don’t know that I’m wild about that prospect.
Being a page could cure him from politics.
Or it could fire him up to reform it, which is his intent. (He can have quite the Patrick Henry personality.)
Rotunda on the inside
Now we reentered the central portion…which amazingly has a rotunda, although it can only be seen from the inside.
Again, simpler than the Texas rotunda, seen from both outside and inside.
Stunning George Washington Houdon
The piece de resistance is the Houdon of George Washington directly underneath the rotunda.
Designed by the French artist Houdon, the sculptor obviously knew his history!
It tells the story of the American Cincinnatus, a Roman citizen who led his country to victory in time of war, then refused leadership, returning to the plow.
Washington wears his uniform, but his hat is off, representing his military power was temporary.
To further represent his time in the military is an American sword and Roman fasces.
That is the bundle of rods next to him.
In portrayal of his return to the life of a citizen, is the American walking cane in his hand, and the plow behind him.
The visitor’s guide says that his expression is fatherly.
Upon whom does he look? None other than his adoptive son, Lafayette.
Lafayette Houdon across from George Washington Houdon
Eek! Lafayette has a Houdon bust in the Virginia state capitol!
The Virginia General Assembly commissioned that a marble statue of General Washington be made, as well as a marble bust of the Marquis de Lafayette.
In appreciation for all Lafayette did for the Commonwealth of Virginia during the American Revolution, he was made an honorary citizen.
Upon Thomas Jefferson’s recommendation, the French artist Jean-Antoine Houdon won the commission.
He created life masks so the faces would be as true to life as possible.
(There is a great film of the process of this at Mount Vernon.)
The tour guide told us when Lafayette made his Grand Tour of America in 1824, he stood in the capitol, looking upon the statue of General Washington, his adoptive father.
With tears streaming down his face, he said: That is the man.
All of Washington’s contemporaries agreed that this statue was a perfect likeness to the Father of our Country.
Busts displayed in each of the other niches on the wall encircling Washington are of the seven presidents of our country, born in Virginia.
Lafayette in search of a pedestal
The tour guide said the niche Lafayette was in was reserved for the 8th president from Virginia.
My son asked which state he should claim, if he became president.
The tour guide said Texas, since he was born there.
Whew! My son was quite relieved, because he did not want to knock Lafayette from his niche.
I asked the tour guide what would happen to Lafayette if there is an 8th president from Virginia.
She said he used to be on a pedestal, and he would return to his pedestal.
We laughed, because the Lafayette interpreter in Colonial Williamsburg always tells us that his friends say that he is a statue in search of a pedestal.
