AT THE CAPITOL
Texas history
TEXAS HISTORY First built in the 1800s, the iconic state Capitol has a storied past. 1839 Austin is established as the capital of the Republic of Texas. A log cabin served as the capitol building. 1853 A limestone building for the Capitol is built at Capitol Square, near the present-day Confederate Soldiers Monument. 1875 Construction is paid for in exchange for 3 million acres of public land in the Panhandle. 1881 The old limestone capitol catches re on Nov. 9, 1881. 1880 Detroit architect Elijah E. Meyers designs the new Capitol. 1882 Over 188,000 cubic feet of sunset red granite is donated for the Capitol building. 1885 The rst 12,000-pound cornerstone is laid on March 2, 1885. 1888 Over 20,000 people attend weeklong festivities to celebrate the Capitol dedication. 1983 A re breaks out on the east side and causes extensive damage. 1991 Workers restore the building’s exterior, including the metal dome and granite. 1992 Interior restorations occur, aiming to preserve the original architecture. 1993 The four-story Capitol Extension, which is almost entirely underground, opens. SOURCE: TEXAS STATE PRESERVATION BOARD COMMUNITY IMPACT 1995 The Capitol Restoration is completed. Smaller restoration projects have been completed since.
Fires, granite and a goddess: The rich history of the Texas State Capitol
BY HANNAH NORTON
The Texas State Capitol is known for its distinct pink exterior—but it is not actually pink. The Capitol is made of sunset red granite, which comes from Granite Mountain in nearby Marble Falls. When the small, original Capitol caught re in 1881, a team of contractors, led by Detroit architect Elijah E. Myers, was already working on the plans for a new statehouse. Contractors originally planned to use creamy white limestone from Convict Hill in South Austin, but found it oxidized when exposed to the air, resulting in discoloration, according to the Texas State Preservation Board. Local inmates and workers from Scotland transported over 188,000 cubic feet of granite from Granite Mountain, according to the SPB and the Texas State Historical Association. Sunset red granite was used to build the Galveston Seawall and state o ce buildings near the Capitol. A storied history The rst cornerstone in the con- struction of the Capitol was laid in 1885. The building was completed three years later. Atop the Capitol is the Goddess of Liberty. The nearly 16-foot-tall statue was likely modeled after Pallas Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, justice, and arts and crafts, said Ali James, curator of the Capitol and director of visitor services. The statue weighs about 2,000 pounds, James said, and is made out of zinc and covered with white paint and sand to emulate stone. In 1983, workers discovered
The Texas Capitol is 14.64 feet taller than the U.S. Capitol, according to the Texas State Preservation Board, which maintains and restores the Capitol building and its grounds.
HANNAH NORTON COMMUNITY IMPACT
The Texas Capitol is 14.64 feet taller than the U.S. Capitol, according to the SPB. The nation’s Capitol is 288 feet tall, while the Texas Capitol stands at 302.64 feet tall from ground level to the tip of the Goddess of Liberty’s star. Visiting the Capitol Over 1 million people visit the Capitol in a typical year, James said, although numbers are lower now than prepandemic. A large portion of the state’s art collection is displayed for public viewing. Historic furnishings, such as desks, benches and tables, are shown throughout the building, including in the House and Senate chambers. The Capitol is open 360 days of the year for guided tours. When the Legis- lature is in session, visitors can watch the proceedings from the galleries. “I would always want to encourage folks who are Texans or who got here as soon as they could to come on down to the Capitol and see the Legislature in action,” James said.
cracking, corrosion and missing pieces on the almost century-old goddess, due to impurities in the zinc and natu- ral deterioration. An aluminum replica of the statue was created in 1986. The original statue has been restored and is on display at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. The goddess’ hand and star are at the Capitol Visitors Center. During the 68th Texas Legislature, lawmakers created the SPB, which was tasked with restoring and preserving contractors built the four-story Capitol Extension. The 667,000-square-foot space opened in 1993, and it includes o ces, conference rooms, committee rooms, an auditorium, a dining room and two levels of parking. “It really provided a great deal of additional space, because, as you can imagine, Texas and Texas govern- ment has grown exponentially since the Capitol was completed in 1888,” James said. the Capitol and its grounds. To help with overcrowding,
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KATY EDITION • FEBRUARY 2023
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