Tennessee State Capitol at Dusk

This is the view of the Tennessee State Capitol at Dusk as seen from Bicentennial Mall.

Post Card Tuesday - State Capitol - Oak Planted by Gov. McCord

The Caption reads: Plaque identified the cork oak tree planted and dedicated by the Hon. Jim McCord, Governor of Tennessee, at Arbor Day exercises on the State Capitol grounds in Nashville. The Governor planting the cork tree, Tennessee's Beautiful Capitol at Nashville.

I'm not sure if this tree or plaque is still stands on the capitol grounds. If it's there, I've never seen it.

George Washington (DeLue Statue) - Indianapolis, IN

Happy George Washington Birthday! There aren't many George Washington places in the area, so here's a photo a little bit further away than normal.

From Wikipedia:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_(DeLue)
George Washington (alternately titled George Washington as Master Mason) is a public artwork by American sculptor Donald De Lue, located on the grounds of the Indiana Statehouse, in Indianapolis, IN. The bronze statue of George Washington that occupies the Indiana Statehouse south lawn is one of several copies of a 1959 original wax cast at the Modern Art Foundry in Long Island, New York.

The statue depicts Washington dressed in breeches with an apron and medallion decorated with Masonic symbols. Washington holds a tri-cornered hat in the crook of his proper left arm, and a gavel in his proper right hand. He wears an open overcoat with buttons and has a short podium to his proper right. Washington's attire depicts the first President as he may have looked when he laid the cornerstone for the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The sculpture is mounted upon a stepped, inscribed granite base.

The Statehouse's version of De Lue's bronze statue was a gift of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Indiana, dedicated May 19, 1987. A Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture survey completed in October 1992 noted the condition as 'well-maintained'.

Tennessee State Capitol on Wear Red Day

Happy Valentines Day!

In 2012, and probably other years as well, the Tennessee capitol was red to celebrate the American Heart Association's "Wear Red Day." Several places in Nashville were figuratively wearing red for the day, including the State Capitol, The Frist Center, Adventure Science Center and Nashville Electric Service. The State Capitol is "wearing red" by placing red filters over all the lights that illuminate the building. In fact, this made the capitol look a lot like it did for Christmas. In fact, the only difference is the light inside the tower is also red instead of the Green it had on Christmas.

2011 Tennessee State Capitol Christmas at Night

The Tennessee State Capitol sits upon Capitol Hill in downtown Nashville. It was designed in a Greek Revival style by prominent architect William Strickland and completed in 1859.

For Christmas, all of the lights along the base of the capitol had added a red tinting which colors most of the building. Only the lights for the cupola had not changed to red, however the lights inside the cupola window were green if you look closely.

Tennessee State Capitol

Opryland Ballroom Mural: Jackson Statue & Capitol

In Opryland Hotel's original ballroom area, the walls are painted to depict scenes from Nashville around the time of Tennessee's Centennial, in the late 1800's. To view the entire set of 8, Click Here.

The Tennessee State Capitol was designed by William Strickland, who also designed the U.S. Capitol. The building was finished in 1859. The Andrew Jackson riding statue was completed soon thereafter, and an identical statue was placed in New Orleans and one in Washington D.C. near the capitol.

Georgia State Capitol Rotunda & Dome

From Wikipedia:
The Georgia State Capitol, in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States, is an architecturally and historically significant building. It has been named a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the main office building of Georgia's government. The offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, and secretary of state are on the second floor, while the General Assembly meets on the third floor from January to April. There are also visitors' galleries and a museum on the fourth floor.

Like many U.S. state capitols, the Georgia State Capitol is designed to resemble the Classical architectural style of the United States Capitol, in Washington, D.C.. Completed in 1889, the building was designed by architects Willoughby J. Edbrooke and Franklin P. Burnham, of Chicago, Illinois. The building was constructed by Miles and Horne, of Toledo, Ohio. Sculptor George Crouch executed all the ornamental work on the building. The commission that oversaw the planning and construction of the building included former Confederate general Phillip Cook.
The front of the capitol faces west on Washington Street. The façade features a four-story portico, with stone pediment, supported by six Corinthian columns set on large stone piers. Georgia's coat of arms, with two figures on each side, is engraved on the pediment. The Capitol's interior represents the 19th century style of its time. It was among the earliest buildings to have elevators, centralized steam heat, and combination gas and electric lights. Classical pilasters and oak paneling are used throughout the building. The floors of the interior are made of marble from Pickens County, which still produces marble products today.

The open central rotunda is flanked by two wings, each with a grand staircase and three-story atrium crowned by clerestory windows. The Capitol building has undergone frequent renovations to adapt to the growth and change of government. Originally constructed from terra cotta and covered with tin, in a 1958 renovation[3] the present dome was gilded with native gold leaf from near Dahlonega in Lumpkin County, where the first American gold rush occurred during the 1830s. For this reason, legislative business is often referred to as what is happening "under the gold dome" by media across the state. The statue Miss Freedom has adorned the dome since the building's opening.

Old Mississippi State Capitol - Jackson, MS

The Old Mississippi State Capitol, also known as Old Capitol Museum, is a building that is a Mississippi State Historic Site and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1990.

It is located at 100 N. State St, on the east side of State Street at Capitol Street, in Jackson. It is operated as a museum by the state of Mississippi. The building dates from 1837, and was the Mississippi statehouse until 1903. Among the features is a rotunda dome 94 feet high.

Old Kentucky State Capitol at Christmas

From Wikipedia:
The Old State Capitol (Kentucky), also known as Old Statehouse, was the third Capitol of Kentucky. The building in Frankfort, Kentucky served as the capitol of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from 1830 to 1910. The building has been restored to its American Civil War era appearance.
The Kentucky legislature voted for its construction in 1827. The building was designed in the Greek Revival style by Gideon Shryock, an early Lexington, Kentucky architect. The Old State Capitol was his first building and he was only twenty-five years old. Shryock chose the Greek Revival style to symbolically link Kentucky, a young republic, with ancient Greece, the prototype of popular democratic government. He wanted the front of the building to duplicate the Temple of Minerva Polias at Priene. Greek temples had no windows, therefore the front of the Capitol is devoid of fenestration. Other striking architectural features include a famous self-supporting stone stairway and a domed lantern above it to bring in an abundance of sunlight.

A bitterly contested 1899 state governor election came to a climax when Democratic claimant William Goebel of Covington, Kentucky was assassinated at the capitol on his way to be inaugurated. A plaque reading "William Goebel fell here, Jan. 30th, 1900" exists near the front entrance of the building.
The current Kentucky State Capitol, Kentucky's fourth, was built in 1910. The Old State Capitol has served as the a museum and the home of the Kentucky Historical Society since 1920. The building was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

Tennessee State Capitol Turns Red for Christmas

OK, I lied in the post title. While the Capitol has done this for Christmas, this particular photo was taken near Valentines Day.

That Friday was National "Wear Red Day" as part of American Heart Association's "Go Red For Women" campaign. In honor of this, several places in Nashville were figuratively wearing red for the day, including the State Capitol, The Frist Center, Adventure Science Center and Nashville Electric Service. The State Capitol is "wearing red" by placing red filters over all the lights that illuminate the building. In fact, this made the capitol look a lot like it did for Christmas. In fact, the only difference is the light inside the tower is also red instead of the Green it had on Christmas.

Mississippi State Capitol

The Mississippi State Capitol is located in Jackson and has been the home of Mississippi's state legislature since 1903. It is the third capitol building in Jackson. It was created by Theodore Link, an architect from St. Louis, Missouri. The building cost $1,095,681, which was paid by the Illinois Central Railroad in the form of back taxes they owed to the state. The building, which is in the Beaux-Arts architectural style, was designed to house all branches of the Mississippi state government. In 1979, it had a complete renovation, which cost $19 million. The renovation attempted to maintain the original design whenever practical. It was completed in 1983.



The Hall of Governors is located on the first floor. Portraits of Mississippi's governors since the creation of the Mississippi Territory in 1798 are on display. The State Library and the Supreme Court chamber, now both committee meeting rooms, are located on the second floor. The Legislature is housed on the third floor, along with the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House's offices. Public viewing balconies for both chambers are located on the fourth floor.



a statue erected in memory of the ladies, mothers, sisters, wives and daughters of the Confederate soldiers is located on the capitol grounds and is seen in the foreground in the first photo.

2011 Tennessee State Christmas Tree closeup

On Monday, Nov. 28, 2011 Governor Haslam continued the Tennessee tradition of lighting the state tree along the Charlotte side of the state capitol. That year, the tree was a 35 foot tall Norweigan Spruce tree. If you look closely, prominent among the decorations on the tree are Tennessee State Flags.

Tennessee State Capitol Christmas at Night (side view)

The Tennessee State Capitol sits upon Capitol Hill in downtown Nashville. It was designed in a Greek Revival style by prominent architect William Strickland and completed in 1859.

For Christmas, all of the lights along the base of the capitol have added a red tinting which colors most of the building. Only the lights for the cupola have not changed to red, however the lights inside the cupola window are green if you look closely.

Old Kentucky State Capitol at Christmas

From Wikipedia:
The Old State Capitol (Kentucky), also known as Old Statehouse, was the third Capitol of Kentucky. The building in Frankfort, Kentucky served as the capitol of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from 1830 to 1910. The building has been restored to its American Civil War era appearance. The Kentucky legislature voted for its construction in 1827. The building was designed in the Greek Revival style by Gideon Shryock, an early Lexington, Kentucky architect. The Old State Capitol was his first building and he was only twenty-five years old. Shryock chose the Greek Revival style to symbolically link Kentucky, a young republic, with ancient Greece, the prototype of popular democratic government. He wanted the front of the building to duplicate the Temple of Minerva Polias at Priene. Greek temples had no windows, therefore the front of the Capitol is devoid of fenestration. Other striking architectural features include a famous self-supporting stone stairway and a domed lantern above it to bring in an abundance of sunlight.

A bitterly contested 1899 state governor election came to a climax when Democratic claimant William Goebel of Covington, Kentucky was assassinated at the capitol on his way to be inaugurated. A plaque reading "William Goebel fell here, Jan. 30th, 1900" exists near the front entrance of the building.

The current Kentucky State Capitol, Kentucky's fourth, was built in 1910. The Old State Capitol has served as the a museum and the home of the Kentucky Historical Society since 1920. The building was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

2011 Tennessee State Capitol Christmas with Sam Davis Statue

Sam Davis was nicknamed the Boy Hero of the Confederacy, who's story is well known. He lived in Smyrna, was captured in Minor Hill and executed in Pulaski. In his honor, the state built a statue which resides at the front corner of the Capitol Hill grounds. To see more photos of Sam Davis Landmarks, click here.

The Tennessee State Capitol sits upon Capitol Hill in downtown Nashville. It was designed in a Greek Revival style by prominent architect William Strickland and completed in 1859.

For Christmas, all of the lights along the base of the capitol have added a red tinting which colors most of the building. Only the lights for the cupola have not changed to red, however the lights inside the cupola window are green if you look closely. The Sam Davis statue is lit nightly, and like most metal statues has turned green over the years, which contrasts well with the red illumination of the Capitol.

View of Downtown Nashville from Love Circle

If you're in Nashville and you've never been to Love Circle, I suggest you do it before the tress bloom, as your view is more obstructed then. This place is voted as the best cheap date spot in Nashville. I had always assumed that Love Circle was, ahem, named for what couples did while there. (Kissing, that is). However, I recently noticed that it is really named after John W. Love. This was the site of the city's reservoir before the current one on 8th ave. In this picture, among other things, you can see the State Capitol, Tennessee Tower, The Sheraton with the old rotating restaurant and Kirkman Tower on the Vandy campus.

Rutledge Falls statue and a mystery.

Don't most waterfalls have statues at them?

Rutledge Falls is a popular waterfall on private property near Tullahoma. As long as visitors respect the property and keep it free from trash and vandalism, it will remain open to the public. They provide a trail from a small parking area on the street where it's about 1,000 feet to get this view.

The statue was originally a decoration at the State Capitol where it was cast in 1859. There were three of these statues representing three different styles: Morning, Noon and Night. (This one is night as the lady is about to pull a cloak over her head.) After they were on display for several decades, the Capitol grounds went under some renovations in 1958 and these statues were relocated to storage at Ellington Agricultural Center.

Now for the Mystery part. It isn't so much about how this one statue got here but about whatever happened to the rest of them. Now, nobody knows where they are. The owner of the property here was TN State Senator Lyndon "Pop" Jennings and he came across one of them and asked permission for it to be "The Lady of the Falls" a couple of years after the Capitol renovations

The full story can be read here.

Tomb of the Unknown Civil War Soldier - Franklin, TN

In 2009, a construction project along US31 about 2 miles south of the middle of Franklin unearthed human bone fragments in an area that was part of the Franklin National Battlefield. Forensic anthropologists determined that these were the remains of a Civil War soldier. Also found were six Union tunic buttons and a Minié ball, although it was impossible to verify whether it was a Union or Confederate soldier. Accordingly, he was designated an Unknown War Soldier, an American who had died for his country.

On Oct. 10, 2009, the community honored this soldier with a period military funeral at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. After the service, a horse-drawn caisson and honor guard carried the coffin here at Rest Haven Cemetery. Several thousand spectators and national media were in attendence, as scores of reenactors conducted a burial, and upon the grave they poured soil from the 18 states represented at the Battle of Franklin. Also present were two actual sons and a daughter of Civil War veterans.

Marking the grave are original column sections from the Tennessee State Capitol from 1856, which now stand in remembrance of all unknown soldiers of the American Civil War.

Post Card Tuesday: Nashville's Memorial Square

Happy election day! I hope you have taken the opportunity to vote, or are at least planning on it. In this view, we see the State Capitol, and while the Governor's office isn't at stake this time around, all of the state congressmen and half of the state senators are up for election.

With the Capitol in the background and War Memorial Auditorium on the left, most everything else in this photo is different than the way it appears here. Notably, The square is now a plaza and the Andrew Jackson Hotel is now the location of TPAC. Many post cards from these days that appear to be taken from the air are drawn from the artists best approximation of how everything might look, or it might be taken from the roof of the Hermitage Hotel.