National Statuary Hall Collection

Part of the National Statuary Hall Collection

The National Statuary Hall Collection in the United States Capitol comprises statues donated by individual states to honor persons notable in their history. Originally set up in the old Hall of the House of Representatives, renamed National Statuary Hall, the expanding collection has since been spread throughout the Capitol.

As of 2006, the collection consists of 100 statues contributed by 50 states. With the addition of New Mexico's second statue in 2005, the collection is now complete. Alabama, California, and Kansas each replaced one of their first two statues a few years after Congress authorized replacements.

A special act of Congress, Pub.L. 109-116, signed on December 1, 2005, directed the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain a statue of Rosa Parks and to place the statue in the United States Capitol in National Statuary Hall in a suitable permanent location.

History

The concept of a National Statuary Hall originated in the middle of the nineteenth century, even before the completion of the present House wing in 1857. At that time, the House of Representatives moved into its new larger chamber and the old vacant chamber became a thoroughfare between the Rotunda and the House wing. Suggestions for the use of the chamber were made as early as 1853 by Gouverneur Kemble, a former member of the House, who pressed for its use as a gallery of historical paintings. The space between the columns seemed too limited for this purpose, but it was well suited for the display of busts and statuary.

Unveiling and Dedication of the Po'pay statue, September 2005. The 100th statue added to the collection. The man is sculptor Cliff Fragua.

On April 19, 1864, Representative Justin S. Morrill asked: "To what end more useful or grand, and at the same time simple and inexpensive, can we devote it [the Chamber] than to ordain that it shall be set apart for the reception of such statuary as each State shall elect to be deserving of in this lasting commemoration?" His proposal to create a National Statuary Hall became law on July 2, 1864:

...the President is hereby authorized to invite each and all the States to provide and furnish statues, in marble or bronze, not exceeding two in number for each State, of deceased persons who have been citizens thereof, and illustrious for their historic renown or for distinguished civic or military services such as each State may deem to be worthy of this national commemoration; and when so furnished the same shall be placed in the Old Hall of the House of Representatives, in the Capitol of the United States, which is set apart, or so much thereof as may be necessary, as a national statuary hall for the purpose herein indicated.

Originally, all state statues were placed in National Statuary Hall. However, the aesthetic appearance of the Hall began to suffer from overcrowding until, in 1933, the situation became unbearable. At that time the Hall held 65 statues, which stood, in some cases, three deep. More important, the structure of the chamber would not support the weight of any more statues. Thus, in 1933 Congress passed a resolution that:

the Architect of the Capitol, upon the approval of the Joint Committee on the Library, with the advice of the Commission of Fine Arts, is hereby authorized and directed to relocate within the Capitol any of the statues already received and placed in Statuary Hall, and to provide for the reception and location of the statues received hereafter from the States.

Under authority of this resolution it was decided that only one statue from each state should be placed in Statuary Hall. The others would be given prominent locations in designated areas and corridors of the Capitol. A second rearrangement of the statues was made in 1976 by authorization of the Joint Committee on the Library. To improve the crowded appearance of the collection, thirty-eight statues were rearranged in Statuary Hall according to height and material. Statues representing ten of the thirteen original colonies were moved to the Central Hall of the East Front Extension on the first floor of the Capitol. The remainder of the statues were distributed throughout the Capitol, mainly in the Hall of Columns and the connecting corridors of the House and Senate wings. Legislation has been introduced in 2005 that would authorize the collection to include one statue from each U.S. Territory, and another bill provides for the District of Columbia to participate.

Each statue is the gift of a state, not of an individual or group of citizens. Proceedings for the donation of a statue usually begin in the state legislature with the enactment of a resolution that names the citizen to be commemorated and cites his or her qualifications, specifies a committee or commission to represent the state in selecting the sculptor, and provides for a method of obtaining the necessary funds to carry the resolution into effect. In recent years, the statues have been unveiled during ceremonies in the Rotunda and displayed there for up to six months. They are then moved to a permanent location approved by the Joint Committee on the Library. An act of Congress (2 U.S.C. § 2132), enacted in 2000, permits states to provide replacements and repossess the earlier one.

Collection

State	Honoree	Image	Medium	Sculptor	Date placed	Location
AL	Keller, HelenHelen Keller		Bronze	Edward Hlavka	2009	Capitol Visitor Center[1]
AL	Wheeler, JosephJoseph Wheeler		Bronze	Berthold Nebel	1925	National Statuary Hall
AK	Bartlett, Edward Lewis "Bob"Edward Lewis "Bob" Bartlett		Bronze	Felix W. de Weldon	1971	House corridor, 2nd fl.
AK	Gruening, ErnestErnest Gruening		Bronze	George Anthonisen	1977	Capitol Visitor Center
AZ	Greenway, John CampbellJohn Campbell Greenway		Bronze	Gutzon Borglum	1930	National Statuary Hall
AZ	Kino, Eusebio F.Eusebio F. Kino		Bronze	Suzanne Silvercruys	1965	Capitol Visitor Center
AR	Rose, Uriah MiltonUriah Milton Rose		Marble	Frederick Ruckstull	1917	National Statuary Hall
AR	Clarke, James PaulJames Paul Clarke		Marble	Pompeo Coppini	1921	Capitol Visitor Center
CA	Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan		Bronze	Chas Fagan	2009	Rotunda
CA	Serra, JuniperoJunipero Serra		Bronze	Ettore Cadorin	1931	National Statuary Hall
CO	Sabin, Florence R.Florence R. Sabin		Bronze	Joy Buba	1959	National Statuary Hall
CO	Swigert, JackJack Swigert		Bronze	George and Mark Lundeen	1997	Capitol Visitor Center
CT	Sherman, RogerRoger Sherman		Marble	Chauncey Ives	1872	The Crypt
CT	Trumbull, JonathanJonathan Trumbull		Marble	Chauncey Ives	1872	House corridor, 2nd fl.
DE	Clayton, John M.John M. Clayton		Marble	Bryant Baker	1934	Capitol Visitor Center
DE	Rodney, CaesarCaesar Rodney		Marble	Bryant Baker	1934	the Crypt
FL	Gorrie, JohnJohn Gorrie		Marble	C. Adrian Pillars	1914	National Statuary Hall
FL	Smith, Edmund KirbyEdmund Kirby Smith		Bronze	C. Adrian Pillars	1922	Capitol Visitor Center
GA	Long, Crawford W.Crawford W. Long		Marble	J. Massey Rhind	1926	the Crypt
GA	Stephens, AlexanderAlexander Stephens		Marble	Gutzon Borglum	1927	National Statuary Hall
HI	Damien, FatherFather Damien		Bronze	Marisol Escobar	1969	Hall of Columns
HI	Kamehameha I		Bronze	Thomas R. Gould	1969	Capitol Visitor Center
ID	Shoup, George LairdGeorge Laird Shoup		Marble	Frederick E. Triebel	1910	National Statuary Hall
ID	Borah, William EdgarWilliam Edgar Borah		Bronze	Bryant Baker	1947	Capitol Visitor Center
IL	Shields, JamesJames Shields		Bronze	Leonard W. Volk	1893	Hall of Columns
IL	Willard, Frances E.Frances E. Willard		Marble	Helen F. Mears	1905	National Statuary Hall
IN	Morton, Oliver Hazard PerryOliver Hazard Perry Morton		Marble	Charles Niehaus	1900	Senate Wing, 1st Floor
IN	WallaceLewis Wallace		Marble	Andrew O'Connor	1910	National Statuary Hall
IA	Harlan, JamesJames Harlan		Bronze	Nellie Walker	1910	Hall of Columns
IA	Kirkwood, Samuel JordanSamuel Jordan Kirkwood		Bronze	Vinnie Ream	1913	National Statuary Hall
KS	Ingalls, John JamesJohn James Ingalls		Marble	Charles Niehaus	1905	National Statuary Hall
KS	Glick, George W.George W. Glick		Marble	Charles Niehaus	1914	removed (now at Kansas State Historical Society in Topeka)
KS	Eisenhower, Dwight D.Dwight D. Eisenhower		Bronze	Jim Brothers	2003	Rotunda
KY	Clay, HenryHenry Clay		Bronze	Charles Niehaus	1929	National Statuary Hall
KY	McDowell, EphraimEphraim McDowell		Bronze	Charles Niehaus	1929	Capitol Visitor Center
LA	Long, Huey PierceHuey Pierce Long		Bronze	Charles Keck	1941	National Statuary Hall
LA	White, Edward DouglassEdward Douglass White		Bronze	Arthur C. Morgan	1955	Capitol Visitor Center
ME	King, WilliamWilliam King		Marble	Franklin Simmons	1878	House corridor, 2nd fl.
ME	Hamlin, HannibalHannibal Hamlin		Bronze	Charles E. Tefft	1935	National Statuary Hall
MD	Carroll, CharlesCharles Carroll		Bronze	Richard E. Brooks	1903	The Crypt
MD	Hanson, JohnJohn Hanson		Bronze	Richard E. Brooks	1903	Senate corridor, 2nd fl.
MA	Adams, SamuelSamuel Adams		Marble	Anne Whitney	1876	the Crypt
MA	Winthrop, JohnJohn Winthrop		Marble	Richard S. Greenough	1876	Hall of Columns
MI	Cass, LewisLewis Cass		Marble	Daniel Chester French	1889	National Statuary Hall
MI	Chandler, ZachariahZachariah Chandler*		Marble	Charles H. Niehaus	1913	Hall of Columns
MN	Rice, Henry MowerHenry Mower Rice		Marble	Frederick E. Triebel	1916	National Statuary Hall
MN	Sanford, Maria L.Maria L. Sanford		Bronze	Evelyn Raymond	1958	Capitol Visitor Center
MS	Davis, JeffersonJefferson Davis		Bronze	Augustus Lukeman	1931	National Statuary Hall
MS	George, James Z.James Z. George		Bronze	Augustus Lukeman	1931	Capitol Visitor Center
MO	Benton, Thomas HartThomas Hart Benton		Marble	Alexander Doyle	1899	National Statuary Hall
MO	Blair, Jr., Francis PrestonFrancis Preston Blair, Jr.		Marble	Alexander Doyle	1899	Hall of Columns
MT	Russell, Charles MarionCharles Marion Russell		Bronze	John B. Weaver	1959	National Statuary Hall
MT	Rankin, JeannetteJeannette Rankin		Bronze	Terry Minmaugh	1985	Capitol Visitor Center
NE	Bryan, William JenningsWilliam Jennings Bryan		Bronze	Rudulph Evans	1937	National Statuary Hall
NE	Morton, J. SterlingJ. Sterling Morton		Bronze	Rudulph Evans	1937	Capitol Visitor Center
NV	McCarran, Patrick AnthonyPatrick Anthony McCarran		Bronze	Yolande Jacobson	1960	National Statuary Hall
NV	Winnemucca, SarahSarah Winnemucca		Bronze	Benjamin Victor	2005	Capitol Visitor Center
NH	Stark, JohnJohn Stark		Marble	Carl Conrads	1894	The Crypt
NH	Webster, DanielDaniel Webster		Marble	Carl Conrads (after Thomas Ball)	1894	National Statuary Hall
NJ	Kearny, PhilipPhilip Kearny		Bronze	Henry Kirke Brown	1888	The Crypt
NJ	Stockton, RichardRichard Stockton		Marble	Henry Kirke Brown (completed by H. K. Bush-Brown)	1888	vestibule north of Senate corridor, 1st fl.
NM	Chavez, DennisDennis Chavez		Bronze	Felix W. de Weldon	1966	Vestibule north of Rotunda
NM	Po'pay		Marble	Cliff Fragua	2005	Capitol Visitor Center
NY	Clinton, GeorgeGeorge Clinton		Bronze	Henry Kirke Brown	1873	Small House rotunda
NY	Livingston, Robert R.Robert R. Livingston		Bronze	Erastus Dow Palmer	1875	the Crypt
NC	Vance, Zebulon BairdZebulon Baird Vance		Bronze	Gutzon Borglum	1916	National Statuary Hall
NC	Aycock, Charles BrantleyCharles Brantley Aycock		Bronze	Charles Keck	1932	Crypt
ND	Burke, JohnJohn Burke		Bronze	Avard Fairbanks	1963	National Statuary Hall
ND	Sakakawea		Bronze	Arizona Bronze Atelier (after Leonard Crunelle, 1909)	2003	Capitol Visitor Center
OH	Garfield, James A.James A. Garfield		Marble	Charles Niehaus	1886	Rotunda
OH	Allen, WilliamWilliam Allen		Marble	Charles Niehaus	1887	National Statuary Hall
OK	Sequoyah		Bronze	Vinnie Ream (completed by G. Julian Zolnay)	1917	National Statuary Hall
OK	Rogers, WillWill Rogers		Bronze	Jo Davidson	1939	House corridor, 2nd fl.
OR	Lee, JasonJason Lee		Bronze	Gifford MacG. Proctor	1953	National Statuary Hall
OR	McLoughlin, JohnJohn McLoughlin		Bronze	Gifford MacG. Proctor	1953	Capitol Visitor Center
PA	Fulton, RobertRobert Fulton		Marble	Howard Roberts	1889	National Statuary Hall
PA	Muhlenberg, John Peter GabrielJohn Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg		Marble	Blanche Nevin	1889	The Crypt
RI	Greene, NathanaelNathanael Greene		Marble	Henry Kirke Brown	1870	The Crypt
RI	Williams, RogerRoger Williams		Marble	Franklin Simmons	1872	Senate corridor, 2nd fl.
SC	Calhoun, John C.John C. Calhoun		Marble	Frederick Ruckstull	1910	The Crypt
SC	Hampton, WadeWade Hampton		Marble	Frederick Ruckstull	1929	Capitol Visitor Center
SD	Beadle, William Henry HarrisonWilliam Henry Harrison Beadle		Bronze	H. Daniel Webster	1938	National Statuary Hall
SD	Ward, JosephJoseph Ward		Marble	Bruno Beghé	1963	Capitol Visitor Center
TN	Jackson, AndrewAndrew Jackson		Bronze	Belle Kinney Scholz and Leopold F. Scholz	1928	Rotunda
TN	Sevier, JohnJohn Sevier		Bronze	Belle Kinney Scholz and Leopold F. Scholz	1931	National Statuary Hall
TX	Austin, Stephen F.Stephen F. Austin		Marble	Elisabet Ney	1905	small House rotunda
TX	Houston, SamSam Houston		Marble	Elisabet Ney	1905	National Statuary Hall
UT	Young, BrighamBrigham Young		Marble	Mahonri Young	1950	National Statuary Hall
UT	Farnsworth, Philo T.Philo T. Farnsworth		Bronze	James R. Avati	1990	Capitol Visitor Center
VT	Allen, EthanEthan Allen		Marble	Larkin G. Mead	1876	National Statuary Hall
VT	Collamer, JacobJacob Collamer		Marble	Preston Powers	1881	Hall of Columns
VA	Lee, Robert E.Robert E. Lee		Bronze	Edward V. Valentine	1934	The Crypt
VA	Washington, GeorgeGeorge Washington		Bronze	Jean Antoine Houdon	1934	Rotunda
WA	Whitman, MarcusMarcus Whitman		Bronze	Avard Fairbanks	1953	National Statuary Hall
WA	Joseph, MotherMother Joseph		Bronze	Felix W. de Weldon	1980	Capitol Visitor Center
WV	Kenna, John E.John E. Kenna		Marble	Alexander Doyle	1901	Hall of Columns
WV	Pierpont, Francis HarrisonFrancis Harrison Pierpont		Marble	Franklin Simmons	1910	National Statuary Hall
WI	Marquette, JacquesJacques Marquette		Marble	Gaetano Trentanove	1896	House corridor, 2nd fl.
WI	La Follette, Sr., Robert M.Robert M. La Follette, Sr.		Marble	Jo Davidson	1929	National Statuary Hall
WY	Morris, Esther HobartEsther Hobart Morris		Bronze	Avard Fairbanks	1960	National Statuary Hall vestibule
WY	Washakie		Bronze	Dave McGary	2000	Capitol Visitor Center

*Note: On August 31, 2006, the California Legislature approved a joint resolution to replace Thomas Starr King's statue in the National Statuary Hall Collection with a statue of Ronald Reagan. It was unveiled June 3, 2009. In 2007, the Michigan legislature approved a resolution to replace Zachariah Chandler's statue with Gerald Ford. Chandler's statue remains in the Capitol pending replacement.

Replacement of statues

A 2003 change in the law allows a state to remove a previously-placed statue from the collection and replace it with another. Since this change, three states have replaced statues, and a fourth is in the process of doing so:

• Kansas replaced its statue of George Glick with one of Dwight D. Eisenhower in 2003.^[2] The Glick statue now resides in now at Kansas State Historical Society in Topeka.
• California replaced its statue of Thomas Starr King with one of Ronald Reagan in 2009. The King statue now resides in the California State Capitol building in Sacramento."^[3]
• Alabama replaced its statue of Jabez Curry with one of Helen Keller.
• Michigan is in the process of replacing its statue of Zachariah Chandler with one of Gerald Ford.^[4]

Sculptor Charles Niehaus has more sculptures in the collection (seven) than any other artist, despite the fact that his Glick statue was replaced. Should his Chandler statue be replaced, Niehaus' six remaining statues will still be the most by any single sculptor.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: National Statuary Hall Collection

• Official website of the National Statuary Hall Collection
• Official information on the origin of the National Statuary Hall Collection