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The east entrance to the capitol building features the final grouping of sculptures. The figures are Mercury, Vulcan, and Minerva, also known as Hermes, Hepaestus, and Athena, respectively. On the left is Mercury, messenger of the gods and readily identifiable thanks to his winged helmet. In the center is Vulcan, god of fire and patron of Blacksmiths. Though some myths identify Vulcan as ugly or crippled, this depiction includes strong features and a more idealized face. Lastly, Minerva rounds out the figures. She is the goddess of wisdom, justice, and the creative arts.

Capitol Building East Entrance Sculptures

This tour explores the various sculptures on Charleston's Capitol Complex grounds. Works include military memorials, civic monuments, and artistic embellishments. This tour draws heavily from a tour by Charleston's Office of Public Art and was made with the office's cooperation. To learn more visit: http://publicartcharleston.org/.

Charleston State Capitol Sculptures

Some of the first battles of the Civil War occurred in West Virginia, though it remained part of Virginia prior to 1863. On June 3, 1861, Union General George B. McClellan pushed back Confederate Colonel George A. Porterfield’s forces from Phillipi, a major railroad connection to the entire northwest region of the state. This battle was possibly the first land battle of the Civil War and established space for the Wheeling convention to convene and debate the issue of West Virginia’s statehood. On August 18, 1861, there was an attempt to capture a U.S. armory in Harpers Ferry by Confederate forces. In 1862, Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson captured the town of Romney, a chokehold on the B&amp;O Railway that ran through the Shenandoah Valley region. Romney would be contested for throughout the war, and captured by both sides over 56 times.When Virginia voted to secede from the Union on April 17, 1861 delegates of the western region of the state mostly voted against secession, but as the war began most of them returned to Richmond and signed the ordinance of secession.(1) About a dozen Unionist delegates would later organize the Restored Government of Virginia and choose Francis H. Pierpont as their leader. On October 24, 1861, there was an election held in western Virginia to create a new state if the voters approved. The returns were low with 18,408 votes in favor. Historian Otis Rice wrote- "Although the Wheeling Intelligencer professed to see an 'astonishing unanimity' in the sentiment of the vote, in reality the returns reflected the deep division of feeling in western Virginia and intimidation on the part of supporters of the new state."(2) Mineral, Grant, Lincoln, Summers, and Mingo were not a part of the original formation of West Virginia and were created by the state legislature after the Civil War.The United States Constitution states that in order for a new state to form, the approval of the mother state must be met. But since the Reformed Government of Virginia was legitimized by President Abraham Lincoln himself, the new state was able to appoint itself statehood. West Virginia, though known as a Union state, remained divided amongst itself. West Virginians in Union and Confederate service found themselves fighting each other in battles in both eastern and western Virginia. Although West Virginia was credited with 32,000 Union soldiers, the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War at Shepherd University conducted an individual soldier count and determined that West Virginia had given about equal numbers of men to both Union and Confederate service, around 20,000 men to each side.(3) The overestimation of Union soldiers was due to the inclusion of large numbers of Ohio and Pennsylvania volunteers as well as re-enlistments counted as new soldiers.In 1927, the WV Legislature created a Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Commission. This commission planned the memorial building on the Capitol grounds as a monument in recognition of the estimated, at that time, 20,000 to 36,000 men of the state who fought for the Union in the Civil War. The memorial was dedicated in 1930 to the memory of the Union soldiers and sailors from the State of West Virginia in the Civil War.The state set aside funds in the amount of $15,000 for the project. Two other Civil War monuments on the Capitol grounds, the Stonewall Jackson and Mountaineer statues, were both paid for by private funds. A New Martinsville, WV monument firm was awarded the contract. Little is known about the artist of the statue, Roy H. Stewart.The Union Soldiers and Sailors monument (USSM) depicts a Home Guard soldier carrying a musket and marching east toward the Stonewall Jackson statue in the southeast corner of the capitol grounds. The USSM has four plaques affixed to its base. One commemorates the dedication of the memorial and contains the names of the members of the Union Soldiers and Sailors Commission who erected the memorial. The second plaque contains a transcript of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. The third plaque commemorates the admission of the State of West Virginia to the Union on June 20, 1863, as follows: "The Act of Congress admitting West Virginia as a separate state was approved by President Abraham Lincoln. June 20, 1863." The final plaque is inscribed: "In Memory of the thirty-two thousand soldiers, sailors and marines, contributed West Virginia to the service of the Union during the Civil War. 1861 - 1865."

The Union Soldiers and Sailors monument is a memorial to the West Virginians who fought for the Union in the American Civil War. As West Virginia became a state in response to Virginia's secession from the Union, the new state was predominantly sympathetic to the Union. The memorial was funded by the State of West Virginia and placed on the capitol grounds in 1930. It faces Kanawha Blvd. east of the Governor’s Mansion. The statue depicts a soldier carrying a musket and symbolically marching towards the statue of Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, which is also placed on capitol grounds. 


West Virginia Union Soldiers and Sailors Memorial 

Between 1924 and 1930, stonemason John Donnelly, Sr. created twelve busts that grace the main West Virginia State Capitol building. These busts are drawn from the Greco-Roman tradition and feature gods, demigods, and heroes from their mythologies. Though the twelve figures are representative of various values and facets of life relevant to government, there does not appear to be a particular overarching theme. The twelve busts are divided equally between four entrances to the capitol building. The portraits are skillfully carved and wonderfully distinct — there is no doubt who each figure is meant to represent. The busts act as an extension of the keystones in entryway arches, providing depth and ornamentation to the capitol building. Though the busts have suffered little permanent damage, they are dirty and in need of cleaning and restoration.Donnelly was an Irish immigrant who came to the United States in the late twentieth century and soon gained national attention for his work on major public and civic buildings up and down the East Coast. These projects included gargoyles for New York City's public library, the pediment for the Free Library of Philadelphia, and the bronze doors to the United States Supreme Court. Many of these projects were collaborations with architect Cass Gilbert, who designed the WV State Capitol building and likely commissioned these works by Donnelly. Donnelly ran a business named John Donnelly &amp; Co. with his son, John Donnelly, Jr., and many other skilled masons. Though Donnelly's works are often sculptural, he preferred to be known as a stonemason rather than as a sculptor or artist.

The west entrance to the main capitol building hosts the first three of John Donnelly, Sr's. mythological busts. From left to right, these three sculptures depict the Roman goddesses and god Vesta, Neptune, and Ceres. In Greek mythology, the figures are known instead as Hestia, Poseidon, and Demeter, respectively. On the left, Vesta wears a domestic cap and veil, apropos for the goddess of home and hearth. In the middle, Neptune's curly hair is crowned by a shell, signifying his role as ruler of the seas and oceans. On the right, Ceres wears the vestments of a farmer and her hair hangs like the crops she bestowed upon mankind.

Capitol Building West Entrance Sculptures

This façade of the West Wing of the Capitol Building faces into the central courtyard. The three figures that grace this entrance are Heracles, Jupiter, and Fortuna. Heracles and Jupiter are respectively known as Hercules and Zeus in Greek mythology. On the left is Heracles, son of Jupiter and a mortal woman. In this sculpture, Heracles is cloaked in the skin of the Nemean Lion, a beast invulnerable to normal weapons but who Heracles wrestled to death. Jupiter is the ruler of the heavens and greatest of all gods. His wild hair and beard recall the lightning he controls, while his resolute gaze reminds the viewer of his divine sovereignty. Fortuna, as the name suggests, is the goddess of fortune and chance. The three amorphous tendrils behind her head could be references to the three fates who control human life.

Capitol Building East Entrance to the West Wing Sculptures

These busts face the interior courtyard from the entrance to the East Wing of the Capitol Building. The figures depicted are Perseus, Prometheus, and Juno. Juno is also known as Hera in Greek mythology. On the left, Perseus wears a Galea, a plumed Roman helmet typically worn by legionaries. The son of Zeus, Perseus is most famous for slaying the gorgon Medusa. Next to Perseus is the rebellious titan Prometheus. Prometheus defied his titan siblings by siding with the Olympians, but also defied the will of Zeus by gifting humanity fire. As punishment, Prometheus was chained to a rock and each day a bird pecked out his liver. Prometheus' matted unkempt hair is a reminder of his daily torture. Finally, the goddess Juno is depicted on the right. She wears a crown appropriate to her position as consort of Zeus and queen of the gods. Juno is also the goddess of marriage and motherhood. 

Capitol Building West Entrance to the East Wing Sculptures

West Virginia is one of three states that came to be as a result of the American Civil War, yet it is the only one to have been carved out of another state. Starting in the 1820s, friction between eastern and western Virginia led to a series of conflicts, and residents in western counties generally grew to resent the power of planters in the Tidewater region. From the geographical factors that separated the two frontiers, to unfair representation and taxation, and even ethnic differences, it seemed that the western part of the state was itching to secede given the opportunity. On April 17, 1861, the representatives would be led to an opportunity to accomplish this when Virginia voted to leave the Union with a vote of 88-55. Representatives who voted against the secession later held two conferences in Wheeling on May 13 and June 11 of 1861 to decide whether they would separate from their mother state.For some time, Virginia had two governments. Francis H. Pierpont was selected as governor of the western part of the state, while Waitman T. Willey and John S. Carlile were elected U.S. senators. The “Restored Govenement called their territory Kanawha. Many citizens of the western part of Virginia did not wish to separate from the state to form a new one, but when the time came on May 13, 1862, after the third Wheeling convention, “West Virginia” would be named a potential new state under loyalty of the Union. However, the president himself, Abraham Lincoln, had a few concerns of whether this could be deemed legal. He would write to Pierpont himself, who he called “Peirpoint” in his letters, “Yours of the 14th received. Make haste slowly. Things are improving by time. Draw up your proclamation carefully, and, if you please, let me see it before issuing," the president would urge him.Lincoln was under considerable political stress regarding West Virginia statehood. Lincoln was supportive of the formation of West Virginia but had two concerns that he brought forward to his cabinet: given the state of the Constitution could West Virginia form into a new state even though it hadn’t gained permission of the mother state, and would this new state be anti-slavery? Luckily for the newly formed state, since Virginia pulled away from the Union, West Virginia did not need their permission to become West Virginia, thus making the Constitution condition void. As far as slavery goes, West Virginia was not entirely keen on becoming a free state but issued in the state constitution that there would be gradual emancipation. This meant slaves could be free if they were newly born or elderly, while those in-between would work off their servitude till their 25th birthday. On December 31, 1862, Abraham Lincoln acknowledged West Virginia as a Union state once terms of slavery were met with their state constitution, and sixty days later West Virginia would officially become the 35th sate of the Union.Fairmont, West Virginia sculptor Fred Torrey designed Lincoln Walks at Midnight based on Vachel Lindsay’s 1914 poem of the same name. Lindsay's poem was published in Louis Untermeyer's Modern American Poetry book in 1919. Additionally, Composers Roy Harris and Florence Price have created scores based upon the poem. The poem depicts Lincoln's restless spirit walking through Springfield, Illinois in the midst of the Civil War. The statue represents the former president on one such night as he considers how to respond to West Virginia's application for statehood in the midst of the Civil War. The 42-inch plaster model of the statue was displayed at the 1939-40 New York World's Fair. After Torrey’s death in 1967, the sale of the statue’s model was delayed. Though discussion of the model’s purchase was begun in 1966 the sale was not completed until 1969. In 1974, Charleston artist Bernard Wiepper created a nine-and-a-half-foot bronze cast of the original model. The statue was placed in front of the West Virginia State Capitol to represent Lincoln contemplating the creation of West Virginia as the 35th state in the Union. Lincoln approved the West Virginia statehood bill on December 31, 1862, and West Virginia entered the Union as a state independent from Virginia on June 20, 1863. The statue is located in front of the south portico of the West Virginia State Capitol overlooking the Kanawha River and located in front of the capitol's main rotunda.

West Virginia sculptor Fred Torrey designed Lincoln Walks at Midnight in the 1930s based on Vachel Lindsay’s 1914 poem of the same name. The statue represents Lincoln's decision to grant West Virginia statehood during the Civil War. “Whereas, by the Act of Congress approved the 31st. day of December, last, the State of West Virginia was declared to be one of the United States of America, and was admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States in all respects whatever, upon the condition that certain changes should be duly made in the proposed Constitution for that State; And, whereas, proof of a compliance with that condition as required by the Second Section of the Act aforesaid, has been submitted to me; Now, therefore, be it known, that I Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, do, hereby, in pursuance of the Act of Congress aforesaid, declare and proclaim that the said act shall take effect and be in force, from and after sixty days from the date hereof. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.” -Abraham Lincoln (April 20, 1862)

Lincoln Walks at Midnight Statue 

Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson emerged as one of the most well-known and skilled Confederate generals during the American Civil War. Yet Jackson hailed from humble roots. He was born on January 20, 1824, in Clarksburg, Virginia (now West Virginia). In his youth, he faced not only the death of his father but had to be given up by his impoverished mother to his firm uncle, who raised him on the Jackson estate near Weston. He grew into a shy and reserved man in an unloving household with his uncle at the helm. Still, this equanimity would play to his benefit once he entered the West Point U.S. Military Academy in 1842 and graduated 17th in his class of 59 cadets. Jackson was a large man for his time, six-foot tall and 175 pounds, and he possessed skill in mathematics. For this reason, Jackson was assigned to an artillery unit. The young officer served in the Mexican War and gained three promotions during the conflict. During a siege of Mexico City, Jackson met Robert E. Lee for the first time. After the war, he retired from active military service and taught at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. VMI students found professor Jackson peculiar and some even played pranks on the instructor. While unpopular with students, he was known as a devout Presbyterian by his peers.Jackson also owned six enslaved persons: Amy, Hetty, George, Cyrus, Albert, and Emma. Hetty, George, and Emma took Jackson’s last name after his death, and Albert is believed to have been manumitted. Jackson opined little on slavery, so scholars often turn to his religious views and actions. Jackson acknowledged the humanity of enslaved persons and supported religious instruction for all persons. He also viewed slavery as compatible with Christianity. Despite concerns from Lexington citizens, Jackson ran a Sunday school for enslaved persons. The future general clearly accepted the institution of slavery and fought for its preservation during the Civil War.In 1861, in the wake of Virginia’s secession, Jackson offered his services to the Confederacy and soon found himself back on the battlefield. On July 21, 1861, during the first major land battle of the Civil War at Manassas, Jackson played a pivotal role in securing Confederate victory. He earned himself the sobriquet “Stonewall” for his clear and decisive resolve. Throughout the first two years of the Civil War, Jackson proved himself a skilled, confident, and aggressive commander. A well-respected disciplinarian, Jackson rose to further prominence during the 1862 Shenandoah Valley Campaign. Jackson’s forces (dubbed “foot cavalry”) marched more than 650 miles, winning a string of battles along the way. Jackson became a corps commander in the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and was Robert E. Lee’s “right hand” man. He led the Second Corps through many engagements, including the Seven Days, Cedar Mountain, Second Manassas, Antietam, and Fredericksburg.Jackson’s career was cut short, however. On May 2, 1863, Jackson enjoyed arguably the best day of his military career as he led an incredibly successful surprise flank attack against the Army of the Potomac at the Battle of Chancellorsville. Hoping to continue the attack into nightfall, Jackson rode ahead of his lines in the darkness and was accidentally wounded by his own men. Taken to the nearby plantation of Guinea Station, Jackson’s left arm was amputated. Compounded with a case of pneumonia, Jackson died on May 10, 1863, just a month prior to the establishment of West Virginia and two months before the Battle of Gettysburg. His final words were, “Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees.”Like several other Confederate leaders, Jackson’s legacy and fame only grew in the years following the Civil War. Although West Virginia stood firm to the Union during the Civil War, many West Virginians wanted to link Jackson to his home state. In 1909, the Charleston Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy gained permission to construct a monument to Jackson on the state capitol grounds at their expense; it was the first statue on capitol grounds. The bronze statue was cast in Italy by Moses Jacob Ezekiel, a Jewish-American who attended VMI and knew Jackson from his days there. Ezekiel was also a Confederate veteran.The Jackson statue was unveiled on September 27, 1910, to much fanfare. The city celebrated with a parade, an event attended by 5,000 people. Several members of the United Confederate Veterans spoke, and many UDC members were on hand.The unveiling ceremony revealed the connection between Confederate iconography and Jim Crow politics. Hundreds of the attendees, including former veterans, wore "Lily White" campaign buttons. In the early 1900s, supporters of this ideology sought to disenfranchise African American voters. The Lily White movement was less prevalent in West Virginia, but in 1908, the state's Democratic Party ran on a Lily White platform. Charleston Advocate publisher John Gilmer penned a lengthy article two weeks following the monument's dedication that drew a clear line between the reappearance of "Lilly White" buttons and race. This monument was not simply a reminder of an effective West Virginia military leader, Gilmer's article demonstrated, but a reminder of the connection between celebrations of the antebellum South and attempts to recreate a society based on white supremacy. Perhaps recognizing that this was nothing new to readers of the Advocate, an African American newspaper, most of Gilmer's article centered on the state Democratic Party's internal debate over whether to support Charleston Gazette editor George Byrne's attempt to incorporate segregation and disenfranchisement into the state's Democratic platform in 1910.West Virginia Democrats ultimately decided against incorporating disenfranchisement and segregation into their 1910 platform. Gilmer pointed out that this was not the result of a change of heart, but rather a tactical decision. In close elections, the 15,000 Black voters in West Virginia might be a deciding factor, Gilmer reminded his readers. While they might not vote Democratic in an era when Southern Democrats openly embraced white supremacy, they might be less likely to cast their votes for a Republican Party that often took their support for granted if the Democrats toned down their rhetoric. Gilmer and other African Americans in the state were often critical of the Republican Party, and in 1912 Gilmer supported the Progressive Party and its leader, former Republican Teddy Roosevelt.Recognizing that Black voters in West Virginia were not a monolithic block for the Republicans, the reemergence of Lily White buttons at the Jackson monument unveiling dismayed some Democrats as the party was making small inroads among Black voters. In the weeks that followed, Democratic leaders disavowed their support of the Lilly White campaign in hopes of rebuilding support among the few Black Democratic clubs in the state. Meanwhile, Gilmer wrote that white Republican politicians were "happy" to see the buttons reappear at the monument's dedication as it might increase Black support for the GOP. Beyond these political calculations, the outward support for a campaign based on segregation and disenfranchisement offers another example of how Confederate monument dedication ceremonies provided an outlet for these ideas.The statue of Jackson was moved to its current location after the original Capitol building burned in 1921. A metal replica of the statue stands in the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. In recent years, the statue’s existence on capitol grounds has drawn increased protest. After the 2017 "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, about 150 West Virginians gathered around the Jackson statue and called for the monument's removal. The protestors held a vigil for the victims in Charlottesville and called for the removal of the Jackson statue, arguing that it is inappropriate to honor Confederate soldiers at the state’s capital.On June 20, 2019, the 156th anniversary of West Virginia's admission into the Union as a new state, Charleston native Howard Swint stood in front of the Confederate statue and called for its removal citing it as a symbol of hate speech and white supremacy. Swint said other Confederate statues should be removed, as well. Swint suggested the statue be moved to a dark corner of the West Virginia State Museum in the Culture Center and the "12 Years a Slave" film should play in the background to highlight what the Confederacy fought for. He said the statue doesn't represent West Virginian values and those who erected Confederate monuments wanted to divide the nation.In 2020, in the wake of nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd, there were renewed calls for the monument’s removal; one petition demanding its removal gathered over 3,400 signatures. Governor Jim Justice stated, “From the standpoint of my personal beliefs, I don't feel like — that — anyone should feel uncomfortable here. This is our capital. This is our state. This is our people.”1 Ultimately, the statute’s fate rests with the state legislature. As of January 2021, the statue remains in situ on capitol grounds while Republican leaders who control a supermajority consider a bill that would bar the removal of statues on public grounds.

Born in Clarksburg, West Virginia, Thomas "Stonewall'' Jackson rose to prominence as one of the Confederacy's most effective generals. In 1862, Jackson quickly maneuvered his forces to thwart the reinforcement of George McClellan's Army of the Potomac. The following year, Jackson was shot by accident by one of his own men, but his memory lived on as supporters of an ideology known as the "Lost Cause" used his tactical success to support their belief that Confederate troops and officers were only defeated owing to the superior numbers and resources of the North. In 1909, the United Daughters of the Confederacy hired Confederate veteran Moses Ezekiel to sculpt a bronze statue in the general's honor. The state legislature approved the UDC's request to place this statue on capitol grounds. In 1910, this monument honoring a Confederate leader became the first on the state capitol complex. 

As chronicled by local newspapers, including the Charleston Advocate, an African American newspaper edited by Storer College graduate John Gilmer, hundreds of Confederate veterans and other attendees at the monument's dedication ceremony wore "Lily White'' buttons. As Gilmer and other editors explained, these buttons were a reference to a 1908 campaign by the state's Democratic Party to disenfranchise African American voters in West Virginia and pass Jim Crow laws. Gilmer and others argued the while some Democratic leaders denied their support of these measures, the prevailing spirit at this monument's dedication ceremony demonstrated that supporters of segregation and disenfranchisement had not abandoned their cause or lost the "Lilly White" buttons they had worn during the last election. As more West Virginians learn of the connection between this monument and the Lost Cause, segregation, disenfranchisement, and the actions of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, there have been repeated calls for the monument's removal. Supporters of Confederate imagery have responded by working with Republican lawmakers, and as of March 2021, a law to prevent statues in public places from being removed is being considered. 

Stonewall Jackson Statue

The Mountaineer Soldier statue is located on the northeast corner of the West Virginia State Capitol. It was unveiled at the old State Capitol on Capitol Street in downtown Charleston on December 10, 1912. The guiding force for this monument was Col. William Seymour Edwards, speaker of the WV House of Delegates in the 1890s. Edwards personally helped raise funds for the project. The Mountaineer Statue was a symbol of the men of Western Virginia who volunteered and formed themselves into Home Guards to respond to President Lincoln's call to arms in 1861. By their actions, they helped to save Western Virginia for the Union. The base of the monument states: "Erected to commemorate the valor of those who on April 15, 1861, in instant response to the first call of Abraham Lincoln formed themselves into the intrepid Home Guards who held in check unaided the forces of Wise, and Lee, and Jackson, until the federal armies came..." The monument represents a popular notion that is not necessarily historically accurate. The militia system in western Virginia was disrupted by the war and not functional in many counties. Militia companies in the southern counties generally supported the Richmond government, many eventually entering Confederate service. Gen. McClellan wrote to Gov. Pierpont on July 21, 1861, saying "...I see no strong disposition manifested to take up arms...I confess that I am much disappointed by the extreme slowness with which recruiting goes on...Before I left Grafton I made requisitions for arms clothing etc for 10,000 Virginia troops-I begin to fear that my estimate was much too large." Pierpont wrote to Lincoln on Sept. 21, 1861, saying “There is much public condemnation of Western Va. because the people do not defend themselves from the rebbel forces in their midst.” As historian Charles H. Ambler noted "Admitted apathy toward the Union in its militant capacity was great."(Pierpont, pg. 99) A New York Times reporter travelling with the Union army in West Virginia wrote on Aug. 23, 1861, "I remark, however, that it is difficult to comprehend the reluctance of many of the Union Virginians to wage war against their rebel enemies...it is aggravating to the Army that the Western Virginians do not appropriate this part of operations to themselves.."While local militia and homeguards sometimes performed brave actions at critical moments, such as during the Jones-Imboden raid in 1863, the milita system was not very effective. In his address to the state legislature on January 15, 1867 Gov. Boreman stated: "This [militia] system has been regarded for years, by many, as wholly without benefit, and the truth of this impression has been confirmed and rendered the more palpable by the experience of the late war;".It took sculptor Henry K Bush-Brown two years to find the model and three years to actually sculpt the statue. Bush-Brown modeled the statue after Ellis Hamrick, a mountaineer from Webster County, West Virginia. Col. William Seymour Edwards sent Hamrick to Washington to model for the statue. The statue was originally modeled after one of Hamrick's brothers, but the brother passed away during the creation of the statue. As a result, Ellis Hamrick was chosen as the model. The eight-foot monument was dedicated by Colonel Edwards "To the hallowed memories of the brave men and devoted women who saved West Virginia to the Union."The statue is over a century old, and it has been restored by the Save Outdoor Sculpture (SOS!) program. The program is a collaborative project with Heritage Preservation and the Smithsonian's National Museum of American Art. Moisture damage and corrosion affected the statue, and the restoration included mending those damages and repairing the bronze patina and stone base.

In response to the dedication of a statue honoring Clarksburg, West Virginia native and Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson at the old State Capitol in downtown Charleston, West Virginia, veterans of the Union Army received an equivalent statue sculpted by Henry Kirke Bush-Brown in 1912. The bronze statue depicts a pro-Union citizen militiaman carrying a flag and musket, while the two reliefs on the base depict Mountaineer home life. Colonel William Seymour Edwards, former speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates was instrumental in the erection of the statue.

Mountaineer Soldier Statue

Booker T. Washington was born into slavery on April 5, 1856 in Franklin County, Virginia. Once the Civil War ended, Washington and his mother joined their previously escaped stepfather in Malden, West Virginia. Young Washington worked with his stepfather in the early morning and late evenings in the Malden salt mines, but during the day he attended the Tinkerville school. The school was held inside the house of Washington’s pastor, Reverend Lewis Rice, and classes were taught by Ohio teacher, William Davis. Washington later found himself in the service of the Ruffner family, a renowned and wealthy family in Malden, where he worked as a houseboy, with the Ruffner Salt Works, and served as an assistant to Mrs. Viola Ruffner herself.Washington’s thirst for knowledge would follow him throughout his life. In 1875, Washington graduated from Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute in Virginia. He first became a teacher and coal miner in West Virginia, before returning to the Hampton Institute to continue his career as an educator. In 1881, Washington opened his own school in Tuskegee, Alabama for Black students. It started as a simple single room school, but he had ambitions to make it into an accreditable university. In order for his project to take root, he knew he had to gain the support of the white political and social leaders to help fund his goal to prepare African Americans for life long careers, rather than finite jobs; and in the age of Jim Crow Laws, this was easier said than done.Washington could see a lot of compromise that was needed to fulfill his promise to himself and to African Americans in the South. In order to gain proper funding, he had to temporarily accept the segregation practices of the South and their assumptions that his schools would prepare Blacks for simple jobs rather than focus on the liberal arts. This angered many Black leaders in the North, like W.E.B. DuBois and William Monroe Trotter, who wanted a more direct approach to ending segregation. Despite this, Washington knew his tactics would be the appropriate approach to procure the funding needed to build hundreds of Black schools in later years.Washintgon’s plan proved fruitful, and by 1895 he was the most renowned African American educator in the country. His message of hard work, ambition, patience and enterprise garnered him the support of many African American communities, while his work to prepare African Americans for factory jobs and as farmers won over many southern white communities. The previously critical Black leaders saw that the approaches designed by Washington could prove to be the right path of civil rights and full integration into American society.In the early 20th century, Washington gained financial backing from the Rockefeller and Carnegie families, generous donations from African American communities, and even the backing of the vice president of Sears. This helped to improve and create one-third of all the schools in the South. Washington was even able to dine and consult with the President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, with Washington even becoming the first African American to be printed on U.S. currency and postage stamps.Washington died on November 14, 1915, at the Tuskegee Institute campus. He nurtured his West Virginia ties throughout his life by occasionally returning to speak at the West Virginia Colored Institute, which is now West Virginia State University. He is memorialized by the Booker T. Washington State Park in Institute, West Virginia. As Washington was raised in present-day West Virginia and a replica of his boyhood cabin may be seen at Malden, a few miles east of Charleston. The bust displayed in the Booker T. Washington Memorial at the West Virginia State Capitol was sculpted by William D. Hopen. The bust is a replacement for the original bust that was moved to the capitol from Malden. The Booker T. Washington Memorial was re-dedicated in 1985.

Dedicated in 1985, this monument honors West Virginia educator Booker Taliaferro Washington. Born into slavery prior to the end of the Civil War, Washington established Tuskegee University and worked to establish private funding for hundreds of schools for African American children across the South at the turn-of-the-century. After the Civil War, Washington moved to West Virginia with his mother and stepfather. As a young boy, Washington worked with his stepfather in the salt mines of Malden, a small town near the city of Charleston. At this time, the boy learned of a schoolhouse that was near their home and convinced his stepfather to allow him to attend that school by working morning and nights in the mines while reserving the daytime hours for school. This ambition for knowledge would be the signature of Washington's life. Washington returned to West Virginia throughout his life and often spoke at West Virginia Colored Institute, a historically Black college that is now West Virginia State University.

Booker T. Washington Memorial 

This history of coal mining is deeply interwoven into the history of the Mountain State. In 1742, John Peter Salley explored the Allegheny Mountain region along the Kanawha River Valley with his team of surveyors. During his travels, he discovered an abundance of coal veins near the water way and referred to the body of water as the Coal River for this reason. In the early 1800s, coal would serve as a resource for working Blacksmiths and also heated homes while fueling the furnaces for the growing salt mines in the Kanawha River region. Significant mining operations began as early as the 1840s through the 1860s and the state of Virginia responded by passing laws regulating mine operations and investments in land and mineral rights.After the Civil War, some of the first major mining operations in the new state of West Virginia occurred in Fairmont Field near the present-day city of Fairmont. Its location on the Pittsburgh coal seam provided most of the eastern part of the country with a steady supply of coal. As the northern part of the state saw the expansion of significant coal operations, the southern coal fields also grew with the establishment of the Flat-Top Pocahontas fields of Mercer and McDowell Counties. These mines began shipping coal in 1883 and later grew into the Pocahontas Fuel Company in 1907. The arrival of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway in the early 1900s made it possible to ship coal from Logan and Wyoming County, triggering a further coal mining boom in West Virginia.The methods of mining, and the laws surrounding the profession, have evolved over the generations. In the antebellum period, free and enslaved workers mined surface coal with shovels and pickaxes and carried the ore with baskets and sleds pulled by draft animals. By 1890, mechanized coal cutting, hauling, and loading had become a normal sight to see. After the 1930s, long trains, conveyor belts, and shuttle cars became as common as the miners themselves. With technological advancements, West Virginia was able to see two of the largest production booms in its history: 146,088,121 tons of coal in 1927, and 173,653,816 tons in 1947.As the coal industry grew, mines recruited workers from other states and even other nations. Coal companies would provide these workers with not only a job, but also a place for their families to stay known as “coal camps.” Many coal camps were centered around a company store that sold items to workers on credit using company-issued currency known as “scrip”. Each company would have its own printed scrip that signified to their workers that certain scrip could be only used for certain businesses. The system placed power in the hands of the company, leading to potential for abuse when management decided to raise prices for rent, food, and household goods at the company store but did not increase wages.Between 1910 and the early 1920s, several conflicts between miners and mine management led to calls for unionization. Some conflicts about this issue turned into small-scale wars between miners and hired guards known as Pinkertons. On May 20th, 1920, Agents of Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency evicted miners and their families out of their homes for attempting to join a union, leading to a gunfight in the town of Matewan that killed seven agents, two miners, and mayor Cabell Testerman, while also injuring pro-union sheriff Sid Hatfield. The following three months of conflict would be later known to Mountaineers as the “Mine Wars of West Virginia”.The  “The West Virginia Coal Miner” memorial, designed by sculptor Burl Jones, features a statue of a coal miner. The base of the memorial depicts the common duties men and women performed while working in the coal mines. The memorial's plaque reads, "In honor and in recognition of the men and women who have devoted a career, some a lifetime, towards providing the state, nation and world with low-cost, reliable household and industrial energy... Let it be said that “Coal” is the fuel that helped build the greatest country on earth, has protected and preserved our freedom and has enhanced our quality of life. God Bless the West Virginia Coal Miner! Dedicated this 4th day of December 2002."The memorial was commissioned by the West Virginia Coal Forum, and it commemorates the hard-working men and women who have toiled in the difficult work of mining coal. The memorial served as a gathering place during the Upper Big Branch mine disaster in 2010 and continues to be the location where people come to remember the 29 men who lost their lives in that explosion, as well as countless other sacrifices West Virginia miners have made over the years.

The WV Coal Miners Memorial is located on the grounds of the West Virginia State Capitol Complex in Charleston, West Virginia. Coal mining has deep roots in West Virginia and is a quintessential aspect of culture in the Mountain State. However, coal mining is difficult and dangerous work. The Coal Miners Memorial was designed by Burl Jones in 2002 to honor the men and women who have dedicated their lives to mining coal in West Virginia. To this day, the statue remains a gathering site for those wishing to honor coal miners for their hard work, historical contributions, and personal sacrifices.

West Virginia Coal Miners Memorial

Fallen Firefighter was created by James Edward Lykins in 1994. The bronze sculpture was commissioned by the West Virginia Firemen’s Association to honor West Virginia firefighters who have died in the line of duty. The sculpture depicts a figure dressed fully in firefighting gear who holds an axe in one hand and a small child in the other. A plaque on the side of the base of the sculpture records and honors over one hundred firefighters. New names are added as occasion demands. The sculpture is also the yearly gathering place for the West Virginia State Firemen’s Association’s Memorial Ceremony. Artist James Edward Lykins is a military veteran and Purple Heart recipient who creates a variety of large and small-scale sculptures and carvings. 

Fallen Firefighter

W.D. Hopen created Fallen Partner in 1990. Hopen, a native of Sutton, West Virginia, was commissioned by the West Virginia Chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police to sculpt the work. The completed piece depicts a male law enforcement officer dressed in a police uniform and bearing a shield and gun. The figure was cast from bronze, while the base is granite. At the base of the sculpture is a plaque, which lists well over one hundred law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. In 2019, the sculpture was restored by Evergreene Architectural Arts to reverse weathering and other damage. The memorial remains a frequent location for events honoring law enforcement.

Fallen Partner

The West Virginia Veterans Memorial began as a privately funded project with a groundbreaking ceremony on June 22, 1990. P. Joseph Mullins was commissioned to design the monument. The foundation of the memorial was completed in 1991, and the monoliths were completed in 1992. In 1994, the legislature provided supplemental funding that greatly increased the speed of construction. It is estimated that the memorial's total costs are higher than four million. Commemorating WV veterans has continued through the Veterans Memorial Archives, where background information has been gathered on each Veteran honored in the Memorial. This portion of the project is constantly being updated as new information is discovered about the veterans.The monument itself contains four sculptures, also designed and sculpted by P. Joseph Mullins. These sculptures include a World War One Army doughboy, a World War Two Navy sailor, a Korean Conflict Air Force Aviator, and a Vietnam Marine Corps Marine. The Memorial and World War Two Navy sailor sculpture dedicated in 1995, on Veterans Day. On Veterans Day of 1997, 1998, and 1999, respectively,, sculptures of the World War One Army doughboy, Korean Conflict Air Force Aviator, and Vietnam Marine Corps marine were dedicated. The memorial primarily honors those lost in twentieth-century conflicts, because it is almost impossible to determine the total number of West Virginians that served in the American Revolution, War of 1812, and the Mexican War, as the state was still part of Virginia at the times these wars were fought. The Veterans Memorial remains a popular gathering place for events and ceremonies that involve veterans.The Veterans Memorial is a two-story oval monument. It is composed of four limestone monoliths with a reflecting pool around them. Each of the interior walls is finished with a polished Black granite in which the names of veterans are etched. The Veterans Memorial Commission compiled the list of names of West Virginia Veterans to be used in the memorial. P. Joseph Mullins was the designer of the memorial and the four statues that represent the major twentieth-century conflicts and one figure from each war. He is from Charleston, WV, and he had his studio in Charleston when he was asked to design the memorial. Mr. Mullins received his MA in Fine Arts from Ohio University. He is a Vietnam veteran himself.These estimates from twentieth-century wars were listed by the U.S. Veterans Affairs Office and the U.S. Dept. of Defense. In total, the Veterans Memorial honors 10,302 West Virginians.<ul><li>Civil War (12 April 1861 - 26 May 1865): Estimated 40,000 to 46,000 (20,000-36,000 Union; 10,000-20,000 Confederate)</li><li>Spanish-American War (21 April 1898 - 4 July 1902): 3,004</li><li>World War I (6 April 1917 - 11 November 1918, extended to 1 April 1920 for those who served in Russia): 58,053</li><li class="ql-indent-1">2,008 West Virginians</li><li>World War II (7 December 1941 - 31 December 1946, extended to 25 July 1947 in some cases): 233,985</li><li class="ql-indent-1">6,403 West Virginians</li><li>Korean Conflict (25 June 1950 - 31 January 1955): 112,000</li><li class="ql-indent-1">990 West Virginians</li><li>Vietnam Era (5 August 1964 - 7 May 1975): 36,578</li><li class="ql-indent-1">890 West Virginians</li><li>Gulf War (1 August 1990 - cessation of hostilities on 11 April 1991): 12,000 bonuses paid</li><li>Other – 11 West Virginians</li></ul>

The West Virginia Veterans Memorial was designed by Charleston native P. Joseph Mullins, and built in stages from 1990-1999. The monument honors the over 10,000 West Virginian soldiers who lost their lives in the service of their nation. The memorial was originally funded by private donations and completed with the support of the state legislature. Though the memorial honors all West Virginian veterans, inscribed names are limited to four twentieth century conflicts for which data on West Virginian service exists: World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The Veterans Memorial remains a popular gathering place for events and ceremonies that involve veterans.

West Virginia Veterans Memorial

The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument is the result of Hershel Woodrow "Woody" Williams' work honoring veterans. Williams is a West Virginia native and the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from the Pacific Theater of World War II. In 2013, Williams created the Hershel "Woody" Williams Medal of Honor Foundation to begin creating Gold Star Families Memorials across the United States. Support from the West Virginia legislature and private donations made it possible to bring one of these monuments to capitol grounds. Funding was approved in 2018, ground was broken in 2019, and following delays due to COVID-19, the memorial was dedicated in late 2020. The monument’s location was selected due to its proximity to the West Virginia Veterans Memorial and the West Virginia Female Veterans Memorial.The completed work features four panels which stand over twelve feet tall. Starting on the left is the homeland panel, which features West Virginia's state seal in front of the New River Gorge Bridge. Next is the family panel, which honors those who stay behind while their loved ones serve. To the right of the family panel is the patriot panel, which has an iconic image of Marines raising a flag on Mount Suribachi. This scene is particularly meaningful to Williams, as he witnessed this event in person. Finally, the far right sacrifice panel honors those who do not return from their service. The patriot and sacrifice panels are separated by negative space in the shape of a saluting soldier, a further reminder of the enlisted who died in the line of duty.

The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument honors both soldiers who have died in the line of duty and the families that support them. The project was made possible by Hershel Woodrow “Woody” Williams, a West Virginia native and the sole surviving Medal of Honor recipient from the Pacific Theater of World War II. The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument was officially dedicated in 2020, making it one of the newest sculptures on capitol grounds.

Gold Star Families Memorial Monument

Funding to construct a memorial for West Virginia's female veterans was approved in 1998. This statue was the result of the funding and was dedicated in 2010. In addition to debates about the design of the sculpture, there were many discussions about the appropriate location. The decision was made to place the memorial next to the West Virginia Veterans Memorial and create an image of a soldier at work. Some veterans took issue with the design and argued the woman should be in dress uniform as opposed to military fatigues, while others approved of the design choice.  The statue carries a flagpole that bears the flag of various different branches of service on a rotating basis. The statue faces the West Virginia Veterans Memorial, and it is on a 9-foot base that makes it the same height of the four statues of servicemen at the memorial. Additionally, the base of the memorial has four bronze panels depicting women in the service from various wars. Sculptor Joe Mullins previously designed each of the four statues of servicemen within the adjacent West Virginia Veterans Memorial. One of the most notable examples of women in the military was the establishment of women's auxiliary units in World War II. Over time, each of these auxiliaries became part of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. For example, the WAVES began as a separate part of the Navy and the acronym stood for Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. Over 27,000 American women served in the WAVES program during World War II. By 1948, women had gained permanent status in the armed services of the United States. Although women were fully integrated into the military by law, female sailors were informally known as "WAVES" for many decades that followed, a fact that demonstrates the long fight for equality that continues within the military today.

Dedicated in 2010 and located within the West Virginia State Capitol Complex, this statue is the first to honor female soldiers from the Mountain State. This memorial also features the only sculpture on the Capitol grounds that depicts a woman. The work was sculpted by Charleston artist Joe Mullins to represent a female veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars wearing military fatigues designed to represent multiple branches of the Armed Services. The statue is symbolic of the sacrifices and commitment of all the women who have served in the United States Armed Forces.

West Virginia Female Veterans Memorial

C. Paul Jennewein was a German immigrant to the United States who lived most of his life in New York. Jennewein won the prestigious Prix de Rome and created many adornments for buildings such as the Empire Building at Rockefeller Center, the 1939 World’s Fair building, and the Brooklyn Public Library. Cass Gilbert, architect of the West Virginia Capitol Complex, commissioned Jennewein to create Spirit of West Virginia in the late 1940s. The piece was completed and installed on the Motor Vehicles Building in 1950. Spirit of West Virginia is an emblematic example of the late Art Deco style. That Jennewein was still receiving commissions for his Art Deco works in 1950 — long after Art Deco lost favor to Modernism — is testament to the quality and integrity of his work and style.Spirit of West Virginia depicts the state of West Virginia personified as a classically styled woman. The figure wears a two-piece white garment with orange trim. Both her hands are upraised, one clutching her cloak and the other empty. Gold rays suggesting divinity radiate from the figure’s head and a rhododendron bush sprouts from a banner at her feet. The banner is inscribed with West Virginia’s state motto, Montani Semper Liberi, or, “A Mountaineer is Always Free.” The woman is surrounded by symbols of West Virginia’s natural resources and industry. On the left, top to bottom, are farm, timber, and husbandry scenes. On the right, top to bottom, are chemical factory, steel factory, and coal mining scenes. Thanks to the image’s somewhat sheltered location, it has suffered little environmental damage and the colors remain vibrant. The piece is a unique inclusion in the capitol complex and offers visual contrast to the duller colors of the Motor Vehicles Building.

Spirit of West Virginia was created by C. Paul Jennewein in 1950. The terra cotta mural uses the figure of a woman to represent West Virginia. The woman is surrounded by symbols of the state’s natural resources and industry. Designed in an Art Deco style, Spirit of West Virginia stands out on capitol grounds as a unique treatment of space.

Charleston State Capitol Sculptures

Capitol Building East Entrance Sculptures

Introduction

Images

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