State Capitols – Jeferson City, Missouri - Inside

Super Tuesday is behind us but primaries will continue until June. We’ll delay presenting the interior of the Texas capitol to acknowledge the next set of elections, set for March 10. Six states will run primaries on that day and two of the capitols have already been posted. The Mississippi state house in Jackson was presented in 2012 and the Michigan capitol in Lansing went up in two parts in 2016.

Missouri is among the remaining states to vote Tuesday. I introduced this fine capitol in 2018 when then-Governor Eric Greitens was in the headlines for the usual nonsense that powerful pols get into. If it isn’t the wrong kind of money, it’s sex with the wrong person. This led to felony charges of campaign finance violations, blackmail and possible impeachment before he abandoned ship and resigned…juicy. Let’s go inside and finish the story.

Rotunda, Missouri State Capitol, Jefferson City (10 June 2008)

Hanging from the interior dome is a 9000 lb. bronze chandelier. The bright lights on the fixture ruined this photographer’s chance to add another circular design to the collection. However, this magnificent building has many other fascinating views and angles to capture its beautiful features.

Interior, Missouri State Capitol (10 June 2008)

The interior of the Missouri capitol is especially ornate and decorated. When the construction was budgeted at $3.5 million, the special tax to fund it raised an additional million dollars. The Attorney General decided to apply the funds to embellish the edifice. As a result, notable artists of the day were hired to produce paintings, sculptures and other fine art features. English artist Frank Brangwyn painted many of the murals from the top of the dome to the eight panels on this lower rotunda. Interestingly, all the work was done in London and the canvases were shipped to Missouri and permanently affixed to the building.

Senate Chamber, Missouri State Capitol,

Jefferson City (10 June 2008)

Unfortunately, the Senate chamber was closed to the public on this day and the only shots I could get were through the small window in the locked door that led to the upper gallery. I will note that near the Senate rostrum the following is carved onto the wall – “Nothing is Politically Right That is Morally Wrong.” I’m glad that is carved into stone since I believe we have strayed from that truth since the chisels were warm. At least there is a permanent reminder of intent.

House of Representatives, 

Missouri State Capitol, Jefferson City (10 June 2008)

The House is home to 163 representatives. Despite being the 18th most populous state, Missouri boasts the fourth largest number of representatives in American state legislatures. Since 1992, the members have been limited to eight years in office.

Stairwell Accents, Missouri Capitol, Jefferson City (10 June 2008)

It’s details like this that I always appreciate. A simple space between

the railings above and the floor below is accentuated with decorations 

and identifiers of the seat of the state’s government.

Thomas Hart Benton was born to a noted Missouri political family but became one of America’s great 20th century painters. In 1935, he contracted with Missouri legislators to paint a mural in the House of Representatives lounge. The subject of the mural was to be A Social History of The State of Missouri. Two years later, the finished work covered three walls in the room. It is the most popular attraction in the capitol and alone worth the visit.

Detail of ‘A Social History of the State of Missouri’

By Thomas Hart Benton, Missouri State Capitol (10 June 2008)

On three walls of the House Lounge, Benton filled the space with scenes from the pioneer days through the 20th century industrialization of St. Louis and Kansas City. On the other hand, depictions of slavery, lynching, abusing Mormons and a bare baby butt offended the ‘show-them-only-the-good-parts-of-Missouri-history’ crowd.

My tour group was told that the legislators took Benton to court but the judge ruled that there was nothing in the mural that was NOT part of ‘The Social History of Missouri.’ According to our guide, when the offended legislators lost in court and had to pay Benton his commission ($16,000…more than the governor’s annual salary), they decided to close off the room to the public and keep the windows open for a long enough time so that the weather, pigeons, etc. would ruin the work. However, Benton had remarkably anticipated such behavior and had covered the mural with a thin layer of protective beeswax. When the legislature was again challenged and lost, the room was restored and the dirty beeswax removed to again reveal the masterpiece we see today.

Bust of Emmett Kelly, Missouri Capitol,

Jefferson City (10 June 2008)

This may be a cheap shot but one can’t resist the obvious. On the third floor of this fine capitol is the Hall of Famous Missourians where, at last count, you can find 46 busts of Missouri citizens who have achieved some renown in their lives. From Walt Disney to Omar Bradley. From Mark Twain to Ginger Rogers to Harry Truman, the privately-funded representations offer a more human touch to the stuffy history and classic allegories that most folks don’t recognize anymore. Emmett Kelly and his ‘Weary Willie’ character was one of the most famous clowns during the heyday of circuses. I suspect some might draw different conclusions when they see a clown so close to the legislature.

Between the artwork and architecture, the spectacular spaces inside this statehouse make it a favorite of mine.