Georgia — Dome, Cupola, Statue

Dome
The original plans for this capitol called for a limestone dome and other substantial materials around it. Due to a tight budget, wood covered with pressed tin was used for most of the dome area, with terra cotta tiles beneath the tin on the dome itself. By the 1950s, the deterioration of the wood and tin was extensive. The 1957 renovation of the dome sounds quite complicated: the tin was removed, several coats of asphalt and cement were applied to the terra cotta tiles to even out their surface, shingles of monel metal, a gray-colored alloy of copper and nickel were laid over that, and then the dome was gilded.

Statue
She was first named the Goddess of Liberty according to some, and is now commonly known as "Miss Freedom." She is made of copper and painted white. In her left hand, Miss Freedom holds a sword. The torch in her right hand was supposed to be a working light all along, but it remained dark until it was finally re-engineered in 1959, when a tube and trolley system were installed so the bulb could be changed from the inside.

image courtesy of
Dave Phillips

Dome
At the time the Montana capitol was built, the copper mines in Butte were producing the most copper of any mines in the country. The invention of the electric light bulb and the telephone a decade earlier, both of which use copper wiring, produced the demand that made copper big business for Montana. Surely, covering the dome with anything else was out of the question. Montana pride shows in the beautifully designed dome.

Of the capitol domes that are covered in copper, Montana's has by far the most complex copper ornamentation. The dome itself contains three different textures, creating two wide rings at its base. The copper extends down to cover a drum section which has relief work and interestingly framed, round windows.

More Domes
Did you notice the small copper domes over the corners of the square drum? If not, take another look at the top image of the whole dome.

Lady Liberty
She is known by three names: The Goddess of Liberty, Lady Liberty, and just Liberty. Her story is one of adoption, essentially. She appeared at the train station without any record of who had ordered her. The capitol adopted her for the dome, and she has been there ever since.

Drum
The square, stone drum with centrally placed windows and gables/pediments is very unusual for a capitol.

Relief ornamentation here compliments that on the copper pictured at left.

Dome
This dome is made entirely of metal. It has a wrought-iron frame and a galvanized iron outer shell, which has been painted to match the Texas red granite facing on the building.

image courtesy of WingedMammal.com

image courtesy of Texas Senate Media Services (photo link)

Statue
This is the Goddess of Liberty, also called the "Old Lady." She is a replica. The original was cast in white bronze, weighs almost 3,000 pounds, and is 15 feet, 7 1/2 inches tall. She has been restored and is on display in the Texas Memorial Museum. This newer Old Lady, made of aluminum and holding a gilded star, replaced the original in 1986.

Wisconsin — Dome, Drum Sculptures, Three Observation Decks, Cupola, Dome Statue

Dome
The dome is made of white Bethel Vermont granite, as is the rest of the exterior of the capitol. It is the largest dome by volume and the only granite dome in the United States. Encircling it are three observation decks, the lowest of which is open for public viewing during the summer.

Drum Sculpture
(far right)
There are four sculptures around the drum, a rather unusual place for this art. They sit in front of the column circle with solid panels behind them instead of the open space found between the other columns.

image courtesy of Ada Conformity Assessment Authority

By the way, the dome photo was taken through a window, causing a blue-gray tint.

dome statue
image courtesy of Jon Booker

Dome Statue
She is a gilded bronze statue named "Wisconsin," which symbolizes the state motto, "Forward." Wisconsin is 15 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs over 3 tons. In her left hand, she holds a globe with an eagle on it, and on top of her helmet is a badger, the state animal.

drum sculpture
image courtesy of
Jeff Horner