Virginia State Capitol

During Chaos & Focus' recent redesign, the first two posts were lost. The second post appeared as follows.

Recently, I had the opportunity to tour the Virginia State Capitol and its grounds. The Capitol is one of the finest buildings in Virginia, if not the finest.

The State Capitol was designed in 1875 by Thomas Jefferson during the time he was serving as the United States Minister to France. Jefferson was assisted by Charles-Louis Clerisseau, who was a respected French architect. The Capitol was modeled after the Maison Carree, which is an ancient Roman temple located in Nimes, France. In addition, Jefferson arranged the floor plan to accommodate the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Virginia's government. Construction began on the State Capitol in 1785 and lasted thirteen years. The Virginia General Assembly, which is the oldest English-speaking representative legislature still meeting in the Western Hemisphere, began meeting in the Capitol in 1788 and members of the Virginia executive and judicial branches moved into the building in 1789.

In 1904, the decision was made to renovate and enlarge the State Capitol. John Kevan Peebles, a graduate of the University of Virginia, submitted the winning design which included new wings for both the House of Delegates and the Senate. The wings were completed in 1906 and remain in use today. In addition, Peebles completed Jefferson's original architectural intent by adding front steps to the Capitol.

Between 2004 and 2007, the State Capitol was restored, renovated and expanded. Original exterior brickwork and interior woodwork were preserved. Useable space was increased by over one third in the form of a 27,000-square-foot underground extension beneath the Capitol's South Lawn. The extension contains a gift shop, exhibit space, a café and multipurpose meeting rooms.

The Capitol is the second oldest working statehouse in America and was both the first public building in the New World built in the style of a Roman temple and the first state house designed after the American Revolution.

The State Capitol was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and has been nominated for inclusion on the World Heritage List. The Capitol is also on the Virginia Landmarks Register and on the National Register of Historic Places.

Wireless Towers on School Grounds?

During Chaos & Focus' recent redesign, the first two posts were lost. The inagural post appeared as follows.

In the 8 May 2013 issue of the Courier-Record, it was reported that an agreement had been reached between the Nottoway County School Board and Milestone Communications. Eight days earlier, Milestone Communications; which describes itself as the "leading developer of wireless towers in partnership with school and government landowners"; announced, by way of a press release on its web site, that it had signed a marketing agreement with the Nottoway County School Board. The delay in the Courier-Record’s reporting is likely due to their publishing deadline. According to the release, Milestone will be responsible for marketing sites for potential wireless towers on school properties in Blackstone, Crewe, Burkeville, and Jetersville. Milestone contends that "central locations such as schools are ideal for addressing gaps in network coverage". In addition, the company touted this agreement, as well as previous deals, as a way for schools to make their property available to wireless companies, which "could result in thousands of dollars of new, recurring revenue for their educational and extracurricular budgets".

Prior to the Milestone press release and subsequent Courier-Record article, little was known by the general public in regards to potential wireless towers on school properties. Responsibility for that sad truth lies in several areas: Dr. Daniel Grounard and the Nottoway County School Board, local media and press, along with the general public. In both this situation and inestimable others, Dr. Grounard and the Nottoway County School Board are taking advantage of the poor coverage of School Board politics by local press and media along with the lack of interest by the general public. By doing so, they are perpetuating the lack of discussion and debate on issues that have a major impact on the future of Nottoway County Public Schools and the local community. The local press and media have, with one notable exception, have done a poor job of covering School Board politics and holding Dr. Grounard and the School Board accountable for the decisions they make. With the exception of the Courier-Record, the press and media outlets in Nottoway County pay little attention to what the School Board is doing. The Crewe-Burkeville Journal is too busy attempting to place the blame for Barack Obama’s mistakes and shortcomings on George W. Bush and Republicans to cover local issues that have a direct impact on ordinary local residents. The two local radio stations, WBBC and WSVS, are also close to being entirely deficient in the area of local news coverage. The general public is quite possibly the most responsible group in terms of perpetuating the lack of discussion and debate on issues that have a major impact on the future of Nottoway County Public Schools and the local community. When more people vote for contestants on American Idol than did during the past Presidential election, something is wrong. Citizens who are apathetic to the political process are empowering local officials such as Dr. Grounard and the School Board to take actions without ever having to explain their decisions. This is a dangerous precedent.

Commenting on the recently signed marketing agreement, Nottoway County Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Daniel Grounard said that "we are excited about the potential for new revenue that benefits both our community and our school system". Dr. Grounard also added that "a new wireless tower equates to approximately one teacher". Sources who were in attendance at the agreement's signing described the Superintendent as being pleased with both the deal and the potential revenue. The same sources also reported that Dr. Grounard seemed to be "counting his chickens before they hatch" and "putting the cart before the horse" by counting on wireless towers being built on all seven properties. In addition, it was reported that the Superintendent was all but salivating while discussing the potential income which would result in the event that towers were erected on all seven properties.

Despite the differences in opinion that I share with Dr. Grounard in terms of a number of his decisions as Superintendent, along with the belief that taking advantage of the poor coverage of School Board politics and the lack of interest by the general public is underhanded, I must commend him for leading the search for the next generation of sources of non-taxpayer revenue for Nottoway County Public Schools. Although I share excitement, albeit short of the point of salivation, for additional revenue that would benefit both Nottoway County Public Schools and the local community, several questions remain. With that said, I cannot yet count myself among the supporters of either the marketing of school property for potential wireless towers or the construction of said towers until they are answered by Dr. Grounard, the School Board, or a combination thereof.

Dr. Grounard was quoted as saying that "a new wireless tower equates to approximately one teacher". That statement alone raises a number of important questions that must be answered. What exactly does “approximately” mean? Does the term “approximately” refer to a specific dollar figure or will the potential revenue correspond to the specifications of the potential wireless towers? Is "approximately" slightly more or less than the cost of employing one teacher? If the revenue from the potential wireless towers exceeds the cost of employing one teacher, what will the surplus revenue be used for? If the revenue from the potential wireless towers falls short of the cost of employing one teacher, what will be the source of the additional required funding? In addition to specifically defining “approximately”, Dr. Grounard needs to elaborate on the meaning of "one teacher". Is this hypothetical teacher a recent college graduate taking their first teaching job and earning $39,000 or a veteran educator with 20 years of experience making $48,000? If it is in fact it is a recent college graduate taking their first teaching job, what will occur in the event that future pay increases cause salary to exceed revenue from the towers? In the event that the aforementioned wireless towers become obsolete and are deactivated by their respective wireless company, what will happen to the teacher or teachers whose salary is funded by tower revenue? Will their jobs be safe? If they will be retained, what will be the source of the funding required to pay their salary or salaries?

Considering the number of wireless towers currently in operation in Nottoway County, it is unlikely that all seven sites will require wireless towers in order to address gaps in network coverage. In addition; despite Milestone’s claim to be the "leading developer of wireless towers in partnership with school and government landowners", only 112 of the nearly 1,200 properties they are marketing currently have towers or are in the construction process. What does Dr. Grounard consider to be a reasonable expectation in terms of the number of towers to be built on school properties? If the expectation of the number of towers is on the lower end, what impact does Dr. Grounard believe that one or two additional teachers will have on the quality of education across the school system?

In the event that one or more wireless towers were to be built, what impact does Dr. Grounard envision the construction process and the towers themselves having on students, faculty, and staff? Do the wireless towers pose any health or safety concerns? Who will assume liability if the towers are found to pose health or safety concerns? Will the wireless towers cause any inconvenience to students, faculty, and staff by displacing facilities such as athletic fields, practice areas, or parking lots? What control will Dr. Grounard and the School Board have over the timing of the construction process, as well as the maintenance and repair of the wireless towers?

Rather than using the potential revenue from the wireless towers to hire additional teachers, have Dr. Grounard and the School Board considered using that revenue in other areas such as additional security or technology and facility upgrades? If consideration of using the potential tower revenue for additional security or technology and facility upgrades has taken place, what will be the top priorities?

Virginia State Capitol: Part Eight

During the General Assembly session, the final stop visitors on a tour of the Virginia State Capitol make is the Old House Chamber. However, when the General Assembly is not in session, visitors are taken to the chamber of the House of Delegates. The House has met in the chamber since it was added to the original State Capitol during the renovations of 1904 to 1906. The 100 members of the House are elected for two year terms. The membership elects the Speaker of the House, who presides over each session. Unlike Congress, attendance is mandatory when the General Assembly is in session.

At each of the 100 desks in the House chamber are a microphone, internet access, an electrical outlet. in addition, there are buttons which vote 'yea' or 'nay', one that Delegates press to abstain from voting due to a conflict of interest, one to inform the Speaker of the member's desire to speak, and one to summon a page.

Virginia State Capitol: Part Seven

The next stop visitors taking a tour of the Virginia State Capitol make is the Old House Chamber. The Virginia House of Delegates met in the Chamber from 1788 until 1904. It has also been the scene of a number of historic events. In December 1791, the House voted to ratify the proposed Bill of Rights. In 1807, Aaron Burr was acquitted of treason in this room in a Federal Circuit Court trial presided over by John Marshall. The vote for Virginia's secession took place in the room in 1861. The Old House Chamber is home to a number of statues and busts that honor Virginia natives ans well as Confederate leaders.

John Marshall was born in Fauquier County, Virginia on 24 September 1755. After the outbreak of the American Revolution, Marshall was appointed as a Lieutenant in the Culpeper Minutemen and later became an officer with the Continental Army's 3rd Regiment of Virginia. He left the military in 1780 to study law. Following his attendance of a series of lectures by George Wythe at the College of William and Mary, Marshall was admitted to the bar. In 1782, he won a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, where he served until 1789 and again from 1795 to 1796. In 1788, Marshall was selected as a delegate to the Virginia convention responsible for ratifying or rejecting the United States Constitution. In 1799, he was confirmed as Secretary of State in the John Adams administration. Marshall was nominated for the United States Supreme Court and served as the Chief Justice from 1801 to 1835. John Marshall died on 6 July 1835.

Patrick Henry was born in Hanover County, Virginia on 29 May 1736. Following an unsuccessful career as a planter, Henry was admitted to the bar in 1760. He was elected to the House of Burgesses in 1765. Henry is most known for his "Give me Liberty, or give me Death!" speech in favor of sending Virginia troops to fight in the American Revolution. He served as the Governor of Virginia from 1776 to 1779. Following the Revolution, he was the Governor of Virginia from 1784 to 1786. Henry served as a representative to the Virginia convention of 1788, where he argued against ratifying the Constitution, because he felt that it gave too much power to the federal government. He was also a key figure in the adoption of the Bill of Rights. Patrick Henry died on 6 June 1799.

George Wythe was born in Hampton, Virginia in 1726. Wythe was admitted to the bar in Elizabeth City County in 1746 ans soon began practicing law in Spotslyvania County. He is best known as a signer of the Declaration of Independence, an attendee of the Constitutional Convention, and as being the first professor of law in America. George Wythe died on 8 June 1806.

Thomas Jonathan Jackson was born on 21 January 1824, in Clarksburg, Virginia (now West Virginia). In 1842, Jackson enrolled at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Following his 1846 graduation, Jackson was sent to fight in the Mexican War. Following the war, he left the military to accept a teaching position at the Virginia Military Institute. Following Virginia's seccession from the Union in 1861, Jackson joined the Confederate Army. His Confederate military career includes the Valley Campaign of 1862 and his service as a corps commander in the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee. During the Battle of Chancellorsville, Jackson was hit by friendly fire. Following the amputation of his left arm, he died from pneumonia eight days later on 10 May 1863.

Andrew Lewis was born in County Donegal, Ireland on 9 October 1720 and moved to Virginia in 1732. He spent much of the time prior to the French and Indian War as a surveyor in southwestern Virginia. Lewis was also a Captain in the Augusta County militia. He served as a Colonel in the Virginia militia during the French and Indian War and as a Brigadier General during the American Revolution. He is most famous for his 1774 victory in the Battle of Point Pleasant in Dunmore's War. Andrew Lewis died on 26 September 1781.

J.E.B. Stuart was born in Patrick County, Virginia on 6 February 1833. Stuart graduated from West Point in 1854 and served in Texas and Kansas with the U.S. Army, as well as during the capture of John Brown at Harpers Ferry. Following Virginia's seccession from the Union, he joined the Confederate Army. Stuart served under Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley, and later in the Army of Northern Virginia. J.E.B. Stuart died on 12 May 1864 following being shot at the Battle of Yellow Tavern.

Despite not being a native of Virginia, Jefferson Davis is honored with a bust in the Old House Chamber. Jefferson Davis was born in Christian County, Kentucky on 3 June 1808. Davis is best known as being president of the Confederate States of America. He served in that role from February 1861 until his capture at the end of the Civil War. Jefferson Davis died on 6 December 1889.

Matthew Fontaine Maury was born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia on 14 January 1808. in 1825, Maury joined the Navy as a midshipman. When a leg injury left him unfit for sea duty, he devoted his time to the study of navigation, meteorology, winds, and currents. He became Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Observatory and head of the Depot of Charts and Instruments. Maury's uniform system of recording oceanographic data was adopted by navies and merchant marines around the world and was used to develop charts for all the major trade routes. When Virginia seceeded from the Union, Maury joined the Confederate Navy and became the Chief of Sea Coast, River and Harbor Defences. Maury advocated the creation of an agricultural college to complement VMI. This led to the establishment of the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College in Blacksburg, Virginia in 1872. Matthew Fontaine Maury died on 1 February 1873.

Joseph Johnston was born in Prince Edward County, Virginia on 3 February 1803. He graduated from West Point in 1829 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Artillery. Johnston served in Florida, Texas, and Kansas, and fought with distinction in the Mexican-American War and by 1860 achieved the rank of Brigadier General. When Virginia seceded from the Union, Johnston resigned his commission and joined the Confederate Army. During the Civil War, he saw action during the Vicksburg Campaign, the Atlanta Campaign, and at the Battle of Bentonville. Following the Civil War, he served in the House of Representatives from 1879 until 1881. Joseph Johnston died on 21 March 1891.

Despite not being a native of Virginia, Alexander Stephens is honored with a bust in the Old House Chamber. Stephens was born in Wilkes County, Georgia on 11 February 1811. Stephen is best known as being Vice President of the Confederate States of America. He served in that role from February 1861 until the end of the Civil War. Alexander Stephens died on 4 March 1883.

Fitzhugh Lee was born in Fairfax County, Virginia on 19 November 1835. Lee graduated from West Point in 1856 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. In May 1860, he was appointed instructor of cavalry tactics at West Point, but resigned his commission upon the secession of Virginia and joined the Confederate Army. During the Civil War, Lee saw action in the Northern Virginia Campaign, the Maryland Campaign of 1862, the Battle of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Overland Campaign, Petersburg, and the Third Battle of Winchester. Fitzhugh Lee died on 28 April 1905.

Meriwether Lewis was born in Albemarle County, Virginia on 18 August 1774. Following his graduation from what is now Washington and Lee University, he joined the Virginia militia. In 1875, Lewis joined the Army. When Jefferson began to plan for an expedition across the continent following the Louisiana Purchase, he chose Lewis to lead the expedition. In 1807, Jefferson appointed him governor of the Louisiana Territory. Meriweather Lewis died on 11 October 11 1809.

Cyrus McCormick was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia on 15 February 15 1809. After his father spent 28 years unsuccessfully trying to produce a reliable horse drawn mechanical reaper, McCormick took on the challenge. Rather than being pushed by horses, the Cyrus McCormick design was pulled by horses and cut the grain to one side of the team. Cyrus McCormick died on 13 May 1884.

Sam Houston was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia on 2 March 1793. In 1812 Houston reported to a training camp in Knoxville, Tennessee and enlisted in the 39th Infantry Regiment to fight the British in the War of 1812. In 1822, he was elected to the House of Representatives and served in that role until 1827. Houston was elected Governor of Tennessee in 1827. Following his time as Governor, Houston relocated to Texas, where he was a key figure in gaining independence from Mexico. He served as the President of Texas from 1836 to 1838 and from 1841 to 1844. Houston was a member of the Senate from 1846 to 1859. He served as the Governor of Texas from 1859 until 1861. Sam Houston died on 26 July 26 1863.

Richard Henry Lee was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia on 20 January 1732. In 1757, Lee was appointed justice of the peace in Westmoreland County. In 1758, he was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. Lee was a member of the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1779, 1784 to 1785, and in 1787. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. He served in the House of Delegates in 1777, 1780, and 1785. Lee was a member of the United States Senate from 1789 until 1792. Richard Henry Lee died on 19 June 1785.

George Mason was born in Fairfax County, Virginia on 11 December 1725. In 1759, he was elected to the House of Burgesses. Mason served at the Virginia Convention in Williamsburg in 1776, during which he authored a majority of both the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Constitution. He also attended the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Mason opposed the signing of the Constitution due to the lack of a statement of rights. Following insistence from Mason, the Bill of Rights was ratified on 15 December 1791. The Bill of Rights was based primarily on George Mason's Virginia Declaration of Rights. George Mason died on 7 October 1792.

The Robert E. Lee Statue is located on spot at which he accepted command of Virginia's forces following the outbreak of the Civil War. Robert E. Lee was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia on 19 January 1807. Lee graduated from West Point in 1829 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. Lee distinguished himself in the Mexican–American War as one of Winfield Scott's chief aides. After the Civil War began, Lee assumed command of Virginia’s military forces. Soon after that, he was appointed as a General in the Confederate Army. In 1862, Lee was given command of the Army of Northern Virginia. He saw action at Cheat Mountain, the Seven Days Campaign, Second Manassas, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Deep Bottom, and Appomattox. Following the war, Lee became President of Washington College. It was renamed Washington and Lee following his death. Robert E. Lee died on 12 October 12 1870.

Virginia State Capitol: Part Six

The next stop on a tour of the Virginia State Capitol is the Rotunda. The Rotunda is capped by a 30 foot dome and skylights. The dome is of the interior variety and is not visible from the outside of the building. Jefferson made no reference to a dome in his first written description of the Capitol and it is unknown the dome was a later idea of Jefferson’s or a modification made by the builders. Jefferson did intend for a statue of Washington to stand in the room.

In the center of the Rotunda stands a life-size marble statue of George Washington. In June of 1784, the Virginia General Assembly commissioned this statue “of the finest marble and best workmanship” as a tribute to Washington. The statue was sculpted by Jean-Antoine Houdon. In order to create the best possible likeness of Washington, Houdon visited Mount Vernon, made a plaster mask of Washington’s face, took detailed measurements of his body, and modeled a terra cotta bust. The statue was unveiled on 14 May 1796. It was viewed by many of Washington’s contemporaries, all of whom attested that it was a perfect likeness.

Also featured in the Rotunda are busts of each of the other United States Presidents to call Virginia home, along with the Marquis de Lafayette.

Thomas Jefferson was born in Goochland County, Virginia on 13 April 1743. Following his studies at the College of William And Mary, Jefferson was admitted to the bar in 1767. He was a member of the House of Burgesses between 1769 and 1775. In 1776, Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. He was also a member of the Continental Congress and minister to France from 1785 to 1789. Jefferson served as Secretary of State during the Washington administration and as Vice President during the John Adams administration. Subsequently, he became the third President of the United States. Jefferson was the founder of the University of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson died on 4 July 1826.

James Madison was born in King George County on 16 March 1751. He graduated from Princeton in 1771. between 1776 and 1779, Madison served in the Virginia state legislature. He was also a delegate to the Continental Congress. Madison returned to the House of Delegates and served from 1784 to 1786. He is best known as the "Father of the Constitution", the "Father of the Bill of Rights", and the fourth President of the United States. When Thomas Jefferson was inaugurated as president in 1801, he named Madison to be his secretary of state. James Madison died on 28 June 1836.

James Monroe was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia on 28 April 1758. Following his incomplete education at the College of William and Mary, he served as a Delegate to the Congress of the Confederation from 1783 to 1786. Monroe was a member of the United States Senate from 1790 to 1794. He served as the Minster to France during the Washington administration. He was elected Governor of Virginia in 1799. Monroe was selected by Thomas Jefferson as the Minister to the United Kingdom. Monroe returned to Virginia as Governor in 1711. He served as Secretary of State and later Secretary of War during the Madison administration. James Monroe was elected President in 1817 and served two terms in office. James Monroe died on 4 July 1831.

William Henry Harrison was born in Charles City County, Virginia on 9 February 1773. Following college, he moved to the Northwest Territory. Harrison became Secretary of the Northwest Territory in 1798 and served in that role until 1799. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1799 and served until 1800. Between 1801 and 1812, Harrison was the Governor of the Indiana Territory. He returned to Congress, this time representing Ohio, from 1816 until 1819. From 1825 to 1828, Harrison represented Ohio in the Senate. he was appointed Minister to Colombia in 1828 by John Quincy Adams and served in that role until 1829. In 1840, William Henry Harrison was elected President of the United States. Harrison died on 4 April 1841 after contracting pneumonia as a result of giving a lengthy Inagural Address in a chilling rainstorm without an overcoat or hat.

John Tyler was born in Charles City County, Virginia on 29 March 1790. Following his 1807 graduation from the College of William and Mary, Tyler was admitted to the bar and began practicing law. At the age of 28, Tyler was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 1816 until 1821. Following that, Tyler was elected Governor of Virginia in 1816 and served until 1821. He served in the Senate from 1827 to 1836. He was William Henry Harrison's Vice President and assumed the Presidency following harrison's death in 1841. During the Civil War, he served as a member of the Confederate Congress. John Tyler died on 18 January 1862.

Zachary Taylor was born in Orange County, Virginia on 24 November 1784. In 1803, He joined the Army and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the 7th Infantry Regiment. During the War of 1812, Taylor successfully defended Fort Harrison in Indiana Territory from an Indian attack commanded by the Shawnee chief Tecumseh. He was also a successful and well respected commander during the Mexican-American War. Taylor was elected President in 1848, in large part to his popularity as a war hero. Zachary Taylor died on 9 July 1850.

Woodrow Wilson was born in Staunton, Virginia on 28 December 1856. Following his education at the University of Virginia, he began a law practice in Atlanta. Between 1902 and 1910, Wilson served a President of Princeton University. In 1911, he was elected Governor of New Jersey and served in that capacity until he assumed the Presidency following the 1912 election. He was reelected in 1916. Woodrow Wilson died on 3 February 1924.

The Marquis de Lafayette was born in France on 6 September 1757. In the American Revolution, Lafayette served as a major-general in the Continental Army under George Washington. He was considered to be the most important link between the American and the French Revolutions and was an ardent supporter of the United States' constitutional principles. The Marquis de Lafayette died on 20 May 1834.

Virginia State Capitol: Part Five

The next stop visitors taking a tour of the Virginia State Capitol make is in the Jefferson Room. The room, which was once part of the once larger Old Senate Chamber, is home to a copy of the Declaration of Independence, numerous paintings, and an original scale model of the State Capitol. The copy of the Declaration of Independence is described by the guide as "a copy of a copy" of the original document.

The first painting is of John Randolph. Randolph was born in Hopewell, Virginia on 2 June 1773. At the age of 26, he was elected to Congress, where he served until 1813. During part of the time, Randolph was chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. He returned to Congress in 1814 and 1816. Randolph skipped a term, then was reelected and served from 1819 until his resignation in 1825, when he was appointed to the United States Senate. In 1826, he returned to the House of Representatives as the Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. Randolph was a member of the Virginia constitutional convention at Richmond in 1829. He was appointed United States Minister to Russia by President Andrew Jackson and served from May to September 1830. He was elected to Congress in 1833 and served until his death. John Randolph died on 24 March 1833.

The second painting is of George Rogers Clark. Clark was born on 19 November 19 1752 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Clark is best known as being the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolution. He served as leader of the Kentucky, which was then part of Virginia, militia throughout much of the war. He is most celebrated for his 1788 capture of Kaskaskia and 1779 capture of Vincennes, which greatly weakened British influence in the Northwest Territory. George Rogers Clak died on 13 February 13 1818.

The third painting is of Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was born in Goochland County, Virginia on 13 April 1743. Following his studies at the College of William And Mary, Jefferson was admitted to the bar in 1767. He was a member of the House of Burgesses between 1769 and 1775. In 1776, Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. He was also a member of the Continental Congress and minister to France from 1785 to 1789. Jefferson served as Secretary of State during the Washington administration and as Vice President during the John Adams administration. Subsequently, he became the third President of the United States. Jefferson was the founder of the University of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson died on 4 July 1826.

The fourth painting is of George Mason. Mason was born in Fairfax County, Virginia on 11 December 1725. In 1759, he was elected to the House of Burgesses. Mason served at the Virginia Convention in Williamsburg in 1776, during which he authored a majority of both the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Constitution. He also attended the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Mason opposed the signing of the Constitution due to the lack of a statement of rights. Following insistence from Mason, the Bill of Rights was ratified on 15 December 1791. The Bill of Rights was based primarily on George Mason's Virginia Declaration of Rights. George Mason died on 7 October 1792.

The final painting is of Henry Clay. Clay was born on 12 April 1777 in Hanover County, Virginia. In November 1797, Clay relocated to Lexington, Kentucky and soon established a reputation for his legal skills and courtroom oratory. In 1803, Clay was elected to serve as a representative in the Kentucky General Assembly. In 1806, the Kentucky legislature elected him to the United States Senate. A year later, Clay was elected the Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives. In 1810, he returned to the Senate. The next year, Clay was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He was chosen Speaker of the House on the first day of his first session, something never done before or since. in 1830, Clay returned to the Senate for the third time. Between 1825 and 1829, he served as Secretary of State in the John Quincy Adams administration. Clay returned to the Senate for the final time in 1849. Henry Clay is best known as "The Great Compromiser" who brokered the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850. Henry Clay died on 29 June 1852.

Intending to leave no doubts about the exterior form of the Virginia State Capitol, Jefferson adopted the costly European practice of commissioning a scale model of the proposed building. The model was made by Jean-Pierre Fouquet. Jefferson justified the additional expense of the model by proclaiming that it was “absolutely necessary for the guide of workmen not very expert in their art". The 1:60 scale model arrived in Richmond in late February 1787.

Virginia State Capitol: Part Four

The first stop inside the original State Capitol is the Old Senate Chamber. The Old Senate Chamber was originally designed by Thomas Jeffeson as a larger space to serve as the General Court Room for the Commonwealth of Virginia. In the early 1840s, the Senate of Virginia began meeting in the room. In 1861, the Chamber became the home of the Confederate Congress. After the Civil War, the Virginia Senate resumed meeting in the room until 1904. Former U.S. President John Tyler and Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson each lay in state here after their deaths. The room currently hosts occasional committee meetings and pres conferences.

Following a brief history of the Old Senate Chamber, visitors to the Virginia State Capitol admire a number of paintings hanging in the room. The first is entitled "Three Ships" and was painted by Griffith Baily Coale in 1949. Depicted are the Godspeed, the Susan Constant, and the Discovery, which brought 104 settlers to what would become Jamestown and the first permanent English settlement in the New World. The painting was commissioned by the Virginia General Assembly and was used by the United States Postal Service on a stamp commemorating the 400th anniversary of the settlement of Jamestown.

The second painting is entitled "The Storming of a British Redoubt by American Troops at Yorktown" and was painted by the French artist Eugène-Louis Lami in 1840. The painting depicts an American attack led by Colonel Alexander Hamilton on a British redoubt at Yorktown in October 1781. The painting was given to the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1878 by Virginia native and art collector William Corcoran.

The third painting is of Captain John Smith. Smith was born in January 1850, according to the best estimates of historians. At the age of sixteen, Smith began fighting as a mercenary against the likes of the Spanish and the Ottoman Turks. In 1607, he became involved with the Virginia Company of London's plans to colonise Virginia for profit. Per orders of the Virginia Company, Smith was to be one of the leaders of the new colony. He is best known as declaring that "that he that will not work shall not eat". Following that edict, the situation in Jamestown improved. In late 1609, an injury from a gunpowder explosion forced Smith to return to England for medical care. Following other explorations into the New World, John Smith died on 21 June 1631.

The fourth painting is of Pocahontas. Pocahontas's birth year is unknown, but some historians estimate it to have been around 1595. She was the daughter of Powhatan, who was the chief of roughly thirty allied Algonquin speaking groups in the Tidewater region of Virginia. Pocahontas is best known for her connection to Captain John Smith, who arrived in Virginia in April 1607. In 1614, she married John Rolfe, with whom she had one child, Thomas Rolfe. Their marriage led to a peaceful relationship between the English and the Powhatan. Two years later, Pocahontas traveled with Rolfe to London. Pocahontas died in March 1617.

The final painting is of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Rockefeller was born on 8 July 1839. After college, he began working at his father's Standard Oil headquarters, and later at J.P. Morgan's United Steel. Rockefeller was a philanthropist who gave much of his fortune to worthy causes. He financed the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg. For that, Rockefeller was made an honorary citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. died on 23 May 1937.

Virginia State Capitol: Part Three

Between 2004 and 2007, the Virginia State Capitol was restored, renovated and expanded. Original exterior brickwork and interior woodwork were preserved. Useable space was increased by over one third in the form of a 27,000-square-foot underground extension beneath the Capitol's South Lawn. The extension contains a gift shop, exhibit space, a café and multipurpose meeting rooms. The centerpiece of that expansion is the Visitor's Center.

Following a security screening, the first statue visitors to the Virginia State Capitol encounter honors Henry Clay.

Henry Clay was born on 12 April 1777 in Hanover County, Virginia. In November 1797, Clay relocated to Lexington, Kentucky and soon established a reputation for his legal skills and courtroom oratory. In 1803, Clay was elected to serve as a representative in the Kentucky General Assembly. In 1806, the Kentucky legislature elected him to the United States Senate. A year later, Clay was elected the Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives. In 1810, he returned to the Senate. The next year, Clay was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He was chosen Speaker of the House on the first day of his first session, something never done before or since. in 1830, Clay returned to the Senate for the third time. Between 1825 and 1829, he served as Secretary of State in the John Quincy Adams administration. Clay returned to the Senate for the final time in 1849. Henry Clay is best known as "The Great Compromiser" who brokered the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850. Henry Clay died on 29 June 1852.

The Henry Clay Statue, sculpted by Joel Tanner Hart, was unveiled on 12 April 1860 and originally stood under an iron gazebo on Capitol Square. In 1930, it was moved to the Old House Chamber. Following the expansion of the State Capitol, its home is in the Extension.

After passing by the Gift Shop and before meeting the tour guide, visitors to the Virginia State Capitol have the opportunity to get a bird's eye view of the twelve acres that make up Capitol Square, in the form of a scale model of the Square and its surroundings. The model is highly detailed; featuring among others models of the statuary on Capitol Square, the Oliver Hill Building, the General Assembly Building, and the Governor's Mansion.

The first few moments of a tour of the Virginia State Capitol are spent admiring a massive Virginia flag. In 1865, Governor William Smith asked the daughters of Colonel George Wythe Munford to make a Virginia flag to fly over the State Capitol. On 3 April 1865, Major Atherton H. Stevens led the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry onto Capitol Square, where the Confederate and Virginia flags were lowered and removed. Souvenir hunters tore the Confederate flag into pieces but Major Stevens took the Virginia flag for himself. Sixty-two years later in 1927, Steven's descendants returned the flag to the Commonwealth.

Following the Munford flag, the tour guide shares a few words about an impressive bronze statue called "Brothers". Sculpted by Gary Casteel in 2010, the statue is "reminiscent of the harsh realities of the American Civil War". The two figures represent "the real possibility of familial recognition by opposing soldiers". The statue conveys both the feeling of grief and hope that the struggle is over and better days are ahead.

The Extension is dominated by the final stop visitors taking a tour of the State Capitol make before entering the building itself, which is a larger than life statue of Thomas Jefferson.

Thomas Jefferson was born in Goochland County, Virginia on 13 April 1743. Following his studies at the College of William And Mary, Jefferson was admitted to the bar in 1767. He was a member of the House of Burgesses between 1769 and 1775. In 1776, Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. He was also a member of the Continental Congress and minister to France from 1785 to 1789. Jefferson served as Secretary of State during the Washington administration and as Vice President during the John Adams administration. Subsequently, he became the third President of the United States. Jefferson was the founder of the University of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson died on 4 July 1826.

The bronze Thomas Jefferson, Architect of Liberty statue stands eight feet tall and portrays Jefferson at the age of 42, which was when he designed the State Capitol. Featured on the front of the statue's pedestal are Jefferson's signature and the inscription "Architect of Liberty".

The side of the pedestal below Jefferson's left side highlights his public service to the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States. The inscription reads: "Thomas Jefferson. Public Servant. Member of the House of Delegates. Member of the Continental Congress. Governor of Virginia. Minister to France. Secretary of State. Vice President of the United States. President of the United States."

The side of the pedestal behind Jefferson commemorates the generous benefactors of the statue. The inscription reads: "Thomas Jefferson. April 13, 1743 - July 4, 1826. 'That my country should be served is the first wish of my heart.' Presented to Our Fellow Virginians by The Thomas F. Farrell Family, The William H. Goodwin, Jr. Family, The Brenton S. Halsey Family. May 4, 2012."

The side of the pedestal below Jefferson's right side celebrates what Jefferson himself considered to be his proudest achievements. The inscription reads: "Thomas Jefferson. Architect of Liberty. Author, Declaration of Independence. Author, Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. Architect, Virginia State Capitol. Architect and Founder, University of Virginia."

Featured in Thomas Jefferson's hands in the statue are architectural plans for the Virginia State Capitol. The State Capitol was designed in 1875 by Jefferson during the time he was serving as the United States Minister to France. Jefferson was assisted by Charles-Louis Clerisseau, who was a respected French architect. The Capitol was modeled after the Maison Carree, which is an ancient Roman temple located in Nimes, France.