Anthemion

              Continued on page 4
By Terra Steinbeiser, Education Programs Specialist
North Carolina State Capitol Foundation
Fall 2007
This 1874 photograph of the House of Representatives is one of the earliest
known images of North Carolina’s first black legislators. During Reconstruc-tion
(1865-1877), Tar Heels elected more than 70 African American men to
serve in the state General Assembly. The stories of these legislators will be
an important part of the Capitol’s expanded Civil War interpretation. Photo
by Rufus Morgan, courtesy of UNC, Appleton Oaksmith Papers.
State Historic Sites, Capitol Prepare
f or C i v i l Wa r S e s q u i c en t en n i a l
W ith the 150th anniversary of the Civil War
less than four years away, the Division of
State Historic Sites (SHS) is beginning to explore a
new approach to interpreting the Civil War in North
Carolina. From 2011 to 2015, SHS plan to apply a
multi-faceted approach to interpretation and educa-tion
that will create a complete picture of the Civil
War in this state, from pre-war sectionalism through
the era of Reconstruction. As part of this initiative,
the Capitol staff will be enhancing and updating the
interpretation of the war at this site in order to ex-pand
the view of the State Capitol’s role in the Civil
War.
In preparation for the commemoration, SHS re-quires
each site to broaden its view of the conflict
and how it affected North Carolinians politically, so-cially,
and economically. It will be the most complex
and thorough examination of the entire period ever
attempted by the state through its historic sites pro-gram.
One of the highest aims of the project is to
connect the stories of the state’s individual Civil War
sites like a book, with each site acting as a chapter
in the greater narrative of North Carolina’s war expe-rience.
A second goal is for each site to develop a new
curriculum-based Civil War education program for
eighth grade students that will continue to be used
beyond the sesquicentennial period. Additionally,
sites will host special events, programs, lectures,
and exhibits on a multitude of topics dealing with
this singular period in our state’s history.
The sesquicentennial presents a special opportunity
to the Capitol because as the epicenter of the state’s
O n June 2, members of the North Carolina State
Capitol Foundation and friends toured the newly
restored Capitol of Virginia. The purpose of the trip
was to view the capitol in Richmond as restored to
its 1905 appearance and, importantly, to study the
imaginative underground facility which serves both
as entrance to the capitol and the interpretive center.
Richmond resident and SCF board member Kristy
Lee, along with her husband, The Rt. Rev. Peter Lee,
graciously hosted an evening cocktail party for our
group following the afternoon tour of the capitol.
Virginia possesses one of the nation’s most distinguished
capitol buildings. Designed by Thomas Jefferson and modeled
externally after the Maison Carée, a Roman temple constructed in
Nîmes, France, in the first century, A.D, it has served both as the
capitol of the Commonwealth and as the Confederate Capitol.
By design, the Virginia Capitol has one “front” – the familiar
ionic portico high on a hill facing the James River. Entrances were
initially located at both sides of the building. When the structure
was remodeled and expanded in the early twentieth century, the
main entrance for both legislators and for the visiting public became
the back door. Thomas Jefferson intended that this temple be seen
and appreciated from the portico – the building’s “front door.” This
intent had been lost through additions and an invasive canopy of
trees. The ingenious new underground addition has provided the
space for interpretation of this important structure, and provides the
meeting space needs of the twenty-first century General Assembly.
Anthemion A Publication of The State Capitol Foundation,
Inc. and The State Capitol Society
Board of Directors
Edward T. Davis, President
John L. Sanders, First Vice President
Kim Shope, Second Vice President &
Chair, The State Capitol Society
Jonathan Brookshire, Treasurer
Holly C. Fuller, Secretary
Barbara H. Boney, Member-at-Large
George Breece, Director Emeritus
Thomas W.A. Alexander, Kaye Barker,
Martin H. Brinkley, Katie S. Cashion,
Rufus L. Edmisten, Mary L. Jarrell, Kristy
Lee, Sarah Lofton, Betty Ray McCain, Lou
Mitchell, Charles Montgomery, Don Mun-ford,
Amy Needham, Brenda H. Pollard,
Dr. Keats Sparrow, Nancy B. Thompson,
Samuel P. Townsend, Gerald P. Traub, Dr.
Janie Wheeler
Ex–Officio Members
Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight;
Speaker of the House Joe Hackney; Secre-tary
of Cultural Resources Lisbeth Evans;
Deputy Secretary, Office of Archives & His-tory,
Dr. Jeffrey J. Crow; State Capitol Site
Manager Raymond L. Beck
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Raymond L. Beck, Site Manager & Historian
Tiffianna Honsinger, Research & Collections
Cathy Johnson, Volunteer & Tour Coordinator
Loretta Mainquist, Program Assistant
Diana Mauney, Special Events Coordinator
Terra Steinbeiser, Education & Publications
Anthemion is published quarterly by The State
Capitol Foundation to provide information about
and build support for North Carolina’s State
Capitol. We welcome your comments and sug-gestions.
Please contact Capitol Education &
Publications Specialist and Anthemion
editor /designer Terra Steinbeiser at 919-715-
3962 or via e-mail: terra.steinbeiser@ncmail.net
For more information about the State Capitol,
visit our Web site at www.ncstatecapitol.org, or
call 919-733-4994.
2 Anthemion
ThePresident’s
C o l u m n
Edward T. Davis
This newsletter is funded by the Barbara H. Boney Publications Fund
Continued on page 7
Volume II, Issue IV
State Capitol Foundation Board members and the Capitol staff traveled to
Richmond in June to tour the recently completed Virginia Capitol Extension.
3
Fall 2007
The Capi tol s of Vi rginia and Nor t h
Carolina: Two National Landmarks
V irginians, like North Carolinians,
consider their capitol to be their
iconic state government building.
That the original design of the Virginia
structure was largely the work of
Thomas Jefferson lends it a sacred
quality.
Built on the commanding hilltop
above the James River in Richmond
in 1785-88, the Virginia Capitol was
the first major American building
to be cast in the outward form of a
Roman temple. It was the principal
early product of Jefferson’s romantic
rationalism – the idea of fitting the
headquarters of state government
into the rigid confines of a narrow
box. It has, however, housed the
General Assembly and the Governor
since 1788. During the Civil War, it
also accommodated the Confederate
States Congress.
While the 1788 stuccoed brick exterior of the capitol
appears to have changed little over two centuries, the
structure has undergone many internal alterations.
In 1904-06, the interior was largely gutted from the
basement through the roof and rebuilt internally
somewhat along earlier lines. Thus rooms, such as the
House of Delegates�� chamber, that are now presented
as the sites of historic events are in fact recreations of
the original spaces, more or less in earlier form.
In 1904-06, wings were added to accommodate the
Senate and House of Delegates and their officers. Recent
extensive renovation and renewal of the whole capitol
have put it in pristine condition. But what one sees
today is an admirably restored early 1900s recreation
in modified form of Jefferson’s 1788 interior.
In contrast, the North Carolina State Capitol, built in
1833-40, only five decades after the Virginia Capitol,
is remarkably little changed in visible ways, outside or
inside, from its original form. It was better constructed
of more durable materials (stone instead of brick walls
in particular), and has suffered none of the destructive
changes, accidental or purposeful, that its Virginia
counterpart has experienced. Nor was it so readily
enlarged, so its exterior remains unchanged.
In consequence, the visible features of restoration of
the Raleigh capitol have largely consisted of conserving
The Virginia Capitol, known as the Temple on the Hill, has undergone many changes
since its original construction in the late 1700s. Photo by Terra Steinbeiser.
and exhibiting to advantage its original 1840 form
and materials – stonework, woodwork, ornamental
ironwork and decorative plaster. The supervising
architect, David Paton, and early occupants would
readily recognize its features, large and small. Indeed,
they might wonder why so little has changed since
1840.
One distinct advantage of Richmond over Raleigh:
the impressive and functional new interpretive center,
built into the hill on which the Capitol stands and
providing public access to the site. This facility is
described in further detail in The President’s Column
on the preceding page.
Want to check it out for yourself?
The Virginia Capitol is open to visitors
Monday-Saturday, 8:30 am to 5 pm
and Sunday from 1-4 pm.
Groups of 10 or more may schedule a
tour by calling 804-698-1788
By John L. Sanders, First Vice President
4 Anthemion
Many Thanks
The State Capitol Foundation gratefully acknowl-edges
the generosity of those individuals, organi-zations
and corporations who have made contri-butions
to the Foundation. Gifts appearing here
were received between April and July 2007.
William B. Adair:
Gift of $100 in honor of the French-American Cul-tural
Foundation’s Artisan Scholarship program
Alexander Charitable Foundation:
Gift of $1,500 on behalf of Thomas W.A. Alexander
for the Spring 2007 newsletter
Mrs. Vivian S. Allen:
Gift of $100 in honor of Rep. Bernard Allen
Capital Community Foundation:
Gift of $1,000 on behalf of Don Munford for
the Spring 2007 newsletter
Edward Davis:
Gift of $300 to the Barbara H. Boney
Publications Fund
William W. Dodge III
Gift of $250 in honor of the Hon. Ramsey Dodge
for use in the Senate Chamber
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Drew II:
Gift of $100 in honor of Raymond L. Beck
Rufus Edmisten:
Gift of $1,000 to the Barbara H. Boney
Publications Fund
E.A. Morris Charitable Foundation:
Gift of $10,000 to the James S. Lofton Trust
North Carolina Questers:
Gift of $4,000 for the legislative carpet project
North Carolina Society of the Cincinnati:
Gift of $1,000 (undesignated)
power, it had a direct or indirect role in nearly every
aspect of North Carolina’s involvement in the war.
From the secession debates that raged in the legis-lative
chambers to the difficult decisions made by
Governor Vance in his first floor office, and the theft
of the state’s copy of the Bill of Rights, the echoes of
the Civil War are inescapable inside the Capitol. In
August, the staff began examining the site’s current
interpretation and continues to search for ways to
incorporate and highlight previously unexplored
facets of the Capitol’s war story. The staff seeks to
draw attention to the Capitol as it existed and how
it was used from the 1850s-1872.
The support of the State Capitol Foundation will
be vital in accomplishing these educational and in-terpretive
objectives, namely through the comple-tion
of several projects that will allow the Capitol to
achieve an appearance more accurate to the Civil
War period. Ideally, by the kick-off of the sesqui-centennial
in 2011, the Capitol staff hopes to have
accomplished the installation of more accurate car-peting
in the legislative chambers; completed the
acquisition and re-creation of the State Supreme
Court chambers on the first floor; finished the re-creation
of General Milton Littlefield’s “Third House”
in the West Committee Room; and to have replaced
the first floor office lighting with more accurate re-production
fixtures. Look for updates and news on
North Carolina’s Civil War Sesquicentennial in fu-ture
issues of Anthemion.
Civil War Continued from cover
The story of the Capitol’s use as a Union signal station at the
end of the war is just one of many Civil War stories that will be
explored further for the 150th anniversary.
This altered photo of Lt. George Round was taken in May
1900, when he returned to Raleigh to deliver the Memorial Day
address at National Cemetery. During his visit, Round revis-ited
the Capitol dome, which served as his signal station post
in April-May 1865. Photo courtesy of the North Carolina State
Archives.
5
Fall 2007
Artifacts Needed to Complete “Third House”
I n preparation for the upcoming Civil War Sesqui-centennial,
Capitol staff is organizing several build-ing-
related improvement projects. The first of these in-cludes
the re-interpretation of the West Committee Room
as the “third house” of North Carolina’s Reconstruction
legislature.
Originally a joint committee room for the house and sen-ate,
the room has served many functions over the years,
including acting as a post office, rest room facilities, and
even a snack bar. Since the Secretary of State vacated the
room in March 1996, the staff of the Capitol have been
working to restore the room to its 1850s-1860s appear-ance.
During the Reconstruction period, Union Army General
Milton Littlefield, a carpetbagger from New York, occupied
the room. Between 1867 and 1868, he used it as his per-sonal
office and makeshift bar—which became notorious
as the “Third House” of the North Carolina legislature,
so called for the many political deals said to have been
made there. William Bernard, editor of the Wilmington
Morning Star, reported the room held “a plentiful supply
of costly wines, brandy, whisky, rum, etc… and in this
manner…$240,000 was paid out [by Littlefield] either in
“liquor” or on cash bribes to secure the passage of the
law.” Other reports indicate that the room was set up as a
tavern and that more than 9,000 pounds of ice was used
in four months.
In the spirit of refurbishing the room to this period,
the following items were added to the collection: a late
19th century hand-tied birch bark hearth broom, a brass
“porch candle,” a wooden Gloag’s Perth Whisky crate,
and a period appropriate perpetual calendar. Addition-ally,
several mid-to-late 19th century bottles and “war-ranted
flasks” have been accessioned, to give the room
the appearance of an occupied tavern.
While many artifacts for the room’s restoration are al-ready
in place, like Mitchell’s 1844 US map and the origi-nal
1840 joint committee table, in the coming months
we will adding additional artifacts to enhance the space.
Therefore, I would like to invite any foundation mem-bers—
or, your friends—to donate artifacts to this cause.
Specifically, we need liquor bottles, glasses, serving ware,
and American made barware from the 1860s-70s. Addi-tional
artifacts, such as cigar boxes and spit boxes would
also be helpful. If you have any artifacts of this type you
would like to have considered for accession to the NC
State Capitol collections, please contact our Collections
Manager, Tiffianna Honsinger, at 919-733-4994.
Save the Date
State Capitol Society Ball
April 5, 2008
Details Coming soon!
By Tiffianna Honsinger, Collections Manager
Anthemion
6
O n the evening of October 27, the Capitol staff
anticipates that hundreds of people will venture
downtown in hopes of finding out for themselves whether
the 167-year-old building is indeed as haunted as some
say. Last year, the Capitol unveiled Scare on the Square as
a new event to allow the public a rare glimpse into what is
rumored to go on at night behind the stately granite walls.
The event was an overwhelming
success and has been
added to the list of the site’s
regular annual programs.
Visitors who embark on the
eerie tour are treated to a
sample of the old ghost stories
that have been passed down
from former night watchmen
and long time occupants of the
Capitol. Additionally, findings
presented by members of the
Pennsylvania-based Ghost
Research Foundation (GRF)
who have spent several
evenings at the Capitol
over the past few years
investigating the possibility
of paranormal activity in the
building are highlighted on
the tour as well. But visitors
also get a heavy dose of real
history; albeit history presented in a decidedly non-traditional
way.
Though on the surface spooky stories and paranormal
research appear to have little to do with serious history,
they do serve an important function. The purpose at the
heart of Scare on the Square is to grab the attention of
audiences who traditionally might not visit a historic
site such as the Capitol. Scare on the Square uses the
ubiquitous historical ghost story as a starting point to
introduce chill-seekers to different aspects of the Capitol’s
history that are not a part of the every day tour. Mixed in
with the stories of creepy happenings are stories about
19th century governors, interesting Civil War tales, and
past traditions surrounding death and funerals. The tour
also seeks to explain why stories about the Capitol being
haunted (along with countless other historic places) may
have originated in the first place.
The tour begins with a brief introduction outside before
groups are ushered into the
Capitol’s darkened rotunda.
Long black mourning drapes
hang from the upper rails,
recreating a photograph taken
in 1912 of Governor Charles
B. Aycock’s coffin lying in
state. The scene illustrates
just one of the many forgotten
funeral rituals that were
diligently practiced in the
Victorian era. The candle-lit
tour then heads upstairs to
recount some of the many
tales associated with the
legislative chambers, like that
of the Senate’s “bleeding wall.”
The most chilling part of the
tour for many is the trip up to
the third floor State Library,
which has been tagged as a hot
spot for reported paranormal
activity by GRF researchers. Here, visitors have a chance
to hear recordings of electronic voice phenomena (EVP)
collected from different investigations at the Capitol. EVP
are gathered by researchers who go into a room and use
recording equipment while asking questions they think
may trigger a response. For some, the sounds on the tape
are irrefutable evidence that there are ghosts lurking
about the Capitol. Others believe the muffled sounds can
be chalked up to any number of logical explanations.
Either way, you won’t really know until you come and
experience the Capitol after dark for yourself.
Capitol Takes Spooky Approach to History
This 1912 photo shows Governor Aycock lying in state in the
Capitol. The scene wil be recreated for Scare on the Square.
S c a r e
o n T h e
S quare
Saturday, October 27, 5:30-9:30 pm
Tours depart every 30 minutes
Activities for children, hot cider & cookies, and live music will
entertain you outside while you wait for your tour to begin
Admission is FREE, but pre-registration is
strongly encouraged for this popular event.
For more information or to register, please call 919-733-4994
By Terra Steinbeiser, Education Programs Specialist
President
Calendar of Events
Fall 2007
7
In order to meet the program of the capitol, the
commonwealth called in historic renovation architects
of Hillier Architecture, whose previous work includes
the renovation of the U.S. Supreme Court Building.
After a series of studies, the architects determined
that the new entrance would need to be located below
the building in order to appreciate the intended view
and to provide needed additional meeting space - all
located underground. The resulting project is stunning.
The entrance to this facility is located at the street level
below the structure and is modeled on the design of
Alexander Jackson Davis’s Temperance Temple located
at Bremo Plantation in Fluvanna County, Virginia.
Alexander Jackson Davis, the principal architect for North
Carolina’s capitol, was the most prominent American
architect in the first half of the nineteenth century. The
selection of one of his designs for a Virginia client, modified
to be an entrance to Virginia’s capitol, is appropriate as
it provides a design in the classical tradition and does
not compete with Jefferson’s monumental portico.
The new underground facility, faced with Texas
and Jerusalem sandstone, serves as an interpretive
center, much-needed legislative workspace, a gift shop,
multipurpose rooms for various state functions and a
restaurant. The cost of the capitol restoration and the
new underground entrance exceeded $110 million.
The North Carolina General Assembly has just authorized
funds to plan for a Raleigh Visitors’ Center. An important
component of the facility will be interpretive areas for our
capitol. The Virginia Capitol is of national importance
primarily due to its connection with Thomas Jefferson.
The connection is critical to understanding that building.
Likewise, it is not possible to appreciate our own national
landmark without understanding the sweeping economic,
political and social reforms inaugurated by progressive
leaders in North Carolina culminating in the construction
of this most sophisticated of American state capitols.
It was my pleasure on July 11 to give a tour of the
North Carolina Capitol to Dr. Nir Buras, President of
the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of The Institute of Classical
Architecture and Classical America. Dr. Buras stated
that “nothing of this architectural sophistication exists in
the city of Washington. How did this happen in Raleigh?”
We will be working to make sure that story is told.
Veterans’ Day Parade and Ceremony
November 12
A parade, wreath-laying ceremony, and patriotic con-cert
will honor the state’s veterans. Parade begins at
9:30 am. Ceremony will take place at the North Caro-lina
Veterans’ Monument at 11 am.
Governor’s Tree Lighting and Holiday Festival*
December 5 (tentative date)
Festivities begin with the lighting of luminaries and musi-cal
performances on the Capitol grounds. The Governor
and First Lady will light the State Christmas Tree during
the traditional ceremony on the west grounds. After the
ceremony, visitors are welcomed inside the Capitol for an
open house and to take in the Raleigh Garden Club’s deco-rations.
The Junior Woman’s Club of Raleigh will host a
holiday festival featuring music and children’s activities
on Union Square, in the museums, and on Bicentennial
Plaza
Holiday Open House*
December 5-9 (tentative dates)
The Capitol will be decorated for the holidays by the Ra-leigh
Garden Club. Local performing groups will provide
concerts of holiday music daily during the hours of the
open house.
Civil War Christmas Encampment*
December 8 (tentative date)
Re-enactors will demonstrate how to make period Christ-mas
ornaments, dip candles, and allow children to partici-pate
in Civil War military drills.
* Dates and times will depend on the Governor’s schedule.
Please call 919-733-4994 for more information about any of
these events.
Continued from pg. 2
In the Capitol Extension’s interpretive space, Jim Wootton (left), of the
Virginia Capitol Foundation, speaks to SCF board members about the
multi-million dollar project. Photo by Terra Steinbeiser.
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