, IVVl// I , I The 1Uff' Massachusetts 312066 0278 1025 4 State House

A guide to a walking tour and a short but interesting history of the building

Publi.sbed by WilliamFrancis Galvin Secretaryof the: Commonwealth State House: Tours and Govcmmcnt Education Division

Welcome to the State House!

The magnificent setting of our state Of course,the State House is also a vital government for almost two centuries place of work for the leadership who has become an outstanding museum guide our state today. You are wel­ reflecting the history of Massachusetts come to observethe Senate and House since colonial times. Its spacious of Representatives as they convene in marble-flooredcorridors are lined with their handsomely-appointed chambers. the portraits of Massachusetts gover­ Past and present are partnersin the nors and murals depicting our state's Massachusetts State House. I cordially unique heritage. Adams, Hancock, invite you to walk through this grand old Revere, and Winthrop live on in stat­ building with a guided tour or on your ues and paintings recreating the glory own, and hope that your visit will be of their times. enjoyable, informative,and memorable.

Sincerely,

William Francis Galvin Secretary of the Commonwealth Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014

https://archive.org/details/massachusettssta00mass_6 "The hub of the solar system .. .''

The Early State House buildings in the country. Its dome In 1713 the seat of the Massachu­ dominated the Boston skyline until the setts government was the old State advent of the skyscraper. House at the corner of King (now Washington) and State streets. After The State House Today the American Revolution, state leaders Today, the Massachusetts State House wanted a larger and more elegant is the oldest building on Beacon Hill. home to better reflect the prosperous The building and its grounds cover 6.7 The old State House acres or about two city blocks. The new republic, spacious enough to ac­ Oliver Wendell Holmes called the State commodate an expanding government. Bulfinch Front facessouth, its red brick House "the bub ofthe solar system, though ttme bas altered the statement They selected a superb site for the walls, white pillars and trim, and golden and tt ts now remembered as MBoston new State House close to the summit dome catching the sun in every season. tsthe hub oftbe universe." Today,Boston, not the State House, tscalled "1beHub". of the south side of Beacon Hill, over­ On the grounds below the central looking Boston Common and the Back colonnade are statues of orator Daniel Bay. The land had originally served as Webster, educator Horace Mann, and a cow pasture for the Revolutionary Civil War General Joseph Hooker. In

patriot and governorJohn Hancock. addition, the somber figures of A young native-born architect, Anne Hutchinson and Mary Charles Bulfinch, was chosen to de­ Dyer religious martyrs of colo­ sign the building. Bulfinch was a pub­ nial days, have been placed on lic-minded citizen who had served the lawns below the two State Boston as a selectman. The many House wings. buildings he designed in Boston made The latest addition to the a strong mark on the character of the grounds is a statue (pictured at city. He later contributed to the plans right) of John F. Kennedy, the - of the Capitol in Washington. 35th President of the United The Bulfinch State House was States. A gift from the people completed on January 11, 1798 and of Massachusetts, it was dedi­ was widely acclaimed as one of the cated on May 29, 1990 and is more magnificent and well-situated located in the west wing plaza. JJ A walk through the State House Your tour begins at the State House mode in the entryway just outside Doric Holl. l

� The State House Model The legislarure defeated a proposal to

The Slale House cornersione was laid .. The model of the 1798 State build a new state house in the geographic on lbe Fourth ofJul y, 1795, by House, or Bulfinch Front, is an accurate center of Massachusetts, and voted Governor Sam A.dams and Paul Revere, Grand ftlasler of the Masons. representation, lacking only the chim­ instead to expand the existing one. Tbe stone was drawn by fifteen white neys and side enLrances which were A large extension, built of yellow horses, one for each of the stales of tbe Union at that time. 1be cost of /be removed in the mid-1880s. The major brick, was added to the back of the original building? S/33,333,33 difference between the model and the Bulfinch State House between 1889 building at that time is the color of the and 1895. It was designed by Charles dome. Paul Revere & Sons coppered the Brigham, who made extensive use of dome in 1802 to prevent water leakage. marble, wrought iron, and carved wood Some seventy years later the dome was paneling in the elegant interior. gilded with 23 carat gold leaf for the first The most recent additions, which were time. The cost was S2862.50; the most completed in 1917, are the two white recent gilding, in 1969, cost S36,000. marble wings to the east and west of Most of the wood used to build the the State House. They were designed original Bulfinch Front came from by William Chapman, Robert Andrew, Maine, which was a part of Massachu­ and Clipson Sturgis. They contain many setts until 1820. The pine cone atop the of the House and Senate offices. cupola above the dome symbolizes the importance of the lumber indusLry to the early New England economy. Just eighty years after its dedication, the State House proved 10 be too small.

6 ...a..Doric Hall Doric Hall contains portraits, statues, a Doric Hall derives its name and military artifacts recalling many from the architecrural style of its ten periods of Massachusetts history. The mlumns. lt is located twofloors beneath 1826 marble starue of George Washing­ the dome and its appearance, although ton by Sir Frances Chantrey was the Wrote a vtsttor to the State House tn 1809: "It Is a superb butldfng and first to be placed in the State House. close to the original, was changed by stands ,,ery High. I ventured up to tbe the major restoration of the Bulfinch Governor Andrew is memorialized in First Balcony. and tbo' I rlsqued aft/ ofGout by It, yet I was very much Thomas Ball's marble sculpture, lo­ Front at the tum of the 20th cenrury. gratified by one oftbe most grand, The original Doric columns were pine cated to the left of Washington. Across picturesque and extensive Views that f have ever seen "' tree trunks which were carved on the the roomis a rare full-length portrait of front lawn of the State House. The Abraham Lincoln, painted around 1900 1be golden dome ofthe State House serves as the offklal location of present columns, installed as a fire­ by Albion Bicknell. Boston to mt1pmakers. A sign that says "50 mtles to Boston" really proofing measure, are copies made of Thetwo cannons beneath the Lincoln meansfifty miles to tbe golden dome. practJcal iron and plaster. portraitcommemorate the Concord Min­ As a main reception room, Doric utemen at the Battle of the North Bridge Hall has served as the setting for un­ on April 19, 1775. The cannons on the counted formal and informal gather­ opposite wall were used by the British ings including banquets, press EastIndia Marine Companyand are said conferences, swearing-in ceremonies, to have been caprured in the War of and other special events. It was here, 1812. Betweenthese cannonsis a bronze at the beginning of the Civil War, that bust ofJohn Hancock, the first signer of arms, ammunition, and other equip­ the Declaration of Independence and ment were distributed to company the firstgovernor elected after the adop­ after company of volunteers to the tion of the Constitution Sixth Massachusetts. The men of the of the Commonwealth Sixth assembled in front of the State in 1780. House and received their colors from Governor John Andrew; the units, which arrived on April 19, 1861 in Washington D.C., were the first orga­ nized military assistance President Lin­ coln received in the Civil War. JJ

..JI... Nurses Hall Nurses' Hall also features several .. Climbing the stairs at the end murals by RobertReid depicting events of Doric Hall you will leave the 1798 crucial to the start of the American Bulfinch Front and enter the 1895 Revolution. Paul Revere's ride of April A native of Haverhill, Major General Wtlllam Francis Bartlett was a bero to Brigham addition to the State House. 19, 1775 is on the left, the Boston Tea both rbe North and the South. Named The small hall you have entered con­ Party is on the right. The central panel a getwral at tbe age of twenty-four, be was woundedfour times and lost bis tains a Daniel Chester French bronze portrays the true beginning of the left leg in the battle of Yorktown, but statue of the Massachusetts Civil War colonists break with England. Fiery continued lo lead bis troops. The statue of WIiiiam Francis Bartlett hero, William Francis Bartlett. orator James Otis is pictured arguing was dedicated on the 4 Jst anntvesary The next, larger room, built largely against the Writs of Assistance, which of lbe Battle of Port Hudson on i May 27,1904. It was lnttta/ly of Pavonazzo marble, is called Nurses' allowed Britishsoldiers to enter prvate placed In tbe Hall of Flags. Hall because of the statue of an Army homes and shops in search of smuggled war nurse located on your right. goods. Refusing payment from the Sculpted in 1914 by Bela Pratt, it was Boston merchants who retained him, the first statue erected in honor of the Otis presented his case in February women of the North afterthe Civil War. 1761. Although he did not win the case, Otis was describedby John Adams as "a flame offire ... then and there the child Independence was born•.

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� Hall of Flags trayal of the Mayflower Pilgrims as D Memorial Hall or The Hall of they first sighted land. Behind you is Flags is a special place where all of our Walker's interpretation of John Eliot Massachusetts soldiers are honored preaching to the Native Americans. On his last day in offtce,January 4, and remembered. Eliot learned the Algonquin dialect, 1884, GovernorBenjamin Butler made the Journey alone from the "The Rerurnof the Colors," shown in translated the Bible for the Indians, front door of the State House down Edward Simmons' mural on your right, and established fourteen villages of the front steps, thus establishing the tradition of the "Long Walk". Since depicts the rerurn of the flags that "praying" Indians. then, the middle doors oftbeState (,overnor Andrew had given the Mas­ The stained glass skylight above House are opened only to allow a contains the seals of the original thir­ governor who is ending a term of sachusetts regiments as they departed office to depart, or a president ofthe to fight in the Civil War. This cer­ teen colonies of the United States. The United States to enter. Massachusetts seal is in the center. emony, which took place December Typically the governor takes bis long 22, 1865, started a significant tradition walk alone. But at tbe end ofGovernor Michael Dukakfs's term, be walkeddown called Forefather's Day. escorted by his wife, Kitty Dukakts. Flags have been returned after duty in every war since then including the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Berlin emergency, and the Vietnam War. This hall was built of beautifulItalian marble to appropriately display these flags. If you take a close look you will see that these are transparencies of flags, not the actual flags. In 1987 the original flags were moved to environmentally controlled storage by textile conserva­ tors. There are over 400 flags in the State House collection. Some of the original flags will be back on display when the cases have been renovated. Edward Simmons depicted the Battle of Concord in the mural to your left. In front of you is Henry Walker's par-

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...A.._ The Great Hall was designed by R.M. Fischer, a New Tbe Great l/all ls the most recent 20th If you walk just beyond the York artist, to serve as a functional century addftton to tbe Inside of the D State House wblle Asbburton Park fs main staircase to the right and go piece of artwork. Fischer was inspired the newest addttton ro the outside . by the clocks that grace the town halls, located jus/ behind the East Wing, the through the glass doors, you will find park highlights the monument the Great Hall. The Great Hall is the churches and other meeting halls of designed by Charles Bulfinch to commemorate the events of the newest addition to the State House, New England. In an attempt to relate American Revolution. Tbe height of completed in 1990. Previously it was to the space surrounding the clock, he the column ts approximately the same height of the ortglnal Beacon HIii an open space. It was built up from the has employed many arcs and circles which was leveled offto create the basement and topped with a glass that echo the architectural elements of landfill for Back Bay. dome. This magnificent tricolored the building such as the arched door­ marbled hall is used for official state ways and circular patterns of the functions and receptions. The clock marbled floor. Lining the walls are the city and town flags representing the 351 cities and towns of Massachusetts. Beneath the Great Hall are four new Legislative Hearing Rooms.

10 • Main Staircase Window tive American is shown on a blue 1 Since its settlement, Massa- background standing below a drawn After the iron ratltngs on the Main Staircase were cast, the molds were chusetts has had a series of state seals. sword. The star over his shoulder indi­ broken to ensure that the railtngs would be one ofa kind. The first is shown in the top pane of the cates that Massachusetts is one of the painted and stained glass window. original colonies. The motto of the Only four states are "commonwealths" - Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Designed in England for the original commonwealth appears at the bottom and Massachusetts. Massachusetts chose this destgnatton when its first commercial enterprise that was the of the seal. constttutton, the "Constttutton of Massachusetts Bay Colony, the seal Massachusetts Bay" was turneddown by the cities and towns. In order to portrays - unrealistically - a Native differentiate the second constitution, American attired in a grass skirt voicing which for the firsttime included a Bill of Rights, the Constttutton Conventton the plea, "Come Over and Help Us." named tt the "'Constitution ofthe When Massachusetts became part of Commonwealth ofMassachusetts." the New England Royal Dominion in 1684 a new seal, shown below the first, was adopted. The family seals of the provincial governors appear on the two side panels and the Revolutionary seal is located at the bottom of the window. This seal portrays a colonist clutching the Magna Carta in one hand and a sword in the other. Our current state motto, "Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem", was adopted at that time. It means "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty." Massachusetts adopted its current seal in 1780 (pictured above right). It appears just above the Revolutionary seal. A more realistically dressed Na-

11 The Legislative Branch The Massachusetts Legislature, ar General Caurt, was established in 1644. It has twabranches - the 40 member Senate and the 160 member Hause al Representatives. Massachusetts became a Cammanwealth in 1780 when it adapted its remarkable Canstitutian. This document included a ground-breaking Declaration al Rights and was a madel for the Canstitutian al the United States. It is, in fact, the aides! written canstitutian in effect in the warld taday, although it has been amended mare than 100 times. On April 26, 1933 the Sacred Cod was "codnapped"from the /louse of All Massachusetts citizens have the right al free petition and may have bills introduced by a legislator. Representatives by members of the Bills receive a public hearing and a committee recammendatian. They must be read, debated, and passed Harvard Lampoon. in bath the Hause and the Senate before they are sent ta the gavernar ta be signed inta law ar vetaed. ln 1921 Sylvia Donaldson and Susan Walker Fitzgerald became the first House of Representatives dium are the Albert Herter murals, women to seroe in the Massachusetts ....a.. House, In 1936 Sybil /lo/mes became - It is in this room that the larger "Milestones on the Road to Freedom." the first woman state senator. of the two legislative bodies conducts The names on the ceiling cornice In what is now the Senate Chamber, its business. The Speaker of the House commemorate men who made impor­ the House of Representatives convened for nearly a century, Here tn 1858, the is elected by the representatives and tant contributions to the commonwealth dramatic trial ofjudge Edward and the nation prior to 1895. Greeley Loring took place.Judge presides from the elevated chair be­ Loring was found guilty of breaking a hind the podium. Representatives can Above are the galleries for the pub­ state law after be ruled that Anthony lic, guests of the Speaker, and the Burns, an escaped slave, must be vote electronically by pushing a green retumed to hisowner. Loring was "yea" or a red "nay" button on their press. Hanging over the public gallery removedfrom office and the brilliant is the famousSacred Cod, symbolizing prosecutor John Andrew, an ardent desks. The results of the vote appear opponent of slavery, was elected next to each representative's name on the importance of the fishing industry governor of Massachusetts in 1859. the boards in the front of the room. in the early Massachusetts economy. It The room is paneled in Honduras was given to the House in 1784 by a mahogany. Behind the Speaker's po- Boston merchant, Jonathan Rowe.

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� Senate Reception Room vaulted ceiling are the only original In 1812 membership tn the House columns standing in the Bulfinch Front a Located in the Bulfinch Front, ofRepresentatives swelled to an what is now the Senate Reception today. Each was carved from a single Incredible 749. Grandstand seating was required to seat them all Room originally served as the Senate pine tree. Some of the engaged columns In the Chamber. Following the completion of The paintings that line the walls of Senate Reception Room (those the Brigham addition of 1895 the Sen­ the Reception Room portray some of embedded tn the wall)ftlled tn the the former Senate presidents, includ­ spaces that were leftwhen fireplaces ate moved across the hall to the former were removed following the tnstal/a­ House of Representatives, and the ing Calvin Coolidge and Horace Mann. tton ofcentral beating tn the 1860s. This room is now used for conferences House relocated to itspresent chamber. The face of the State House bas Most of the elegant Bulfinch fea­ and occasional receptions. changed wttb fashion. 1be original red brick was painted white in 1825, tures may still be seen here. The four yellow in the mid-1880s to match a Ionic columns supporting the barrel- new addition, and whtte agatn tn 1917. When most of the other historic butldtngs in Boston bad been restored to their natural brick hue, the State House finally followed suit tn 1927.

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....i.,. Senate Chantber niches. Busts of Presidents Washing­ "/ stand before you as a moral being , Directlybelowthegoldendome ton and Lincoln are situated behind the endowed with precious and unalfen­ D able rights, which are correlative wtth is the Senate Chamber. There are forty Senate President's desk. Near the visi­ solemn duttes and bfgb responslblll­ tors area is a bust of Marquis de tles; and as a moral betng I feel tbat I Senators, thirty-nine ofwhom sit around a owe It to the suffering slave, and to the circle of desks. The fortieth, the Lafyette, a great friend of the Ameri­ the deluded master to my country . can people, who visited the chamber and my world to do all that 1 can to Senate President, is elected by the overturn a sy.,;tem of complicated senators and sits at the rostrum under on his way to lay the cornerstone for crlmes, built up upon the broken hearts and prostrate bodies of my a golden eagle. Voting in the Senate is the Bunker Hill Monument in 1825. countrymen fn cbatns, and cemented still done by voice. Several presidents - including Jack­ by the blood and sweat and tears of my sisters In bonds. n Most of the room has been changed son, Monroe and Van Buren - were Angelina Grimke from the original Bulfinch design but welcomed here. It was in this chamber, February 21, 1838 the sunburst ceiling remains the same. too, that Angelina Grimke made politi­ The bust of Washington at the front of cal history when, in 1838, she gave a the Senate Chamber was al one time Emblems symbolizingcommerce, agri­ thought to be of Samuel Adams. Tbe culture, war, and peace are located in speech advocating the abolition of identity crisis was cleared up with the slavery. She was the first woman to help of Lafayette, wbo commented, the four corners of the ceiling. "Tbat's the Washington I knew/" High above the chamber are the address a United States legislative body. public galleries. Marble busts of state and national figures stand in the wall

14 The Executive Branch Massachusetts' chief executive officer, the governor, is ossisted by o cabinet and a governor's council. Each cabinet secretory is appointed by the governor ond is responsible for the implementotion of policy in the deportments under his or her jurisdiction. The eight members of the Governor's Council approve gubernotoriol judicial appointments and pardons, 01 well as expenditures from the treasury.

Executive Offices The Governor's Office • To the leftat the end of the hall is the The curtain in the middle of the south wall of the Senate Chamber, directly The Governor's Waiting Room governor's office (pictured below). opposite the Senate President's chair, Stucco ornamentssymbolizing the arts, ts used only by the Governor to enter Portraits of recent governors hang the Senate when It ts In session. The in this room. If you enter the short hall liberty, justice, and executive powers curtain conceals the entrance to a decorate the walls. The portrait of a ballwhich connects the Governor's to the right, you will see a portrait of office dtrect.ly to the Senate. George Washington. It was copied by predecessor, selected by the incumbent Everygovernor bas the opportunity Francis Alexander from an original governor, hangs over the Connemara to choose a portrait of a former marble fireplace behind the desk. governor to bang over the mantel In painted by Gilbert Stuart. Since Stuart's bisoffice. Governor Dukakis bad portrait was the model forWashington's chosen Samuel Adams and Governor Weld chose James Michael Curley. later portraits, it was left unfinished. Council Chamber and Cabinet Room Across the hall is the room used for Stuart's portrait was also the model for meetings by both the Council and the the likeness of Washington on the dollar bill. Cabinet.

15 TheArchives and Commonwealth Museum

Located in Boston at Columbia Point history of their Massachusetts town. (next to the JFK Library), the building The Massachusetts Archives is the housing the Massachusetts Archives repository of more than 370 years of and the Commonwealth Museum is Massachusetts history, housing both easily accessible by the MBTA Red line. historical artifacts and documents as The Commonwealth Museum offers well as preserving access to state to visitors the opportunity to travel government records that are of long­ back in time, consider what makes the term value to support government

Commonwealth so uncommon, re­ operations. For more information call search family origins, and explore the (617) 727-9150

16 Information about Massachusetts State House Tours

Massachusetts StateHouse tours Toursforschoolclasses and other are conducted by the staff of the Tours groups of ten or more should be and Government Education Division scheduled at least three weeks in of the Secretaryof the Commonwealth advance. of Massachusetts and by volunteers Please address inquiries to the well-versed in the history and archi­ Director of State House Tours and tecturalbackground of the State House. GovernmentEducation Division at the The tours are given weekdays year­ office of: round from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and William Francis Galvin are free of charge. The last tour de­ Secretary of the Commonwealth parts at 3:30pm. State House, Room 194 Legislativeprocess tours and for­ Boston, MA 02133 eignlanguage tours are available by (617) 727-3676 prior arrangement. Instructional aids are available for teachers planning tours of the State House. They are sent at the time the tour is booked. Educational material is also available on request for teachers who have included units on state gov­ ernment in their curriculum.

17 Second Floor

Great Holl Main Staircase Window Holl of Flags Nurses Hall Doric Hall

Third Floor

Senate Reception Room Representatives Senate Chamber

Published by 10 Executive Offices WilliamFrancis Galvin Secretary of the Commonwealth State House Tours and Government Education Division updated /2/96