Travel

By PHIL HICKS
Staff Writer

AUSTIN — One of the most beautiful and historic structures in Texas is the State Capitol.

The sunset granite building, built in 1888, is the largest in gross square foot of all the state capitols and is second in size only to the Capitol in Washington, D.C. But as most Texans will tell you, the Texas Capitol does surpass the National Capitol in height, by some 15 feet.

These are some of the interesting facts you can pick up with a guided tour. Parking is available just east of the capitol building.

Tours are free and the guides are very informative and entertaining. Tours are conducted daily beginning in the Capitol South Foyer near the restored Treasure’s Business Office on the first floor. It concludes in the underground Capitol Extension.

The tour is about 45 minutes and covers the history of the Capitol as well as Texas history and legislature.

Tours are offered at the following times:

Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Saturday: 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Sunday: Noon-3:30 p.m.

The Capitol was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986 for its “significant contribution to American history.”

The Capitol’s design is based on the architecture of 15th-century Italy.

One interesting fact is that that Texas paid for the construction of the building by swapping land to Chicago investors. The land would late become the XIT Ranch in the Texas Panhandle.

As the tour begins, just outside of the rotunda are two life-size statues of Stephen F. Austin, the Father of Texas, and Sam Houston, first president of the Republic of Texas. Similar statues of the pair are housed at the National Capitol in Washington.

Inside the rotunda, look up and see the breathtaking dome with Texas spelled out. On the floor is the six seals of the nations Texas has history with — France, Spain, Mexico, Republic of Texas, Confederate States of America and United States.

Also, each portrait of Texas governors are hung in the area. The most recent governors are first and when a new governor is elected each portrait must be moved to the left up three floors of the rotunda. Along with the governors, oil portraits of the Presidents of the Republic are included.

Included in the tour, is a visit to both the house and senate chambers.

The chamber is not just for legislature work. Many paintings are in the room.

The only known portrait that Stephen F. Austin sat for is behind the lieutenant governor’s rostrum.

Two other paintings by Texas artist Henry Arthur McArdle are on the west side of the chamber — “Dawn at the Alamo’’ and the “Battle of San Jacinto.’’

Other notable portraits in the chamber are Republic of Texas president Mirabeau B. Lamar, President Lyndon Johnson and U.S. Representative Barbara Jordan.

The House Chamber is the largest room in the Capitol and houses the original flag from the 1836 Battle of San Jacinto. It hangs behind the speaker’s rostrum.

It is believed the flag was painted by artist James Henry Beard in late 1835 as a gift for the Newport Rifles, a 52-man company of Kentucky volunteers led by Captain Sidney Sherman. The company was formed to help the Texans battle the Mexican Army in Texas’ war for independence.

The banner, according to the State Preservation Board, is thought to be the only Texas battle flag at the April 21, 1836, battle where the Texas Army surprised Mexico’s General Santa Anna and won its independence.

The silk flag was given to the state by Sherman’s descendants in 1896. It first hung in the Texas House of Representatives Chamber in 1933.

Other artwork in the House Chamber includes a portrait of the first native Texas governor James Stephen Hogg, who was born near Rusk and later practiced law in Tyler. He was elected governor in 1890.

The Capitol Extension is an underground office building, completed in 1993. It provided office space for some of the legislators and their staffs, a bookstore, cafeteria, hearing rooms, auditorium and two levels of parking.

Many busts encircle the Capitol Extension Seal Court, including U.S. Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn and 32nd Vice President John Nance Garner.

The Texas Capitol grounds is some 22 acres. Included on the lush grounds are 17 monuments.

The four oldest monuments are the Heroes of the Alamo, Volunteer Firemen, Confederate Soldiers and Terry’s Texas Rangers.

Brochures are available in the Capitol or at the Capitol Visitors Center, just southeast of the building to help one with a self-guided tour of the grounds.

Capitol tours are conducted daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Easter.

Phil Hicks
()