A large equestrian statue of George Washington atop a granite pedestal is located just northwest of the Capitol at the formal entrance to Capitol Square. This monument was conceived to honor Washington and to glorify Virginia’s contributions to independence. Virginia’s role in the Revolution is depicted by six of her sons surrounding General Washington, who is dressed in a military uniform. Smaller allegorical figures below the six pedestrian statues are inscribed with themes reflecting each patriot’s contribution: Andrew Lewis, Colonial Times; Patrick Henry, Revolution; George Mason, Bill of Rights; Thomas Jefferson, Independence; Thomas Nelson, Finance; and John Marshall, Justice.
American sculptor Thomas Crawford designed the Equestrian monument. The cornerstone was laid on Washington’s Birthday, February 22, 1850, and the Washington statue was unveiled on February 22, 1858. Crawford died in 1857 after completing the statues of Washington, Jefferson, and Henry. His American colleague Randolph Rogers executed the statues of Mason, Marshall, Nelson, and Lewis, as well as the allegorical figures, the last of which was put into place in 1869.
On the grounds north of the Capitol are bronze statues of William “Extra Billy” Smith, Governor of Virginia and Confederate Brigadier General; Confederate Major General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson; and Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire, a respected Southern surgeon. In the northwest corner of Capitol Square, facing the General Assembly Building, is a seated statue of Edgar Allan Poe, who grew up in Richmond and returned years later to edit The Southern Literary Messenger.
Virginia Civil Rights Memorial (2008): Located on the northeastern corner of the Square near the Virginia Executive Mansion, the Virginia Civil Rights Memorial honors Virginians who were active in the Civil Rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s. Eighteen statues are positioned around the monument. Not every statue depicts a specific person, with statues representing both students and adults. Among those depicted are Barbara Rose Johns, Spottswood William Robinson III, Oliver Hill, and Rev. Leslie Francis Griffin.
Mantle (2018): In the southwest corner of Capitol Square near the Bell Tower is Mantle, a large, permanent earthwork monument honoring Virginia’s Native nations. Based on the spiral shell embroideries on the historic Powhatan’s Mantle (c. 1608), thought to represent the nations of his confederacy, Mantle invites visitors to move within the symbolic circle of American Indian culture, on a winding path paved with local river stones and landscaped with indigenous plants.
Voices from the Garden: The Virginia Women’s Monument (2019): Just to the north of Mantle is the Virginia Women’s Monument. This monument stands as an enduring tribute to all of Virginia’s women, both renowned and unrecognized, who have shaped over 400 years of our culture, our country, and our great Commonwealth. The 11 women featured with bronze statues are: Anne Burras Laydon, Colonist; Cockacoeske, Pamunkey Chief; Mary Draper Ingles, Frontierswoman; Martha Washington, First Lady; Clementina Rind, Printer; Elizabeth Keckley, Seamstress and Author; Maggie L. Walker, Entrepreneur and Civil Rights Leader; Sarah G. Jones, Physician; Laura S. Copenhaver, Entrepreneur and Lutheran Lay Leader; Virginia E. Randolph, Educator; and Adèle Clark, Suffragist and Artist.
Among those honored with memorial trees on the grounds are presidents Washington and Tyler, governors Colgate Darden, Charles Robb, and Gerald Baliles, Nobel peace laureate Martin Luther King, Jr., and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Special Projects Supported by the Capitol Foundation
Emancipation Proclamation and Freedom Monument
As part of its commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and abolition of slavery in the United States, the Virginia Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Commission will construct the Emancipation Proclamation and Freedom Monument on Brown’s Island in downtown Richmond. The Virginia Capitol Foundation serves as the Commission’s fiscal agent.
The Virginia Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Commission will host a fundraiser at Virginia Union University on Saturday, January 18, 2020, to raise funds for the Emancipation and Freedom Monument. The monument, dedicated to the contributions of African American Virginians in
the fight for freedom, is scheduled for completion on Browns Island in 2020.
The Virginia Women’s Monument
The Virginia Women’s Monument, Voices from the Garden, acknowledges the brave, creative and wise contributions of Virginian women. The monument is a metaphor for the often unrecognized voices that have been responsible for shaping our culture, country and Commonwealth for more than 400 years. Its thought-provoking presence complements the traditional heroic monuments that have long stood on Capitol Square. Voices from the Garden honors 12 notable Virginians through an installation composed of historically accurate sculptural representations, designed by Ivan Schwartz of StudioEIS in Brooklyn, N.Y.
The Virginia Indian Monument
The Virginia Indian Monument In partnership with the Virginia Capitol Foundation, the Virginia Indian Commemorative Commission led the installation of the Virginia Indian Tribute on Capitol Square. This monument, entitled Mantle, recognizes the lasting legacy and significance of American Indians in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Indian Tribute is a meditation space where visitors can either walk the labyrinth or sit and contemplate. As a communal area, Mantle creates a respectful relationship with the surrounding natural world, reflecting the positive values which set the Indians apart from other cultures. Mantle is designed by Alan Michelson, a New York-based artist and Mohawk member of Six Nations of the Grand River.
