Joseph Huston's "Palace of Art"
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Joseph Huston's 1902 competition sketch |
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Architect Joseph M. Huston |
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Cross-section of rotunda |
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Design for hyphen corridors |
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House Chamber Design |
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St. Peter's and Capitol overlay |
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Color rendering of Huston's design |
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View of construction, 1904 |
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Groundbreaking, Nov. 7, 1902 |
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View of construction from State Street |
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Statue Commonwealth, May 1905 |
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Governor Samuel Pennypacker, 1906 |
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President Roosevelt at dedication, Oct. 4, 1906 |
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Barnard statues in studio |
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Capitol dedication grandstand, 1906 |
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Huston's original spec. book and Dictionary stand. |
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Umbrella tub |
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Capitol police, night watchman's keyclock |
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Terra Cotta roof tile |
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Spittoon |
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Modeled hand replacement for Barnard statues |
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Key to the Capitol's main dorrs |
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Brass knobs and escutcheon plates |
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Granite corings |
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Sketch Model of Statue Surmounting Dome/State Capitol Building/Harrisburg, PA |
1. Joseph Huston's 1902 competition sketch
Joseph Huston’s 1902 competition sketch, drawn by Otto Bacher.
2. Architect Joseph M. Huston
Architect Joseph M. Huston. Huston was 36 years old when he won the 1901 Capitol Competition.
3. Cross-section of rotunda
Cross-section of rotunda. Color rendering from 1901 design competition.
4. Design for hyphen corridors
Design for north hyphen first floor corridor. The original terrazzo floor envisioned by Huston was later modified in favor of Henry Mercer’s Moravian tile.
5. House Chamber Design
Early design rendering for the House Chamber. The design for the House underwent several modifications, including removal of the stained glass dome (which was later located in the Supreme Court Chamber), changes to the chandeliers, dais, and front walls.
6. St. Peter's and Capitol overlay
This overlay shows scaled proportions of St. Peter’s Basilica and Joseph Huston’s 1906 Capitol.
7. Color rendering of Huston's design
Stylized color rendering of Huston’s design. Much of the exterior artwork, sculptural groups, and bas relief stone and marblework, as well as the massive quadriga atop the center wing roof was never completed.
8. View of construction, 1904
View of construction from State Street. This image looking west from a building on East State Street shows the partially completed drum of the dome and smaller domes over the north and south light courts, dated April 1, 1904.
9. Groundbreaking, Nov. 7, 1902
Groundbreaking for the new Capitol, Nov. 7, 1902. Not all of the men are able to be identified but some pictured are Owen Roberts-Foreman for George F. Payne and Co., the General Contractors; Chas. G. Wetter, partner in George F. Payne and Co.; Joseph M. Huston (holding shovel of dirt), architect of the building, George F. Payne, General Contractor; and Stanford B. Lewis, Associate Architect and partner of Joseph Huston.
10. View of construction from State Street
View of construction from west State Street in early 1905 showing the partially completed steel skeleton of the dome.
11. Statue Commonwealth, May 1905
Statue Commonwealth. A group of approximately 12 workers pose for a photograph while working to hoist the statue Commonwealth on top of the Capitol dome, May 1905. One of the workmen placed three Indian head pennies dated underneath the statue. These were found again when the statue was restored in 1998.
12. Governor Samuel Pennypacker, 1906
Governor Samuel Pennypacker, seated at his desk in the new Governor’s private office area, 1906.
13. President Roosevelt at dedication, Oct. 4, 1906
President Roosevelt giving the keynote speech at the Capitol’s dedication, Oct. 4, 1906. Roosevelt made the trip from Washington specifically to speak at the new Capitol’s dedication, but it was Governor Samuel Pennypacker who officially dedicated the new building. Roosevelt proclaimed it “the handsomest building” he had ever seen.
14. Barnard statues in studio
Barnard statues in Piccirilli Brother’s studio, circa 1907. The Piccirilli’s were some of the most famous modelers and marble carvers of their day, carving not only Barnard’s groups for the Pennsylvania Capitol, but also Daniel Chester French’s Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial, the Lions at the New York Public Library and numerous notable other monumental public works.
15. Capitol dedication grandstand, 1906
Capitol dedication grandstand, 1906. Thousands of visitors attended the Capitol’s dedication ceremonies on October 4, 1906.
16. Huston's original spec. book and Dictionary stand.
Joseph Huston’s original specification book for the Capitol and a historic 1906 dictionary stand.
17. Umbrella tub
Umbrella tubs, of two styles were designed and furnished to John Sanderson (the Capitol’s furnishing contractor by John A. Dubs of Philadelphia.
18. Capitol police, night watchman's keyclock
Capitol police, night watchman’s key lock box
19. Terra Cotta roof tile
Terra Cotta roof tile. The Capitol’s roof is made of red terra cotta tiles, manufactured by the Ludowici Tile Company in Ohio. The green glaze which is covering the tiles is called “Empire Green” and was selected by Joseph Huston, the Capitol’s architect.
20. Spittoon
Spittoon. All Senate and House members had spittoons which sat next to their desks. The Governor had a special heavy bronze and brass spittoon positioned next to his large custom-designed partner’s desk.
21. Modeled hand replacement for Barnard statues
Modeled hand replacement for Barnard statues. In the early 1990s, the Barnard statues were in such poor condition that they were completely removed from their pediments, conserved and re-assembled. As such, certain components which had weathered or “spalled” from freeze/thaw cycles were remade.
22. Key to the Capitol's main dorrs
Key to the Capitol’s main doors. This large bronze and brass key is one of several made for the Capitol’s massive bronze doors which weigh one ton a piece.
23. Brass knobs and escutcheon plates
Brass knobs and escutcheon plates. Most ornate rooms in the building have ornate brass escutcheon plates and doorknobs which have a relief emblem of the Pennsylvania Coat of Arms depicted on them.
24. Granite corings
Granite corings. These cross-sections of granite were taken to discern the thickness of granite at different location within Capitol Park, as well as to facilitate replacement of spalled or broken slabs.
25. Sketch Model of Statue Surmounting Dome/State Capitol Building/Harrisburg, PA
Sketch Model of Statue Surmounting Dome/State Capitol Building/Harrisburg, PA, designed by Joseph M. Huston, sculpted by Roland Hinton Perry, cast by the Henry-Bonnard Bronze Co., Mt. Vernon, NY, 1905.