Mississippi State Capitol

Jackson
 
     
 
 
 
Completed: 1903
Architect: Theodore Link
 Photo: Robert Deering 4/10/2015

The Mississippi State Capitol is located in Jackson and has been the home of Mississippi's state legislature since 1903. It is the third capitol building in Jackson.

The building was built on the site of the old state penitentiary and was created by Theodore Link, an architect from St. Louis, Missouri. The building cost $1,095,681, which was paid by the Illinois Central Railroad in the form of back taxes they owed to the state.

The building, which is in the Beaux-Arts architectural style, was designed to house all branches of the Mississippi state government, although now the judicial branch is housed in the Gartin Justice Building across High Street.

The walls of the rotunda are Italian white marble with a base of New York jet-black marble. Eight large columns are art marble known as scagliola. The dome interior contains 750 lights which illuminate the blindfolded female figure representing "Blind Justice" and four scenes: two Indians, a Spanish explorer and a Confederate general. Balustrades are cast iron and original to the building.

In 1979, it had a complete renovation, which cost $19 million. The renovation attempted to maintain the original design whenever practical. It was completed in 1983.
ADMITTED TO THE UNION: 1817 

ORIGIN OF STATE NAME: The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi ("Great River").

COUNTIES: 82

STATE MOTTO: "Virtute et armis" - By valor and arms

1890 PREAMBLE:  We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work.

ADDRESS:  400 High St, Jackson, MS 39201

We visited the Mississippi State Capitol building in April 2015.  However, as you can see from the pictures, the structure is under going some rennovation.  Even inside we were restricted from the area under the dome to guard against any falling debris from the work being performed.  We will have to revisit and and shoot the pictures again after the work is completed later this year.  Hopefully, it will be a day with lots of sunshine.
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Robert & Ferdie Deering
Photo: Mildred Deering 1960 		Robert Deering
Photo: Ferdie Deering 1960 		Cheryl & Robert Deering
Photo: Ferdie Deering 1953

 Old Capitol Building

Jackson
 
     
 
   
Completed: 1839
Architect: William Nichols
 Stock Photo

The Old Mississippi State Capitol, also known as Old Capitol Museum or Old State Capitol, was the Mississippi statehouse from 1839 until 1903. It is operated as a museum by the state of Mississippi. Among the features is a rotunda dome 94 feet high.  The building is a Mississippi State Historic Site and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1990. 

The Old Capitol was the site of some of the state’s most significant legislative actions, such as the passage of the 1839 Married Women’s Property Act, Mississippi’s secession from the Union in 1861, and the crafting of the 1868 and 1890 state constitutions. The Old Capitol has been restored to its original grandeur and reopened by the state as a free museum focusing on the distinguished history of the building and the events that have taken place in it. Interactive multimedia exhibits explore the roles of the legislature, governor, and high court, as well as the importance of historic preservation to the state, the activities that took place in the building after the New Capitol was constructed in 1903, and much more.
ADDRESS: 100 State Street, Jackson, Mississippi

MUSEUM HOURS: Open Tuesday–Saturday 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sunday 1–5 p.m.: Closed Mondays. 

Robert Deering at the War Memorial
Next to the Old Mississippi State Capitol
Photo: Ferdie Deering 1960