One of the more interesting things for visitors to see in the Capitol is the National Statuary Hall Collection.
It consists of 100 statues placed throughout the building – two donated by each state to commemorate people who have had an impact on their state and the nation.
While most of the statues are traditional marble sculptures of the usual suspects in U.S. history, the collection has also changed with the times. Since 2000, states are allowed to even replace their statues if they so choose – which has happened three times already.
Walking through the halls of the Capitol now, there are a few statues that manage to surprise.
There are the modern – like Utah’s “Father of Television” Philo T. Farnsworth, or Colorado astronaut John L. “Jack” Swigert, Jr.
There are the women – like Alabama’s Helen Keller and Montana’s Jeanette Rankin.
There are the Native Americans and Pacific Islanders – like New Mexico’s Po’pay and Hawaii’s King Kamehameha I.
And there are even the Confederates – like Mississippi’s Jefferson Davis and Virgnia’s Robert E. Lee.
But there are limits to the breadth of the official collection. So far there are no African-Americans among the 100 statues, and there are no contributions from the District of Columbia.
That could soon change, with a statue of Frederick Douglass that will be heading to the Capitol.
Historic District 