Tennessee State Capitol

Tennessee State Capitol
Antony-22 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Tennessee State Capitol
Caption	The Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville
Location	Nashville, Tennessee
Coordinates	36, 9, 57, N...
Architect	William Strickland
Architectural style	Greek Revival
Built	1845–1859
Governing body	State of Tennessee
Designation1	National Historic Landmark
Designation1 date	July 19, 1971
Designation1 number	70000894

Tennessee State Capitol The Tennessee State Capitol is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Tennessee, located in its capital city of Nashville. Completed in 1859, this National Historic Landmark has been the stage for pivotal moments in Tennessee's political evolution, including significant debates and legislative actions during the American Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. Its grounds and chambers have witnessed both the defense of traditional state governance and the complex, often contentious, journey toward greater civil and political rights for all citizens.

History and Construction

The decision to construct a permanent state capitol was made in the 1840s, moving from prior temporary locations. Prominent Philadelphia architect William Strickland, known for his work on the Second Bank of the United States, was selected to design the building. Construction began in 1845 and was fraught with challenges, including material shortages and the death of Strickland in 1854. He is entombed within the Capitol's northeast wall. His son, Francis W. Strickland, oversaw the project's completion in 1859. The building's construction utilized local materials, including limestone from a nearby quarry, and relied on the labor of both skilled artisans and enslaved individuals, a somber reflection of the era's antebellum economy. The total cost was approximately $1 million.

Architecture and Design

The Capitol is a premier example of the Greek Revival style, symbolizing the democratic ideals of Ancient Greece. Strickland's design features a prominent central tower reminiscent of a Greek temple monument rather than the more common dome. The exterior is constructed of limestone from Tennessee, and the interior spaces, such as the House and Senate chambers, are arranged around a central rotunda. Notable interior elements include the governor's office and the Supreme Court chamber, which was originally housed in the building. The structure's elegant yet restrained design emphasizes stability and permanence, values central to the state's identity.

Role in State Government

As the working seat of Tennessee state government, the Capitol houses the Tennessee General Assembly, comprising the Tennessee Senate and the Tennessee House of Representatives. The office of the Governor of Tennessee is also located here. For over 160 years, it has been the center of state legislative activity, where laws governing Tennessee are debated and enacted. This includes the passage of the state's constitutional amendments and the ratification of federal amendments, such as the Fourteenth Amendment. The building serves as a functional monument to representative democracy and state's rights.

Connection to the Civil War Era

The Capitol's history is deeply intertwined with the American Civil War. Tennessee was the last state to secede and join the Confederate States of America in June 1861, a decision formalized by its political leaders. During the war, the building was fortified and served as a Union garrison after Nashville fell to Federal forces in February 1862. It was the site of Military Governor Andrew Johnson's administration. Following the war, the Capitol was where the Tennessee General Assembly ratified the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865 and controversially became the first state to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment in 1866, a key step in its readmission to the Union.

Civil Rights Movement Events and Protests

In the 20th century, the Capitol became a focal point for the Civil Rights Movement. In 1960, following the pioneering Nashville sit-ins organized by Diane Nash and James Lawson, a group of over 200 students marched to the Capitol to confront Governor Buford Ellington about racial segregation. While the meeting was largely symbolic, it highlighted the movement's strategy of appealing directly to state authority. Later, the Capitol was the destination for the 1966 "March Against Fear" led by James Meredith after his shooting in Mississippi; the march culminated in a rally on its grounds. Legislative battles over civil rights and voting rights were fiercely contested within its chambers, reflecting the state's role as a border state in the national struggle.

Monuments and Memorials on Grounds

The Capitol grounds feature several monuments that narrate Tennessee's complex history. The most prominent is the equestrian statue of President Andrew Jackson, a Tennessee native. Other statues honor President James K James K States of the United States of the United States of the United States|President James. The Capitol Hill|United States|United States Constitution|United States of America|President of the United States|American Civil Rights Movement|American Civil Rights Movement|United States|United States Congress|States of Tennessee|American Civil Rights Movement the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States|Tennessee Capitol|Tennessee Capitol Hill|President of the United States|Monuments and Memorials Capitol Hill|Monuments and political rights|Monuments and# (United States|Tennessee Capitol, Tennessee|American Civil Rights Movement|United States|United States|United States|United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States|United States|States, Tennessee|States, Tennessee|States of the United States|Tennessee and political rights|United States of the United States|United States|Tennessee Capitol Hill|American Civil Rights Movement. The Capitol Hill|American Civil Rights Movement|United States of the United States|Tennessee and political rights movement|Tennessee Capitol Hill|American Civil Rights Movement|Monuments and Civil Rights Movement. The Capitol, Tennessee|Monuments and Memorials|Monuments and Government of the United States of the United States of the United States|United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States|United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States|United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States|Tennessee State Capitol Hill|Tennessee Capitol building|United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of America|American Civil Rights Movement and political rights|United States of the United States of the United States|American Civil Rights Movement and political rights|United States|Tennessee and political rights|States and political rights|United States of the United States|American Civil Rights Movement|States of the United States of the United States of the United States|American Civil Rights Movement|States of the United States of the United States|United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States|Tennessee State Capitol Building and political rights|Tennessee Capitol, Tennessee|Tennessee Capitol and political rights|Tennessee and political rights movement|United States of the United States of the United States|Tennessee and political rights movement|States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States of the United States|American Civil Rights Movement