Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-12
IMAGINE RICHMOND
WITHOUT HISTORIC
capitol SQUARE"
Time-H ored Associa-
tons Lend Dignity and
Air Of Solidity.
BOUGHT z YEARS BEFORE
CORVALLIS SURRENDERED
Some Say Thomas Jefferson
Suggested State House on
Church Hill.
ny VERA rALsiER.

ny VERA PALMER.
] What would Richmond lie without
the Capitol SIuarc--no trees or
walks. no fountain or Bell Tower. no
statues. and last. but certainly not
least. no squirrels? 1t is The very
hear, OF the city. not only geographic
caiIy. but in Il deeper and more far.
reaching sense. The Capitol building.
I'll. Governors Mansion and the
library all could perform their several
functions 10 the satisfaction of the
stat. and the public and yet be 10
Gated In any other section Of the
town. But il requires the old Square
with it's historic associations to give
the Virginia seat OF government that
dignity and air Of soiidity for which
u is 80 justly famed.
IL is not oniy we Of today who so
thoroughly appreciate the Importance
OF that rari.-iikc open space. for
those who brought the government
TO Richmond from Williamsburg
realized. with that well-nigh inspired
| foresight which characterized SO
many OF their actions. that plenty OF
| room must surround the buildings
| contemplated. This was two years
before Lord CORVALLIS surrendered
his sword 10 General Washington AT
/ Yorktown, and history tells us that
. the weapon was not won without a
{ struggle which often endangered the
| administration buildings at the CO.
Il ioniai capital.
Had IL not been for the cncroach
mcnts OF the enemy II is altogether
possible that the business OF the
II Commonwealth would today be trans
| acted on Duke OF Gloucester street
~
| and ,ns, city which William Byrd had
/ laid off with 80 much care might
/ no, have nourished any more than
. have many other places in Virginia
of almost corresponding age. but
Richmond was chosen because II Of
/ fcrcd the greatest safety OF amy town
I on naviIabic water. and those wise
h old patriots recognized the incstimab!c
\ advantage OF a water route. SO the
l government was brought here In 1879
! and the General Assembly passed
! bin that same year ailotting six
II squares on Shockoc nm in which
\ should be located all the public build
ines Of similar character to those
now standing. with the addition OF
public jail.
Adams Is Infurinted.
That this spo, was chosen Is said
ard Adams. who had built "a magnif-
cent mansion on Church Iiiii. where
no had always lived, because his
friend, Thomas jefferson. had strong
~ animated that the State Capitol
would be established In the vicinity
Of his home. The tragic story goes
on to say that ADAMS never again
spoke to the master OF Monticello.
50 great was his chasrin. Ills home.
as ~ well known, is mat which later
was generally referred 10 as the Van
Lew house. and which was RACED few
wears ago u make way Tor BcilcFuc
School, tncr.uy dcprivinS- Richmond
al a lanaiuar. size could i'll afford to
.osc.
First :. plain wooden building was
pat Up. which was used for the Cap
,,rl and the executive mansion oc-
.uu!cd by The earliest Governors, IN
,.ludins Jefferson. was two-story
Tram. structure no better than that
which might now house the simplest
farmer. The present Capitol was con-
structcd in 1885 according TO designs
Nv Thomas Jefferson. who was min
is,er 10 France at the time and in
parIs had become imbucd with the
beauties of Grccian architecture. The
mansion came into being in 1871, and
James Barbour was the first Cover
nor To liv: i'll the lovely old house 10
which many improvements and ad-
ditions have since been MADE: the
last being when Claude \. swan
son WAS chief executive, Tor
then the dining-room was remodeied.
But that open space OF six squares
as appropriated by the law-makers In
l779 was not Il particularly promis-
ing area from the point OF View of
art. 1t was slashed and cut with deep
ravines, which each summer storm
made deeper and deeper, while In
place Of the soft grass there were
the usual weeds Astounding in the To-
cality 1t served its purpose, how
ever. and improvements were made
from time TO time. although often
ut long Intervals. no compact record
of winch has ever been Kept.
Home of Public Gunrd.
One OF the foremost uses TO which
the Square WAS placed was for tho
local militia known as the Public
Guard. in reference TO which there
was nm interesting measure passed
March ., 1924. authorizing the SUI
pcrintcndcnt Of Public Grounds TO
nave the house. commonly called the
Barracks, situated on the southwest out,
nlatcd that in its place should be
substituted a small two-story house.
having q cupoia for bell. the struc-
which should be used for the ac-
commoaaton of the guard stationed
for ~ protection OF the Capitol. Thus
pas5 daily.
Money for the work was to come
from funds already in the treasury
and not otherwise appropriated, and
possibly that is why the wise heads
limited the tower to twenty feet
Captain Quarter was the command
ing officer ut the time and for many
years, according TO Mordccai, who
recorded the happenings OF his gem
<.ration with so much charm.
Not. only, were the grounds un-
kcmpt In those old days. but added
TO the disorders OF nature, we are
told that Immediately around TIM
tower tho shirts OF tho soldiers and
chemiscs OF their Wives Haunted ON
clothes lines. and tho pigs, poultry
and children enl!vened the scene"
Most people regard tho old Bell
Tower as ugly md unattractive ano,