The morning dawned in Mobile, Alabama. Our hosts for the previous evening were a nice couple who had raised six children and had lived in many parts of the East Coast, including a stint as farmers in Maine. They had a blurb and picture of the children published in Country Living. One of their daughters is an attorney. When he showed me the picture, he asked me if I could tell which one turned out to be the lawyer. Although, she was only about ten at the time of the picture, she already had an “in your face” expression on her face. We picked that one, and we were correct.
Our goal for this day was Jackson, Mississippi to visit Capitol #11. As it turns out, there are the “old” and the current capitols. They could be in walking distance except that it was raining (well, I really mean pouring).
We wandered into the Old State House first. In many states, the old capitol becomes the State Museum. But, Mississippi already had a separate building as their State Museum. The Old Capitol Building had long been neglected, but when the restoration was done and finished, it was amazing. The restoration brought the old building back to its original look and interprets the history of the most historic building in Mississippi...not the state generally, but the building specifically. It was used as the State House from 1839 to 1903. Greek Revival is its architectural design. Limestone base and faux-limestone façade were part of its original design. Through various renovations, much of the faux-limestone was removed. It has been “reapplied.” A wrought iron fence with two lanterns and six eagles had been removed in one of its renovations and have been replicated and restored to its welcoming front door.
A handful of pamphlets helped us through our self-guided tour. One called Spy has some fun questions. The answers can be found in the Capitol (or on the back of the pamphlet). Things are not always what they seem.
Unfortunately, Katrina tore off a large portion of its roof. Much of the restoration had to be redone.
Children of all ages should find a tour of this building a fun learning experience. There are many interactive displays. When one enters the building, one is given a “ticket.” At first I thought this was in lieu of payment. But as we pursued the various room, we discovered that our “ticket” could be inserted in several slots. Some of the smaller rooms were set aside to talk about Mississippi’s four Constitutions at various times in its history and the revisions that it brought. The “ticket” was used in each display to let each of us know if we could vote in that particular time frame. Each “ticket” has a different scenario, i.e., white (Confederate) plantation owner, white resident of the town without property, women at various times, and blacks as slaves and free men. One plugged the “ticket” into a computer which read the bar code to identify who each of us were supposed to be. I found it a great learning experience, even as an adult. And great fun!
There is a display near the Senate gallery of first ladies of Mississippi. This area also houses portraits of people who have been elected to the Mississippi Hall of Fame. Replicated House and Senate Chambers, Supreme Court and State Library, Executive (Governor’s) Office are all under its roof. Speeches of appropriate people can be heard by pushing a button in the various rooms. In the Governor's Office is a display of articles owned by John Quitman, a Whig, and Master Mason (held the office of Governor for approximately one month, but served in the U. S. House of Representatives 1835–1836, 1850–1851).
I was surprised to see the name of Adelbert Ames (June 15, 1868 to March 10, 1870 Military and January 4, 1874 March 29, 1876 Republican) on the list of Governors. The first time he was Military Governor (after the Last Unpleasantness), but was later elected Repubican Governor. He was later elected Senator, the first since that office was held by Jefferson Davis at the time of secession. Ames, a staunch Republican would become the son-in-law of Benjamin Butler, ardent Democrat, shortly after his election to the Senate and move to Washington City. Butler did not hold a very good reputation in the Southern States, but had become a member of the House elected from home state of Massachusetts when Ames was elected to the Senate. Ames had earned the Medal of Honor (it was not yet called the "Congressional" Medal of Honor) during his time fighting with the 20th Maine in the War Between the States. A New Englander a long way from home. "Politics" as they say, "makes strange bedfellows."
Cornerstones: Two—One was embedded in the side of the front wall. The date on it would imply that is was laid by the Grand Lodge of Mississippi Masons; the other was a recent date indicating the date of renovation and replication.
What’s Unique?: An area of one room has a huge Plexiglas container which holds rubble. This rubble is all the original bricks, plaster, lighting fixtures that they saved when they started the renewal of the building. Stuff that was loaded with history, but could not be used due its deterioration.
In the early days, there was “A Keeper of the Capitol.” His job was 24/7. He lived right there just right of the back entrance in his small room which includes a bed. His title says it all…he lit fires for heat, left buckets around to collect water from the leaky ceiling, was the keeper of the keys. He was also the State Librarian This job did not change with daily politics.
The building was declared a National Historic Landmark in1990.
Old Captiol Museum
100 N. State St, on the east side of State Street at Capitol Street
Jackson, MS.
(601)-576-6920
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