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Texas
| Statues
or
What's a girl like you doing on a Capitol like this?
by Brewster Hudspeth |
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The
Goddess up close
Photo Courtesy TxDoT |
The
statue that sits atop the Capitol
in Austin is something of a mystery. Her
name, origin and even the material she's made of have been debated
for years. No one can say with certainty if she is a Goddess of Wisdom,
Justice, Victory - or even if she is a “Goddess” at all. No woman
ever stepped forward to claim posing for the statue and when the statue
is observed up close - it become very clear. The "strong" features
were intentionally exaggerated to make her appear "normal" when viewed
from below. She's quite startling when viewed up close.
Over the years there have been several men who have claimed that a
female ancestor of theirs had the honor of posing. (No woman has made
such a claim.) |
Goddess of Liberty
in front of the Texas
State Capitol
Vintage Photo Courtesy Texas State Library And Archives |
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The
only known miniature statue.
Courtesy Harold Bell and Family |
| The
Late Harold
Bell of Decatur,
Texas was observant enough to recognize a miniature of the statue
at a Wise County foundry a few years ago. He bought it and took it
home - where it sits in a place of honor. Originally the miniature
statues were to be mass produced and sold to patriotic Texans. There
is little doubt that the 14-inch casting is related to the original,
although on this one the facial features have been softened somewhat
- so as not to frighten children. |
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The
attempt at reinstallation in the mid 1980s).
Photo
courtesy TxDoT |
Bee-stung
lips?
A
restoration of the Capitol
in the mid-1980s cleared up at least one point concerning the statue.
It was finally determined that she was zinc. Other discoveries revealed
her head had once held a hive of bees with her generous nostrils providing
entrance and egress. Another discovery was a still-readable 1888 newspaper.
After sandblasting, primer and paint, the goddess was ready to ascend
back to her beautiful perch - not an easy project. The National Guard
Sikorsky Skycrane that had taken her down was supposed to put her
back in place - but the last phase was much more difficult than the
first. High winds extended the 20-minute operation to multiple tries
over the next three days. Austinites held their breath and the drama
saturated local news. Just ask any Austinite where they were "the
day the goddess returned." Chances are, they'll answer: "Goddess?
What Goddess?" |
© John
Troesser
Bibliography:
Article: The
Capitol’s Lady by Audray Bateman, The Texas Folklore Society ed.
By Francis Edward Abernethy, E-heart Press, 1981
Interview with
Harold Bell, Decatur, Texas, January 2003
Texas Highways
Magazine
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| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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