Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Touring the Massachusetts State House in Boston





The "new" State House
was built on Beacon Hill
in 1798.





A statue of General Joseph
 Hooker on horseback guards
 the State House.















portraits & statues of
U.S. political &
military leaders.











This statue of George
 Washington depicts him
 as an honored
statesman.










A bust of Abraham Lincoln
atop a copy of the
Gettysburg Address.











A statue of a Civil War
nurse tending a wounded
soldier is the focal point
of the Nurses Hall.






The seals of 12 of the original
13 states surround the
Massachusetts state seal.





We enter Memorial Hall,
which honors all
Massachusetts soldiers.

A public event is being held
in the next room.












This is a replica of the 

The first black regiment
formed during the



 

We pass school groups taking tours of the building as we move from one room to another.






The Governor hosts events
in the Great Hall.

The over 300 flags represent
each town & city in
 Massachusetts.













The marble staircases &
stained glass window
are beautiful.












Our tour group enters the





This chamber is in one
of the additions to the
State House.










The Sacred Cod is an important
talisman in the House of
 Representatives.







It is a symbol of the fishing industry in Massachusetts.  It was "Cod-Napped" by members of Harvard Lampoon Magazine in 1933.  Members of the House of Representatives were in an uproar.  The Cod was found and returned to its rightful place.   







Patrick takes us to
the Senate.















The Senate Anteroom
has a table in the middle
of the room with
13 chairs.












Its 40 members sit in a
circle, with the President
of the Senate sitting at
the front of the room. 





The Senate meets in the former House of Representatives.  The Sacred Cod moved into the new House Chamber.





The chandelier was commissioned
with an ornamental fish.

It's called the Holy Mackerel.












Our next stop is the 











A group of school children are getting their picture taken with their State Representative.






The Governor's receptionist
ensures the Governor\s
day runs smoothly.









Portraits of recent governors
line the wall.

Duval Patrick & Mitt Romney






Patrick gave a great tour of this very busy state capitol.  It is a beautiful old building filled with artwork depicting Massachusetts citizens' public service.  With additions, the State House has grown, over its 200 plus years, to accommodate the ongoing challenges of a maturing Massachusetts.

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