Designed by Charles Bullfinch, the cornerstone of the Massachusetts State
House was laid on July 4, 1795. Paul Revere was present and provided the
original copper sheathing for the dome. The grand design shows a confidence
in the still very new nation and its, at the time, strong economy. The building
sits on the top of Beacon Hill; it faces Beacon Street and overlooks the
Boston Common. Directly across from the State House is the Shaw Memorial.
The building is regarded as one of the finest state capitols in the country.
It is both Federal and Georgian in its design. It models itself after classical
architecture, which was seen as the appropriate style for the new republic.
Corinthian columns, its triangular pediment, and its careful interest in
geometry and symmetry all communicate the rational, balanced aesthetic of
classicism. Out of all these familar motifs rises the dome; sheathed in
gold in the late 19th century it plays the role of the original beacon of
light for which Beacon Hill was named. The dome is visible from far away
and forms the apex to the city. The addition of the dome forms a counterpoint
of inspiration and idealism to the rationalism of the building on which
it sits. In this way it resonates with one image of the Civil War as politically
necessary and morally just.
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