7 Historic Monuments at the Texas State Capitol
Memorial Day is upon us: a time set aside to reflect on the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. Since 1886, the holiday has been a time to pay respects at military cemeteries and memorials.
The Texas State Capitol is a prime destination for visiting history buffs, and one key feature is the wide array of famous monuments in Texas and spread across the capitol grounds. Read on to discover 7 historic monuments to visit this Memorial Day weekend.
Texas African American History Memorial
The Texas African American History memorial was created in 2016 by artist Ed Dwight. In addition to sculpting, Dwight made history as the first African-American to enter into the Air Force training program for NASA astronauts. His work is known to depict Black culture and the battle for civil rights; focusing on themes of slavery, emancipation and post-reconstruction.
The memorial commemorates the work and legacy of African-Americans throughout Texas history. The sculpture’s focal point depicts the events of June 19th, 1865. Known as “Juneteenth”, it was on this day that African-Americans were officially freed from slavery.
Additional figures in the monument represent heroes such as Hendrick Arnold, a renowned Texas Revolutionary fighter; and Barbara Jordan: a 1966 Texas State Senator who became America’s first black woman to serve in the state body.
Texas Cowboy Monument
This installation was created in 1925 by artist Constance Whitney Warren: an American sculptor whose work was featured at the likes of the Paris Salon. Her work can be viewed today at the Texas and Oklahoma State Capitol buildings, and is known for depicting the lives and work of America’s cowboys.
The Texas Cowboy Monument is a bronze sculpture portraying a cowboy atop a rearing stallion. The piece was originally featured in an exhibition in Paris, France, before being gifted to the State of Texas. Warren dedicated the work to the “rough and romantic riders of the range.”
World War I Monument
Austin’s World War 1 Monument was created in 1961 by an unknown artist. Sculpted from Texas Sunset Red Granite, the monument stands in honor of the veterans of World War 1—including more than 198,000 Texan citizens who served in America’s armed forces during the war.
The monument is currently under the care of the Capitol Historical Artifact Collection and the State Preservation Board.
Disabled American Veterans of Texas Monument
This memorial was created in 1980, by the Texas Department of Disabled American Veterans and Auxiliary. Crafted by an unknown designer, the monument sports the bronze seal of America’s Disabled Veterans, and stands in honor of those Texan veterans who were rendered disabled while serving the American military.
The monument’s inscription reads as follows: “Dedicated to the memory of disabled American veterans of Texas. They offered their lives for the nation, and received each for his own memory. The noblest of shrines: not the graves in which their mortal bones are buried, but a home in the hearts of men.”
Korean War Veterans Memorial
The Korean War Veterans Memorial was created in 1999 by sculptor Edward L. Hankey, in collaboration with the Texas Lone Star Chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association. Originally from Ohio, Hankey relocated to Texas in the 1970s, where he attended the University of Houston to study anatomy, life drawing and art history. His work includes the massive bronze-cast eagle perched atop this memorial’s star-shaped base.
The Memorial pays homage to more than 289,000 Texans who served in the Korean War between 1950 and 1953. Visitors to the monument can read the inscribed names of the 1,723 Texans who perished in the conflict or were reported missing in action.
Texas Pioneer Woman Monument
Created in 1998 by Linda Sioux Henley, the installation was commissioned by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, District VIII. Henley is a descendent of the famed Alamo hero Gordon C. Jennings, and her work often features the proud Cherokee heritage inherited from her mother. Her art has been featured in exhibitions around the world; including galleries throughout the U.S., Canada and Germany.
The Texas Pioneer Woman Monument stands in honor of the pioneering women of Texas’ early history. The memorial depicts a life-size bronze statue of a young mother, cradling a baby in her arm.
Pearl Harbor Memorial
Austin’s Pearl Harbor Memorial was created in 1989 by designer Scott Field, commissioned by the Pearl Harbor Survivors of Texas. The monument memorializes those Texan citizens who were enrolled in the American armed forces during the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941.
Like many of the capitol’s memorials, the sculpture is crafted of Texas Sunset Red Granite, and features the bronze seal of the Pearl Harbor Survivor’s Association.
Also checkout the history of San Jacinto monument at the San Jacinto Museum.
Which capitol monument would you most like to visit?
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