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Capitol Columns

Capitol Columns is a monument at the National Arboretum in Washington. It consists of twenty-two Corinthian columns arranged in the middle of a 20-acre prairie known as the Ellipse Meadow. The columns originally supported the east portico of the Capitol, completed in 1826. The Capitol was restored in 1958, and the columns were dismantled. In the 1980s, Ethel Garrett and Russell Page proposed placing them at the arboretum, where the monument was inaugurated in 1990.

Capitol Columns standing in a wide arc on a grassy field with steps in the foreground and cloudy skies above.
The Capitol Columns stand in an open field at the U.S. National Arboretum.
© · Public domain
Capitol Columns standing in rows on a grassy lawn with a winding path and trees under a cloudy sky.
The Capitol Columns rise in orderly rows across a green lawn beneath an overcast sky.
© · CC BY 3.0
Weathered Capitol Columns stand in a row against a partly cloudy sky.
The Capitol Columns rise into the sky, with their ornate capitals visible atop the weathered stone shafts.
August 2018 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Capitol Columns standing in a grassy field beneath a dramatic cloudy sky.
The Capitol Columns rise above a grassy field, with trees and dramatic clouds in the background.
© · Public domain
Capitol Columns standing above colorful autumn foliage with a curved path nearby under a blue sky.
The Capitol Columns rise above vivid fall plantings at the U.S. National Arboretum.
November 2014 © · CC BY 2.0
Purple flowers in the foreground with the Capitol Columns rising softly in the background under a blue sky.
Purple flowers frame the Capitol Columns on a bright day.
© · CC BY-SA 4.0
Capitol Columns standing across a grassy field with an ornate stone capital in the foreground
The Capitol Columns stand in the distance beyond an ornate stone capital and planters.
May 2009 © · CC BY 2.0
Two weathered Capitol Columns stone segments lie on a dirt and woodchip path surrounded by dense green foliage.
Weathered stone segments from the Capitol Columns rest on a wooded path.
April 2012 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Informational sign for the Capitol Columns with text and a teal acanthus leaf graphic.
A framed marker provides background on the Capitol Columns and includes a small acanthus leaf illustration.
May 2009 © · CC BY 2.0
The moon glows behind the silhouetted Capitol Columns against a dark blue night sky.
The moon rises behind the Capitol Columns at the U.S. National Arboretum.
© · Public domain

Identification

TitleNational Capitol Columns
TypeMonument
Alternative namesLes colonnes du Capitole; The National Capitol Columns; Kolumny Narodowego Kapitolu

Historical context

SubjectColumns from the U.S. Capitol

Creator

Landscape designerRussell Page

Discovery and provenance

Period at the Capitol1828 to 1958
Stone sourceNear Aquia Creek, Virginia
Transport to WashingtonBy barge
Quarry marksAncient/old identification marks from the quarry are still visible on some stones
Original structure completion date1826
Original functionSupported the east portico of the Capitol
Original placement date1828
Original locationEast portico of the Capitol; Part of the United States Capitol; Part of the United States Capitol

History and restoration

Capitol dome completion date1866
Reason for removal from the CapitolTo correct a visual illusion caused by the dome appearing too large and inadequately supported by the columns
Modification to the CapitolAn addition was built on the east side of the Capitol in 1958
Removal date1958
Relocation proposalIn the 1980s, Ethel Garrett and Russell Page proposed installing the columns at the Arboretum
Permanent home establishedThe 1980s
Date of relocation1990
Installation/inauguration at the ArboretumInaugurated in 1990
Condition of remaining columnsDamaged; both are split/cracked in half

Location and ownership

Support baseStones from the steps that were originally on the east side of the Capitol
Location of remaining columnsOn top of Mount Hamilton, within the Arboretum's Azalea Collection
Water featureA reflecting pool fed by a small stream of water running through a channel in the steps
Installation siteEast side of Ellipse Meadow
Meadow nameEllipse Meadow
Recommended siteEast side of the Ellipse Meadow
Current locationUnited States National Arboretum, Washington, D.C.; National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.'s National Arboretum
SettingPlaced in the middle of an open meadow known as Ellipse Meadow
Suggested site rationaleThe columns would be in scale with the open meadow available on the site

Appearance

Separate capital displayOne capital from one column is placed elsewhere in the meadow
Reflecting pool effectIt reflects the columns and provides sound and movement
Purpose of separate capital displayTo let visitors see the detail incorporated by the stone carver
Visible surface conditionMany layers of paint applied while the columns were in place at the Capitol are visible on parts of the stone
Visible decorative motifAcanthus leaves
StyleCorinthian
Number of columnsTwenty-two
CompositionAn arrangement/grouping of twenty-two Corinthian columns

Materials

MaterialSandstone

Physical characteristics

Original number of columns24
Columns in Ellipse Meadow22
Remaining columns2
Remaining columns' base statusNeither has a base
Remaining columns' capital statusNeither has a capital

Significance

Associated eventInauguration Day was held there from the construction of the columns until 1977