This site is dedicated toward the promotion of the Illinois Capitol Building and is intended to serve as an informational and educational resource for its visitors.
      Its creators have worked in the Capitol for a combined 40 years and are interested in the history of the building and efforts to preserve it for future generations.
      We hope you enjoy your on-line journey through the halls of one of the great state Capitols in the United States of America.

Site Menu

The Capitol
First Floor
Second Floor
Third Floor
House
Senate
Fourth Floor
Dome
Exterior Views
Postcards
Exterior Statuary
Basement, Etc.
Rumors
Trivia
Construction
Cornerstone
Past Capitols
The Kid Zone

News From The Past
Souvenir of Springfield
Babeuf's 1881-82 Springfield Directory

06/01/2008

This Month at the Capitol

Restoration of the south corridor of the first floor of the Illinois Capitol is nearing completion.

When decoration of the first floor of the Statehouse was finished in the winter of 1886-1887 small medallion portraits of U. S. Presidents were on display in the  panels that line the hallway, with the President's name painted in the adjacent panel.  Paintings of a Native American and a rendition of the U. S. federal shield also filled some of these areas.  Some time later this artwork was painted over.  As part of the current restoration several layers of paint were removed, revealing these paintings.  Replicas have been created on canvas and are being applied to the walls this week.

The return of this area of the first floor of the Statehouse to its 1880’s appearance necessitated the removal of the "Rise of Chicago” mural.  The mural covered a large window similar to others seen on the first floor of the Capitol. The painting will be stored at the Illinois State Archives until it is displayed at an another, as yet undetermined, State building in the future.

Restoration of the ceiling and walls of the south corridor will be finished in June.