The City of Jefferson

My travels along the Lewis and Clark Trail have taken me into the heart of several state capitals, and Jefferson City, MO, is no exception. Like Pierre, South Dakota, Missouri’s capital is relatively small and quite manageable for a newcomer and I greatly enjoyed my visit.

In keeping with the traditions of my previous weblog, here is a picture of the Capitol building in Jefferson City:

Missouri's Capitol Building. The statue on the pedestal in front is of Thomas Jefferson (see below).

Inside the capitol is a history museum, planned that way from the beginning, which I thought was an excellent idea, both for the museum itself and for getting people who might not otherwise think of it to visit the building, which is filled with murals and sculptures and outstanding decorative features under the dome. But strangely, the museum said little about Lewis and Clark, even in the “early days of Missouri” section. In the oldest part of town, Jefferson’s Landing, is another small museum depicting local history and that had a little bit about L&C, plus featured a video about the expedition in Missouri (the one I ordered from the department of conservation).

Outside the capitol building is some impressive statuary, including a bronze relief depicting the signing of the Louisiana Purchase and a likeness of Thomas Jefferson, for whom the capital city is named.

The signing of the Louisiana Purchase Agreement by the Americans, Livingston and Monroe, and their French counterpart, Marbois. (This statue made me think about books I've read about that era when men's fashions exposed their stockinged legs, and when men's legs, therefore, were judged accordingly. The wealthy even hired their footmen for their looks, height, and handsome calves.)

A virile and masterful Thomas Jefferson looks down from Above.

The statue of Jefferson, which towers thirteen feet above the visitor, looks straight down into the viewer’s face, and is one of the best examples I’ve seen of the “lordly patriarch” sort of statuary: intimidating, awe-inspiring, and designed to make one feel like a frightened child! Jefferson in real life was over 6’2”, a regal height in those days, so I imagine many who dealt with him had similar feelings at times.

[All photos by K. Dahl, copyright 2005.]